Warwick Advertiser Report

Warwick Advertiser - 25th May 1918

Pte. Leonard London, R.E. third son of Mr and Mrs F.H. London, of West-street, Warwick has been killed in action in France at the age of 27. He had served in the Army for nearly 12 months, and only went to France recently. Before joining the colours he was engaged in his father’s business [F.H. London]. His young widow, who is left with a little boy, has received from an officer a letter which shows how highly he was regarded by those with whom he served. The officer, who encloses the last letter written by Pte. London to his wife writes:-

“He was out with me on an important duty when the party were caught by a heavy German shell, a portion of which struck your husband killing him instantly. You can take it from me that he did not suffer for one moment. I had him brought back to our billet, and his remains are to be interred in a churchyard quite close by, the name of which shall be kept by me as a record. I am arranging for some of his comrades to follow him to his last resting place. I would like to add that was liked and loved by myself and all his comrades. For devotion to duty nobody could find a better man, and only two or three days earlier I had submitted his name to his commanding officer for promotion, but regret that he did not live to see it approved”.

It may be added that all the other four sons of Mr. and Mrs. London are serving in the army. One hold’s a commission in the Yeomanry an another attached to the Royal Engineers.