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Shropshire war Memorial
Leonard Nuttall
Leonard Nuttall, of Bodelwyddan, Flintshire. Formally of Hinstock, Shropshire. Died 25/06/1916.
Private, 13575, 9th Bn. & 12th Bn.
Welsh Regiment
Born March 25th 1882 in The Union School, East Farleigh, Maidstone, Kent. Leonard was the 3rd child of Henry Nuttall and Mary Jane Nuttall (Nee Dideridge), formally of Sandbach, Cheshire. Both Leonard's parents were teachers they taught in various union workhouses, having worked previously in King’s Norton, Birmingham from 1879 to 1882, during this time their first two children were born, Edith and Gertrude.
Further teaching opportunities arose for Henry and Mary Jane, as in 1885 they were
now teaching in Peterborough. In the same year Henry Norman was born, by a cruel
twist of fate Henry died a matter of months after Henry’s birth. He was laid to rest
in Peterborough, his children probably without memory of their father.
A huge upheaval
took place following Henry’s death, Mary Jane moved back to Sandbach to bring up
Edith and Gertrude alone. One would presume that Leonard and Henry were simply too
much for Mary Jane to cope with following her husbands death, as a result, both brothers
were fostered by Louisa Wild and William Wild at Lockley Wood, Hinstock, Shropshire.
Lousia had already fostered a number of children and knew Mary Jane’s sister who
resided in Hinstock.
Whilst in Sandbach Mary Jane met Edwin Brereton, a neighbour, wealthy coal merchant and widower, come 1892 they were married. During the 1890’s the family moved to Llandyrnog, Denbighshire, North Wales. Leonard moved into the family home, whilst Henry chose to stay in Shropshire. Edith and Gertrude went onto teach at Llandyrnog.
Leonard and Henry both emigrated to Canada in 1904, a little over a year later they returned, meanwhile their mother and sisters were now living at Worminghall, Oxfordshire. Edwin Brereton died there in 1910. Henry returned to Shropshire, Leonard however went back out to Canada in 1910, returning around 1912. Leonard was employed as a Colliery Check weigh man, in South Wales in 1914 . He enlisted during the first month of war, August 30th, 1914 at Neath. For unknown reasons he enlisted under the name John Leonard Nuttall. He joined the 9th battalion, Welsh Regiment, he was quickly promoted to a lance corporal and by July 1915 when he entered France for the first time he was a corporal.
The 9th battalion took part during the first day of the battle of Loos, September 25th 1915, they suffered heavy casualties, fortunately where so many had fallen, Leonard survived unscathed. His luck held until March 1916 when Leonard, now a lance sergeant, and Private J. Fitzgerald were wounded by shrapnel. Leonard's wounds were severe enough to hospitalise him in England for nearly 3 months. In order to recuperate he was given a transfer into the 12th Welsh Regiment at Kinmel Camp, Bodelwyddan.
Away from the front, recovered physically and having the good fortune to be near his family, he was even allowed to sleep at his mothers house, St. Asaph Lodge, Bodelwyddan, all seemed well on the surface. However tragedy struck on June 25th 1916.
Rhyl Journal 01/07/1916
A very sad case of suicide on the part of a soldier stationed at Kinmel Camp was investigates by Mr J. Roberts Jones, deputy coroner for Flintshire, at St. Asaph on Tuesday the discovery of the tragedy was made on Sunday by Captain Wyatt, Menai Bridge, Anglesey supervising recruiting officer for Anglesey, while on a visit to St. Asaph walking through some fields near Bryn Elwy in the afternoon, he noticed a soldier apparently standing under a tree. On getting a nearer view he found the soldier was suspended from the tree by a rope, his feet being about two feet from the ground. He at once cut him down, but life was quite extinct.
On the ground near the body was a soldiers cap containing a letter. The body was subsequently identified as that of Lance Sergeant John Leonard Nuttall, formally of the 9th battalion of the Welsh Regiment and lately attached to the 12th battalion. He was 34 years of age and unmarried, prior to the outbreak of war he was employed as a colliery check weigh man in South Wales. He joined the army within a month of the outbreak of war, and he went to the front last year with the 9th Welsh Regiment. Being wounded by shrapnel he was in hospital some time until the beginning of June, and about a fortnight ago, he joined the 12th Welsh Regiment at Kinmel Camp.
Information was given at the inquest by deceased by Thomas Brereton, Farmer, Cefn that stated that the late deceased seemed to have been suffering from a nervous breakdown. He had not been able to sleep very well and on this account was allowed to sleep at his mother’s homes in Bodelwyddan, when seen by his friends last Saturday he seemed quite jolly.
Captain Wyatt related how he found the deceased, and the letter found in his cap, was read as follows.
D Coy Welsh Regiment Kinmel Camp 13757, can not rest day or night my head hurts so bad. I am grieving to think of the pain and trouble it'll cause, but I am going to seek the other world. May god comfort my dear ones and have mercy on my soul. I am better dead than insane, and I have done my bit for England. Good Bye All.
My head is bursting again now god comfort my loved ones. Amen Amen Amen
Another letter produced contained a request by the deceased to his captain, to be allowed to revert back to the rank of private on account of loss of memory and weak nerves due to shock.
Deceased regimental conduct sheet was produced showing he had an absolutely clean record. A verdict of suicide whilst temporarily insane was recorded by the jury, the foreman was John Rogers and sympathy was expressed with the bereaved relatives was expressed.
Mary Jane died in 1938 aged 81, She shares her grave with Leonard. Edith died in 1948, Gertrude in 1955, both are buried in the same grave at Bodelwyddan. Henry was the only child to marry, he did so in 1928, he died in the 1950’s in Market Drayton, Shropshire, his home for 30 years. He left 3 children behind. His wife, 20 years younger, lost 4 cousins, 1 uncle and her 17 year old brother in the great war. In Memory of Leonard Nuttall, Henry named his first and only son after him. Leonard died in 2008. Henry Walter Howell, foster son of Louisa Wild, was Killed in Action, 1918, aged 20.
Neil Evans