John Leslie Ensor

Rfn. Ensor attested on 06/09/1914 in Nottingham and on Joining K.R.R.C. he was sent to Winchester on 10/09/1914 to begin his training. He was posted to 11th Battalion on 1/09/1914, and on 23/10/1914 was appointed lance corporal. He embarked for France on 21/07/1915, but on 06/04/1916 he was in trouble with the army authorities. On that date he was severely reprimanded for neglect of duty in having his dug-out in a dirty condition. On 25/06/1916 he was deprived of his lance corporal stripe for not complying with an order and failing to detail a man to remove tools when ordered to do so. On 24/08/1916 he was suffering with shell shock but remained on duty. On 22/09/1916 he received a gunshot wound to the head and was sent to34th Casualty Clearing Station. On 26/09/1916 he was invalided to England from hospital in Rouen. He was treated for shell shock from 28/09/1916 until 28/11/1916, a total of 61 days. He recovered and embarked for France from Southampton on 30/01/1917 and arrive at Le Havre on the same day. He was posted to 2nd Battalion, King's Royal Rifle Corps on 22/02/1917. The battalion was in the User bridgehead near Nieuport in mid 1917. On 10/06/1917 the Germans began to shell the area heavily. The bridges which were the only means of communication with the main British defences were destroyed and the battalion, together with 1st Battalion, Northamptonshire Regiment, were isolated. The battalion suffered heavy casualties and in a following infantry attack the two battalions were almost wiped out. Amongst those killed was Rfn. Ensor. His body was never recovered, but his name was commemorated on the Nieuport Memorial.

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