Name
Leonard Abel Sell
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
09/04/1918
30
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Gunner
28275
Royal Garrison Artillery
122 Heavy Battery
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 (Mons) Star, British War and Victory Medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Cheshunt Cemetery
30 BO
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Cheshunt Town Memorial,
Cheshunt Burial Ground,
Goff's Oak Village Memorial,
Goff's Oak Street Name
Pre War
Leonard Abel Sell was born in 1888, in Goffs Oak, Hertfordshire, son of Abel and Anna Sell (nee Sibley). The seventh of eight children.
He was Baptised on 29th January 1888 at St James Church, Goffs Oak, Herts.
1891 Census records Leonard aged 3, living with his parents, three brothers and two sisters in Goffs Oak, Herts.
1901 Census records Leonard as Abel aged 13, living with his parents, brother Albert (18) and sister Mable (7) in Goffs Oak, Herts.
About 1906 Leonard travelled to London and enlisted in the Royal Artillery, issued with the service number 28725.
1911 Census, Leonard aged 23, is single, and a soldier, stationed at Stanford Fort Barracks, Turnchapel, Plymstock, North Plymouth, Devon.
His mother Anna Sell, died on 3rd October 1915, aged 62.
Wartime Service
At the outbreak of war Leonard was a serving soldier with the Royal Artillery. He arrived in France on the 17th September 1914, seeing action on the Western Front. Later transferred to the 122nd Heavy Battery, Royal Garrison Artillery.
Leonard died on 9th April 1918, at the City of London Military Hospital, of wounds received in action. He was buried on the 13th April 1918, at Cheshunt Burial Ground, Burry Green Road, Cheshunt, Herts.
The 122nd Heavy Battery of the Royal Garrison Artillery was formed on 17th October 1914 at Woolwich, London, it was sent to France in March 1915, with 4.7-inch guns, later re-equipped with the more effective 60-pounder guns in December 1915.
Additional Information
His effects of £24-18s- 4d, pay owing and his war gratuity of £21-10s-00d, went to his father Abel Sell.
His Headstone inscription "WHO GAVE HIS LIFE FOR HIS COUNTRY DUTY WELL DONE" was requested by his sister Mrs. C. M. Parker, of 41 Bridgenhall Road, Forty Hill, Enfield, Middx.
In June 1997 Broxbourne Borough Council received a suggestion from the Chairman of Goffs Oak Community Association to name roads to commemorate the men who lost their lives in the two world wars who are displayed on the Goffs Oak War Memorial. It was decided that these names should be used for the large development in Hammond Street Road, this soldier has one of the surnames chosen: "Sell Close" – the reason for the names selected (as opposed to others) is not known.
Acknowledgments
Brian Lodge, Stuart Osborne
