Leonard Percival Jane

Leonard Jane must have been something of a restless soul.  He certainly moved around an awful lot.  He was born in the Liskeard area in the summer of 1893. At the time he enlisted, he was residing in Ladock, very near Probus. Subsequently to this, he was also living in Chapel St, St Columb Minor.  His occupation is recorded as that of a farmer.  He may not have owned his own land to farm, and so therefore may have moved around for work.  He must have been well known in Probus, or had family here, but this cannot be stated with any certainty.   

 

At some point he must have left the country altogether, and travelled to Nova Scotia, Canada.  He was there in 1914, when war was declared.  Many British nationals were living abroad at this time, most commonly in the former colonies of Australia, New Zealand and Canada.  They would either enlist into the local military forces, or return home, to enlist into their own armed forces.  Leonard did the latter, boarding the passenger ship ‘Pretorian’ in Halifax, Nova Scotia, travelling 2nd class.  The ship docked in Glasgow, Scotland on 6th October 1914.  He made his way back to his home county of Cornwall, and enlisted in Newquay. 

 

Having done this, Leonard still couldn’t seem to settle down.  He at first enlisted into the Royal Field Artillery.  Being a Gunner must not have suited him, so he opted for the infantry instead, transferring to the 6th Battalion, Royal Berkshire Regiment. And again, he moved on to another regiment, the Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire Light Infantry.  He served in France with its 2nd Battalion.  A service record for Leonard does not survive, but he may have entered that theatre of war during 1916.  Leonard earned for his service the War & Victory medals; he does not appear to have earned the 1914-15 Star, which suggests service after 1915.

 

The Battle for Arleux 28th – 29th April 1917

 

In April 1917, the 2nd Bn Ox & Bucks Light Infantry were stationed in the Somme area, moving between Floringhem, Gavrelle and Bray near Mount St Eloi.  The battalion was moved westward, for the Arras Offensive.  They were to take a prominent role in the Battle for Arleux, where they protected the right flank of the Canadian 1st Division.  Strange that Leonard ended his days fighting alongside Canadians, whose country he had left to enlist.   

 

On 27th April Leonard’s battalion moved to a Transport Bivouac to equip themselves for the coming battle, moving on to the assembly trenches after dark. Zero hour was fixed at 4.25am on the 28th.  While assembling, one company of the Ox & Bucks was targeted and shelled, killing one officer and six men.  Many more were wounded.  Two Lewis gun teams all became casualties. 

 

They went ‘over the top’ to the attack in four waves, by companies.  As stated, the Canadians were on their left, with the Highland Light Infantry on their right.  The Canadians took and held all their objectives “apparently without difficulty.” The regiments on the right of Leonard’s regiment where however, held up at Oppy Wood and village.  This meant that the right flank of the Ox & Bucks and to swing back to keep in line with the Highland Light Infantry, and made “defensive.”    

 

Leonard’s battalion gained their first line objective, despite the German wire being uncut, with few gaps, and those gaps being “very bad,” states the War Diary.  The surviving Lewis gun teams did “extremely good work.”  The ground they had gained was then “very much shelled” by the Germans and “badly provided with dugouts” and so providing little protection. The situation became static, the shelling causing mounting casualties.  A number of men had to be buried, as best they could be where they fell.  The British counter barrage was thought to be “weak” and so also offered little protection against the German shelling. 

 

Under these conditions, it became very difficult to remove the wounded.  Many were killed by the barrage, as they lay wounded, out in No-Man’s Land.  As the Ox & Bucks held on, rations and other materials for consolidation were bought up to them by the 10th Pioneer Battalion of the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. By the following day, the situation was unchanged, and the ground gained could only be “maintained.”  Seventeen more wounded were able however, to be evacuated. 

 

By this time of course, Private Leonard Jane of the Ox & Bucks L.I., had already been killed.  Most likely by the heavy shelling that took place throughout the attack. His restless, roaming life was over.  He was only 23 years old.  His  body lies in the Orchard Dump Cemetery, Arleux-en-Gohelle, Pas de Calais, France.  It hold 759 war dead. 

 

His personal effects and possessions generally, were left to one Elizabeth Ellen Grigg.  Confusingly, this lady is recorded as both his widow, and his grandmother.  I suspect the latter.  The 1911 census records a 67 year old widow of that name.  She gives her occupation as “farm house keeper” and the address is ‘Nankervis’, Grampound Road.  There is also listed in the 1911 census, for the village Leonard gave as his residence on enlistment – Ladock – a 4 year old Elizabeth Ellen Grigg, who could be neither a widow nor a grandmother.

 

Perhaps someone could help, in solving this little mystery?