Leonard Bonnallo
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Leonard was born in 1888 the son of Henry (died 1895 aged 55) a lace maker and his wife Jemima Bonnallo previously Simpson (née Hawley). His father was born in 1840 at Nottingham and his mother in 1850 also at Nottingham. Married in 1879, they had four children, Elizabeth b.1883, Mary b.1884, Leonard b.1888 and Marshall b.1891. Both his parents had previous marriages. Henry’s first wife was Hannah Davis (b.1846 Braintree, Essex) with whom he had a son Henry Bonnallo b.1870 Braintree. Jemima Hawley had previously married Abraham Simpson in 1868. He died in 1878 after they had three children Eliza b.1868, Annie b.1869 and Fanny Gertrude b.1877 (all born in Nottingham). In 1881 the family lived at 68 Gawthorne Street and in 1891 at 11 Chelsea Street (both Nottingham). In 1911 Jemima lived at 29 Randall Terrace Hyson Green Nottingham with her married daughter Lizzie Simpson, son in law John and their two daughters. Leonard was serving in India in 1911 with 1st Battalion Royal Scots.
At a medical examination on 26th August 1905 at Woking Leonard was 4 feet 11 ½ inches tall, 88 lbs in weight and had a chest measurement of 28 inches. His physical development was ‘promising’. He was posted as a bandsman into the 1st Battalion Royal Scots Regiment. However on 9th November 1906 a medical board at the Military Hospital presided over by Lieutenent Colonel Murry RAMC found that although he was under weight and his measurements were not up to standard it he was thought likely in time, to develop and that he be retained in the service as a special case. He was posted with his battalion to India on 20th January 1909 and was there until the battalion returned to England on 15th October 1914. On 19th December 1914 he went to France and served there until 17th May 1915 when he was admitted to No 8 General Hospital in Rouen France with gout in the shoulder. He was returned to England on 10th June 1915 for treatment at Edinburgh War Hospital. He returned to his battalion on the Western Front on 8th December 1915. He was promoted to lance corporal on 14th May 1916 and to corporal on 4th June 1916. When killed in action he had served for 10 years 310 days. He is buried at Quarry Cemetery Motauban Grave Reference: III 1 4
Obituary published 9th August 1916 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “BENNALLO. [sic] – Killed in action, Corporal Leonard Bennallo, Royal Scots. Nobly did his duty. – Sorrowing mother and sisters and brothers.” Above obituary is courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918.
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