Name
Leonard John Wright
1/12/1894
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
18/05/1918
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
20713
Norfolk Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
MAILLY WOOD CEMETERY, MAILLY-MAILLET
II. L. 15.
France
Headstone Inscription
He has no family inscription on his Headstone.
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Cheshunt Memorials, Not on the Waltham Cross Memorials, Waltham Abbey Church Memorial
Pre War
Leonard John Wright was born on 1st December 1894, in Cheshunt/ Waltham Cross/ Waltham Abbey (depending on the document) the birth was registered in Edmonton, Middx, son of Joseph Wright a, Labourer at the Royal Gun Powder Factory, Waltham Abbey, (RGPF) and Ann Mary Wright (nee Farrow). One of eight children.
He was baptised on 27th October 1895, at the Church of St Lawrence and Holy Cross, Waltham Holy Cross, Essex.
1901 Census records Leonard aged 6, his parents, brothers George (3) and Arthur (9) living with his grandparents John and Eliza Farrow and their family, at 54 Turners Hill, Cheshunt, Herts. The Census also records they had the Snell family boarding with them.
1911 Census, Leonard aged 16, was working as a Cordite Labourer at the (RGPF) living with his parents, four brothers and three sisters at, 22 Harold Road, Waltham Cross, Herts.
Leonard married Sarah Martha Catlin the daughter of George Joseph and Sarah Jane Catlin of Hoddesdon, Herts, on 24th June 1916, at the Edmonton Registry Office. (He was mobilized for war service in June 1916). They went on to have one son Leonard Joseph George Wright born in 1917.
Wartime Service
Leonard enlisted on 11th December 1915 at, Waltham Abbey, Essex, and posted to the Army Reserve.
Mobilized for war service in June 1916 and posted to the Norfolk Regiment with the service number 20713. On completion of his training, he was sent to France sailing from Folkstone to Boulogne on 19th October 1917 and proceeded to the Infantry Base Camp at Etaples arriving on 20th October, from there he was sent to the front. Leonard received a Gun Shoot Wound (GSW) to his left arm and admitted to No. 5 Field Ambulance on 17th February 1917, returning to England for treatment on 26th February 1917, and admitted to the 5th Northern General Hospital, in Leicester on, 27th February, until 14th April 1917 when he was discharged.
He remained in England until October when he Embarked at Folkstone on 26th October 1917 for Boulogne, France arriving the same day the 26th, he proceeded Calais Base Camp arriving on the 27th October, from there he was posted to the 7th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment, arriving at the front on 1st November 1917.
Leonard was admitted to 51st Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) with concussion on 10th March 1918, later transferred to 33rd CCS on the 12th. He re-joined his unit the 7th Battalion in the field on 6th April 1918.
Leonard was Killed in Action on 8th May 1918. He is buried in Mailly Wood Cemetery, Mailly-Maillet, in France. Grave Ref; II. L. 15.
He served with the 3rd, 7th, 10th & 17th Battalions of the Norfolk Regiment.
Additional Information
Sarah received a widow’s pension of £1-00s-05d, a week from 2nd December 1918, and his effects of £14-19s-11d, pay owing and his war gratuity of £8-10s-00d.
Sarah lived at “Cliffton Villa”, Bakers Entry, Waltham Abbey, Essex, later at 13 Green Yard, Waltham Abbey, Essex.
His service record has survived and is available on-line.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
