WATERFALL Leonard

Notes:

Private 25665 Leonard Waterfall 16th Battalion ('Chatsworth Rifles') Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment) Killed in Action during The Battle of the Ancre Heights on Sunday 3rd September 1916 aged 21. Leonard is buried in the Knightsbridge Cemetery Mesnil-Martinsart France. Leonard enlisted in the spring of 1915 (the third brother to join the colours*) and went to France a few months later. Prior to enlisting he worked at Captain Lowe's Denby Colliery.The attack started at 5.10am after an intensive bombardment lasting four minutes. The 17th Battalion successfully reached the German 1st and 2nd lines. However, following several unsuccessful attempts the 16th Battalion Rifle Brigade were unable to hold their objective and as a consequence the 17th Battalion were forced to retire.

As a whole the Division were unable to reach and consolidate their objectives.
"Dear Mr and Mrs Waterfall and family - I feel I must write a few lines to sympathise with you in your sad loss of your son Leonard . . . . . As you will know we had been in action on the Sunday morning, September 3rd and Leonard was killed in the afternoon. I came across him after we had come out of our attack and I will remember how pleased we both were to see each other . . . . as so many of us, along with Leonard were sent of to get the wounded boys in and when I got back I heard the sad news about Leonard."

The three Waterfall's who died were all brothers A fourth brother, Ernest served as a Gunner in the R.F.A. and survived the War being discharged in early 1917 due to the effects of being gassed. Percy the youngest brother enlisted in 1916 (serving with a Lewis Gun Section of the Sherwood Foresters) and also survived the War. Sons of William and Mary Ellen Waterfall, of 172, Over Lane, Belper, Derby.