244487 CSM. Leonard Burt MiD.British Army 2nd Btn. Kings Royal Rifle Corps (d.26th October 1918) Leonard Burt was born in Croydon in 1885, he enlisted in Liverpool in 1906, aged 21. After training at Winchester he joined 2nd KRRC in 1906 for service in India. There he saw active service, and was wounded. He returned with the battalion in 1910 to Winchester.
In July 1914 he was promoted to Sergeant in anticipation of an immanent return to India. However the War intervened and he landed at Le Havre on 13th of August 1914, part of 1st Infantry Division, BEF. He received shrapnel wounds in the withdrawal to the river line and was invalided home.
On his recovery he was posted to Sheernenss, as Acting CQMS and then Acting CMS, training the new Army 6th (Service) Battalion, KRRC. He rejoined the 2nd KRRC on the Western Front, serving there until his death in late October 1918.
In December 1917 he re-enlisted 'in the field' and was confirmed as CSM. his records show that his conduct was described as Gallant and that he was Mentioned in Dispatches. He served through the German Spring offensives of 1918. He was in a Reserve trench at Englefontaine when the German artillery blitzed the reserves. Leonard and others were killed and wounded. He is commemorated on the Memorial Panels in the Vis-en-Artois Cemetery.
He had been awarded the India General Service Medal, the 1914 Star with clasp, the British Victory Medal 1914-18, the British War medal 1914-18. Additionally posthumously 91919) he was awarded the rank of Knight of the Order of Leopold II with gold palm by the King of the Belgians 'for services to the Belgian people', the award was reported in the London Gazette.
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