Leonard's Story.
Leonard Gibson died aged 23, on 19th December 1917.
Leonard Gibson is commemorated on a roll of honour in St Mary's Church, Sandbach, and is buried in the Churchyard.
What do we know about Leonard?
He was born on 16 May 1894, the son of Thomas Gibson (1848–1930) and Hannah Skellon (1852–1920) and the youngest of their thirteen children. He was baptised on 5th June 1894 at the Primitive Methodist Church, in Malkin Bank. He grew up at Lock Side, Malkins Bank, Bechton near Sandbach. His father was the foreman at a salt works. Leonard attended Wheelock Wesleyan School, and then Sandbach Grammar School. He was described as a brilliant scholar. By the age of 16, he was working as a law clerk. He had been employed by Mr Stringer, by the Inland Revenue Office at Hanley, and by the Free Gardeners' Friendly Society.
At the outbreak of World War 1, Leonard enlisted into the Cheshire Regiment (number 1269) and was sent to the front in France on 14th February 1915. His discharge papers record that he was 5' 9" tall, with brown eyes and hair.
He transferred to the Royal Engineers while he was in France, and his regimental number changed to 91566. He was not injured during fighting but he developed pain in his leg, and eventually was invalided back to the UK, and discharged on 1st February 1917. Although he appeared to make a brief recovery at home, his health declined and he died on 19th December 1917. He was 23 years old.
He keft a fiancee, Miss E. Boulton. At his funeral, a group of wounded soldiers from Abbeyfield Hospital, off Middlewich Road, Sandbach, attended.
Leonard was posthumously awarded three medals.
He transferred to the Royal Engineers while he was in France, and his regimental number changed to 91566. He was not injured during fighting but he developed pain in his leg, and eventually was invalided back to the UK, and discharged on 1st February 1917. Although he appeared to make a brief recovery at home, his health declined and he died on 19th December 1917. He was 23 years old.
He keft a fiancee, Miss E. Boulton. At his funeral, a group of wounded soldiers from Abbeyfield Hospital, off Middlewich Road, Sandbach, attended.
Leonard was posthumously awarded three medals.
Researched by Shena Lewington (September 2025)