Matthews, Leonard Sidney

Poppy on a wooden cross

Age: 20
Date of birth: 13th April 1897

Parents: John and Eliza Matthews
Wife: Single
Address: 7 Pickard Row, Warwick

Occupation: Machine Finisher

In 1901, Leonard was living with his parents, John and Eliza Matthews in Coventry.  There were two older brothers listed – Benjamin (15) and John (12).

At the time of the 1911 census, Leonard was registered as a boarder at the house of Mr & Mrs G. Enoch in Coventry. He is listed as being ‘at school’.

According to Leonard’s service record, he was 5′ 5″ with dark hair and hazel eyes.

He is the only person on the Warwick War Memorial who actually did not die from the effects of the war although his mother filled out this Shrine Application in good faith, believing him to have been killed in action.  It’s probable that he did not return home to Warwick until after the plaques for the War Memorial had been completed.

He did return, though, as he died in Warwick in Q4 1932.

 

Military Service

Rank & Number: Able Seaman, BZ/3434
Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Reserve
Brigade/Division: 63 Division
Date of death:
Cause of death/Battle: Although reported killed, he was in fact a Prisoner of War and survived
Commemorated/Buried:
Awards:
Commemorated locally at:

Leonard enlisted 18th November 1915 and was attached to the 6th Battalion. He was transferred to the 1st Anson Battalion in July 1916 and in that month disembarked at Boulogne and was based at Etaples.

He was admitted to hospital later that year with scabies and then impetigo. He rejoined his unit in January 1917.

During 1917 he was in a Labour Company and then a Tunnelling Company. On 7th August he was deprived of 3 days pay for disobedience and in February 1918 he forfeited 3 days pay for being absent from parade, having been suffering from pitiryasis (a skin disease).

On 10th April 1918, his unit received a report of Leonard being killed in action on 24th March 1918. However on 2nd May another report said he was a prisoner of war. Notes on his record state that they would await confirmation before communicating this. On 13th June they received a telegram that he was a POW at Crossen an der Oder (now Krosno, Poland). His status was revised from KIA to POW in September 1918.

Leonard was repatriated in January 1919 and demobilised in February. His service record states that he received an eye wound in March 1918.

Contributors

  • Unlocking Warwick Research Group
  • Military details courtesy of David Oliver

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