Leonard Smith
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Leonard was born in 1895 in Hucknall and was the son of Joseph Allcock a coal miner and Annie Smith of 68 Southwell Road, Mansfield. His father Joseph Allcock was born in 1871 at Hucknall and his mother Annie Smith was born in 1873 at Tamworth, they were married in 1893 their marriage was record in the Basford Registration District, and his family name became Allcock-Smith and later became Smith. They went on to have the following children James b1894 Hucknall, Leonard b1895 Hucknall, Herbert b1896 Hucknall, Nellie b1897 Mansfield, John b1901 Mansfield, Millicent b1908 Mansfield, Dorothry b1910 Mansfield,William b1911 Mansfield and Grace b1913 Mansfield In the 1901 census the family are living at 112 Ogle Street, Hucknall and are using the name Allcock and are shown as Joseph Allcock 30 yrs a coal miner , he is living with his wife Annie Allcock 27 yrs and their children James Allcock 8 yrs, Leonard Allcock 6 yrs,Nellie Allcock 4 yrs and Herbert Allcock 2 yrs In the 1911 census the family are living at 38 Southwell Road, Mansfield and are using the surname Smith and are shown as Joseph Smith 40 yrs a coal miner, he is living with his wife Annie Smith 38 yrs and their children, Janes 17 yrs a pony driver/coal miner, Leonard 15 yrs a door trapper/coal miner, Nellie 14 yrs, Herbert 12 yrs, John 10 yrs, Millicent 3 yrs, Dorothy 1 yr and Grace 1 month.
Private Leonard Smith enlisted on 10th September 1914 at Mansfield , he gave his age as 19 yrs and three months, he stated he was a miner and his next of kin was his father Joseph of Fern Villa, 68 Southwell Road, Mansfield. He was posted to the 1/8th battalion Sherwood Foresters and on 2nd March 1915 he landed in France. He was wounded by a shell on 31st August 1915 and admitted to the 10th Casualty Clearing Station, and later transferred to the 22nd General Hospital where he died on 10th September 1915. He is buried in Etaples Military Cemetery, France.
Mansfield Chronicle Advertiser: 16/09/1915: Son of Joseph Smith of Fern Villa, Southwell Road, Mansfield had been wounded by shrapnel and had died of these wounds 11 days later. A photograph of his brother James, who was serving with the 2nd Lincolnshire Regiment, was included in the report, he was currently unaware of his brother's death. 30/09/1915, letter in paper re Pte L Smith's death, it was the result of "friendly fire". " You will no doubt know only this, from some of his mates, that his injuries were caused by a grenade incident. Exactly how it happened I have not yet been able to fathom, but as far as I could see Pte G Richards (who was killed) was holding the grenade when it exploded. Len was quite near him, and he received some nasty wounds, and when I rushed up I could see he was pretty bad.... I hope you will get some consolation with knowing that Len died bravely for a noble cause, as thousands more have done. Ernest Haywood, Sergt-Major.
