Name
Leonard Coote (*1)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
20/04/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
3/8499
Bedfordshire Regiment
8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LIJSSENTHOEK MILITARY CEMETERY
VI C 17A
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
No Report
UK & Other Memorials
Markyate Village Memorial, St John The Baptist Church Memorial, Markyate, Individual plaque, St John the Baptist Church, Markyate, Not on the Flamstead memorials, Luton Hoo Memorial, Luton, Beds.
Pre War
Leonard Coote was born in 1881 in Flamstead to Freerick Coote, shepherd, and Jane, straw Hat sewer, (nee Mimer).
On the 1881 Census the family of parents, William M (born 1872). George (born 1875), Emma Ellen (born 1871), and Leonard were living at River Mill House, Flamstead.
On the 1891 Census the family of parents, George (farm labourer), Ellen (straw hat sewer), Leonard, Alice (born 1885), Thomas (born 1888) and Henry (Harry born 1894) were lining in Flamstead.
On the 1901 census the family of parents Leonard (farm labourer), Thomas and Harry were living at Chequers Hill, Flamstead.
Leonard married Annie Amelia Impey in Dec 1906.
On the 1911 Census Leonard, Annie with children William Henry (born 18 Mar 1907), Herbert (born 8 Sep 1908), Evelyn May (born 29 Sep 1910) were living at 55 London Road, Markyate. There would be a further two children – Violet Annie (born 14 Apr 19130 and Leonard (born 29 Jan 1916). Leonard’s parents were living at Chequers Hill, Flamstead with Thomas and Harry.
Worked in Gardens Dept on Luton Hoo Estate.
Wartime Service
Leonard rejoined the Bedfordshire Regiment soon after the declaration of the Great War in Aug 1914 as Private 3/8499 in 3rd (Special Reserve) Battalion.
On 30 Aug 1915 he went to France to join 8th (Service) Battalion of the Regiment. In Oct 1915 the Battalion were transferred from 24 Division to 6th Division. Leonard died of wounds on 20 Apr 1916 during a period of no notable engagements but probably as a result of attrition of soldiers in the front areas from artillery, trench raids etc.
Additional Information
War Gratuity of £7 and arrears of £2 4s 11d was paid to his widow.
Acknowledgments
Neil Cooper
Simon Goodwin, Gareth Hughes, Anne & Gordon Mead, Felicity Brimblecombe
