2nd Lieutenant Leonard Montague Peberdy

  • Batt - 6
  • Unit - Durham Light Infantry
  • Section - "C" Company
  • Date of Birth - 1894
  • Died - 22/12/1915
  • Age - 21

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Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of Robert Peberdy, a school attendance officer, born on the 14th February 1861 in Leicester (son of Robert Peberdy, 1826-1871 and Harriett Cooper, 1832-1871) and his wife Lizzy (Lizzie) Peberdy (nee Kilby, married on the 21st March 1883 in St. Luke’s Church, Leicester), born on the 23rd February 1860 in Leicester and baptised on the 1st April 1860 in Leicester (daughter of John Kilby and Ann Gilbert). Leonard Montague was born in the July quarter of 1894 in Leicester and baptised on the 12th August 1894 in St. Peter’s Church, Leicester, his siblings were, Robert, a pupil teacher, born in the January quarter of 1884 and baptised on the 23rd March 1884 in St. Peter’s Church, Leicester, Edith Harriet, a pupil teacher, born on the 17th June 1885 and baptised on the 26th July 1885 in St. Peter’s Church, Leicester, Eveline Grace, a pupil teacher, born on the 23rd October 1886 and baptised on the 26th December 1886 in St. Saviour’s Church, Leicester, Alice, born on the 14th January 1888 and baptised on the 1st April 1888 in St. Saviour’s Church, Leicester and Reginald Tom, born on the 28th February 1890 and baptised on the 20th April 1890 in St. Peter’s Church, Leicester, all his siblings were born in Leicester, in March 1901 the family home was at 14, Myrtle Road, St. Peter’s, Leicester. In April 1911 Leonard was a medical student and was residing in the family home at 84, St. Peter’s Road, Leicester, together with his father, living on private means, his mother and siblings, Edith, an elementary school teacher, Eveline, an elementary school teacher and Alice, a court dressmaker.
Leonard’s Army enlistment documents were not researched, and as such all that is known of his military service is that he was commissioned into the Durham Light Infantry during March 1915, and posted as a 2nd Lieutenant to the 6th Battalion of that Regiment, and it was with this unit that he first entered the theatre of war in France on the 11th May 1915. He was killed in action on the 22nd December 1915 near Sanctuary Wood, Belgium. He was awarded the 1914-15 STAR, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Leonard does not have a known grave but is commemorated in Perth Cemetery (China Wall), Zillebeke on the Durham Cemetery Memorial. This Kipling Special Memorial carries the following inscription: - “To the memory of these 40 soldiers of the British Empire killed in action 1916-1917 and buried at the time in Durham Cemetery, Zillebeke, whose graves were destroyed in later battles.” “Their glory shall not be blotted out.”
The War Diary records: 22 Dec-15 – YPRES – DICKEBUSCH. Considerable excitement was caused in trench A.12 by the sight of a man waving a white handkerchief and approaching our trench. Several shots were fired at him and one entered his shoulder. The man however managed to reach our trenches and turned out to be an escaped Russian prisoner. He had been employed by the Germans on their subsidiary line. A few minutes later another man was seen running towards the same trench which he managed to reach. He evinced the greatest ecstasy on finding that the occupants of the trench were British. He was sent to Brigade Headquarters under escort, whilst his comrade after being medically attended was sent to the Field Ambulance. 2nd Lieutenant L. M. PEBERDY was killed whilst out on patrol.
On Thursday, December 30th, 1915, The Leicester Daily Mercury published the following article on page two, under the heading. – BIRTHS, MARRIAGES AND DEATHS. – DEATHS. – PEBERDY. – On Dec. 23rd, killed in action, in France, 2nd Lieut. Leonard Montague Peberdy, dearly loved and youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Peberdy, aged 21 years, 90. St. Saviour’s-road East. Sadly, mourned by his sorrowing Mother, Father, Sisters and Brothers. “Until the day breaks.”
On Friday Tuesday January 4th, 1916, The Leicester Daily Mercury published the following article on page five, under the heading. – LOCAL CASUALTIES. – LIEUTENANT L. M. PEBERDY. – (A photograph accompanied the article). A wide circle of people in Leicester will learn with much regret of the death of Lieut. L. M. Peberdy, of the 6th Durham Light Infantry, the youngest son of Mr. and Mrs. Robert Peberdy, of 90, St. Saviours Road East, Leicester. Lieut. Peberdy, who was killed in action on December 23rd, was 21 years of age, and was educated at Alderman Newton’s School. He was afterwards articled to Messrs. Campbell and Baxter, dentists, Leicester, and when the war broke out had made arrangements for proceeding to London to undergo the hospital course. He decided, however, that his services were required elsewhere, and on August 31st, 1914 he enlisted in the 1/4th Leicester’s, being gazetted Second-Lieutenant in the Durham Light Infantry in March last. He had been at the front eight months when he lost his life, and during that time had exhibited great courage and resource and showed every promise of winning for himself a brilliant career. His body is buried in Zillebeke Churchyard, Ypres.
How Lieutenant Peberby met his death is explained in a letter from his brother. “Len,” he says, “left his trench with a patrol on the night of the 22nd. He went along the side of a hedge and then entered a wood. At the edge of the wood, he halted his men and most gallantly crawled forward to the German wire entanglements. He crawled along by the side of them, carefully examining the wire. He was spotted by one of the enemy, who fired killing poor Len. His corporal crawled out and dragged his body into the shelter of the wood, and it was afterwards brought in by his patrol. I hear Len was noted as one of the most daring patrol officers of the battalion, and you may rest assured his end was most glorious and painless”.
Sympathy with the relatives of the deceased officer is expressed in a letter received from the Brigadier-General, commanding the Brigade, who writes; “He was a gallant lad, and we all very much deplore the fact that he should be killed at the very beginning of his career. It may perhaps be some consolation to you to know that he suffered no pain and that he was pluckily doing his duty when he fell. I deeply regret the loss of a very promising young officer.”
Mr. and Mrs. Peberdy have two other sons with the colours – Lieut. Robert Peberdy, in the 6th Battalion of the Durham Light Infantry, and Sergeant Reginald Peberdy, in the 4th Battalion Canadian Expeditionary Force, who has been offered a commission in the 6th Battalion Durham Light Infantry. Sergeant Peberdy was formerly employed in Parrs Bank, Leicester. He proceeded to Canada five years ago, taking up a position in a Canadian Bank, and has lived for some time in British Columbia. As soon as war broke out, he threw up his position and enlisted.
[recognitum V-XII-MMXXII]

Research from Michael Doyle's Their Name Liveth For Evermore
  • Unit - Durham Light Infantry
  • Former Unit n.o - 2468
  • Former Unit - 1/4th Bn. Leicestershire Regt.
  • Cause of death - KILLED IN ACTION
  • Burial Commemoration - Perth Cem., (China Wall), Zillebeke, Belgium
  • Born - Leicester
  • Enlisted - 31/08/1914 in Leicester
  • Place of Residence - 84 St Peters Road, Leicester, Leicestershire, England
  • Memorial - ST. PETER'S CHURCH, LEICESTER
  • Memorial - ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH, LEICESTER
  • Memorial - ALDERMAN NEWTON GRAMMAR SCHOOL MEM., LEICESTER
  • Memorial - WELFORD ROAD CEM., LEICESTER, GRAVE REFERENCE: uO1.873