Name
Leonard Tibbles Luck
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
55863
Rifle Brigade
6th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
Leonard Luck was born on 3rd March 1885 as an English subject, in Chicago, USA. He was the eldest of seven children (four sons and three daughters) born to John and Eliza Luck. The reason for his birth in the USA has not been identified. John Luck was born in Harpenden and in the 1881 and 1891 Census he was listed living locally and working as a Hay Dealer, and all of the other children in the family were born locally too. In the 1901 Census the family was shown living at “Groveland” Abbots Road, Abbots Langley, and Leonard was employed as a Machine Hand at a Paper Mill.
Leonard was married at Watford on 7th January 1906, and by the time of the 1911 Census he was living at “Airedale”, Abbots Road, Abbots Langley, and was employed as a Night Gate Porter.
Leonard attested on 30th November 1915, and was posted to the Army Reserve. At this point he noted that he had a son and three daughters, and worked as a Mortuary Attendant. He gave his address as “Lincoln Cottage”, Abbots Road, Abbots Langley. He was mobilised on 1st June 1916, but was immediately posted back to the Army Reserve.
On 21st December 1917 Leonard attended for a Medical at Maidstone where he was classified Medical Category B3, and was posted to the 24th Training Reserve. Leonard transferred to the Eastern Command Labour Centre (ECLC) on 4th March 1918. The ECLC, which from January 1918 was based at Sutton in south London, was a holding centre for men waiting to be posted to Labour Companies, and it was maybe because of his Medical Category and his age that Leonard was being considered for non-combat units.
The Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour first recorded Leonard in March 1918, serving with a Training Battalion. On 13th March 1918 Leonard was posted to 363 Reserve Employment Company, and the next day joined the 587th Home Service Employment Company at Bedford.
On 20th July 1918 Leonard was compulsorily transferred to the 6th Rifle Brigade and two days later was posted to the unit at Eastchurch near Sheerness, Kent. This reflected the shortages of man-power available to the front-line Army units, where men previously designated for support roles in Labour Companies, were pressed into service nearer the Front. Leonard remained in England and on 4th December 1918 found himself back with the ECLC. The Parish Record of December 1918 noted that Leonard had moved from a Training Battalion to the Army Service Corps, which was not the case.
Leonard attended a Medical Board at Surbiton on 11th February 1919, where chronic Synovitis (inflammation of the synovial membrane in joints) was diagnosed in both knees. This rheumatic condition had been evident when Leonard joined up, and had been present since 1906, when Leonard lived at Abbots Langley. It was recorded that the condition was not due to or attributable to War Service, however Leonard was considered 30% disabled, and was granted a Pension of 14/3 for a period of 25 weeks. On 12th February 1919 Leonard was Discharged No Longer Physically Fit for War Service. Leonard was recorded in the Absent Voter Record of Autumn 1918 living at Abbots Road, Abbots Langley. Leonard Luck survived the War, as did his brother Frederick, who was captured in the Spring of 1918 and spent the final months of the War as a Prisoner of War in Germany.
Additional Information
Formerly Training Reserve & Labour Companies
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
