Leonard Dolman

A 2nd Lieutenant with the 8th Battalion, Leonard died of wounds on 31st of December 1917 at the age of 28. 

Leonard was born at Rumburgh, Suffolk, in 1889, a son of Philip William and Emm Jane Dolman. In 1891 his family lived at the Farm House, Rumburgh, and in 1901 at Tivetshall Road, Pulham Saint Mary Magdalen. Later his family lived at Gisleham, before moving to Pulham Market, Norfolk. He was a brother of Gertrude Smith of The Hollies, Black Street, Gisleham. Leonard worked as a school teacher. 

Leonard volunteered and attested for the Army at Norwich on 15 August 1914. On 2 September 1914 he joined the Royal Army Medical Corps, at Aldershot, service number 9950. He was a clerk and was posted to 21st Field Ambulance and arrived in France on 6 October 1914. 

On 19 March 1916 Leonard was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Bedfordshire Regiment. He joined the 2nd Battalion in France on 26 March 1916 and was posted to D Company. He served with the 2nd Battalion at the Somme in June-July 1916 and, on 4 July, received a wound to his left leg, caused by artillery fire. He was evacuated to England, arriving there on 8 July.  

Leonard was posted to the 3rd Battalion on 12 September 1916. He returned to France in early 1917 and was attached to the 1st Battalion. On 14 April the battalion were at Zouave Valley, Vimy. The battalion were subjected to enemy shell-fire and Leonard was wounded in the right shoulder. He was evacuated to England, arriving at Dover on 18 April 1917 and, on 24 April, admitted to Northcliffe Hospital. He was discharged from hospital and joined the 3rd Battalion on 5 July 1917.  

Leonard returned to France on 10 October 1917 and joined 17 Infantry Brigade Depot, at Calais. He was posted to the 8th Battalion and joined them on 15 October. 

At 6.30am on the 21 December a German raiding party tried to get into the right section of the battalion’s lines. Leonard’s platoon was manning the section and held off the attack, inflicting many casualties. However, Leonard was severely wounded in the thigh, calf, and foot. He was taken to 45 Casualty Clearing Station. On 26 December his leg had to be amputated and Leonard was gravely ill. One of his sisters had asked to visit him, but he was so unwell that this was not allowed. He died of wounds, at the Casualty Clearing Station, on 31 December. 

Leonard was awarded the Belgian Croix-de-Guerre, and thus was published in the London Gazette of 15 April 1918, page 4524. 

His service papers show that in 1918 Miss Marcelle Caudron, of Rebecques, France, had contacted the War Office enquiring after Leonard.

His brother Philip served with the 1/5th Sherwood Foresters and died in 1917.