Name
Leonard Percy Grant
1893
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
06/11/1918
25
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Sapper
151837
Royal Engineers
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HITCHIN CEMETERY
S. VIII. B.
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Hitchin British Boys' School Memorial, Hitchin
Pre War
Leonard was born in 1894 in Hitchin and his parents were Frederick and Amelia Grant.
In 1901 the family were living at 2 Queens Street, Hitchin. Present were both parents: Frederick (34) and Amelia (35), with Frederick and working as a house painter and decorator. Their children were: Bertram (9), Leonard (7), Ernest (5) and Walter (3).
Leonard attended Hitchin British Boys' School.
By 1911 the Leonard had moved out of the family home and was living with his aunt and uncle (William Thomas and Sarah Ann Arnold, at Albion Villa, Library Road, Upper Parkstone, Dorset. Leonard was 17 and workings as a grocer’s assistant.
Leonard enlisted in Hitchin 14 January 1916. At that time he was living at 51 Queens Street, Hitchin, 22 and a grocer.
Officially he was recorded as living in Hitchin when he enlisted.
He married Ethel May St John on 27 July 1918 and their home was at Willbury Cottages, Willbury Hills, near Hitchin. They had no children.
Wartime Service
He was mobilised on 15 February 1916 and posted to the S.S.T.C. (Signal Service Training Centre) – Royal Engineers, with the Corps Number 151837 the following day.
He was admitted to recorded as sick on 31 October 1918 in Barnet Hospital. This was during a leave period.
He received dental treatment on 7 August 1918.
His illness was recorded in distressing detail in his medical records:
- 1.11. 18. Had epistaxis temp. 100.2 F.
- 2.11.18. Bad headache. Temp. 103.4 F.
- 3.11.18. Moist rails all over chest. Dullness right side pneumonia. Throat congested. Cough troublesome.
- 4.11.18. Temp. 104.4 F. Cough more troublesome.
- 5.11.18. Temp. 103 F. Cough bad. Put on seriously ill list.
- 6.11.18. Temp. Evening 103 F. P. 154. R. 60. Breathing very distressed. Oxygen inhalation. Died 8:30 PM
His wife visited him during this time. He died only four days after his mother's death. Both of them died of pneumonia resulting from the influenza epidemic that was raging throughout the country at the time.
He was buried in Hitchin Cemetery Grave S VIIIB.
Additional Information
Leonard's headstone (not CWGC) reads:
IN LOVING MEMPORY OF LEONARD PERCY GRANT (SON) DIED NOV. 6TH 1916, AGED 25.
His personal effects were received by his wife on 6 November 1918.
His pension cards record Ethel May Grant as his widow and dependant, living at 51 Queen Street, Hitchin. She was awarded a pension of 13s 9d a week from 12 May 1919. A grant of £5 had previous been paid on 17 December 1918.
As part of her pension claim Ethe submitted details of the marriage and at that time was living at 38 Calvert Road, Barnet, Herts.
He was the brother of Ernest Arnold Grant who was also died in the war.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
