Description
Private Rodmell was a soldier of the British Expeditionary Force on the Western Front. He served with the 2nd Battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and had the regimental number 41507. He also served with the 3rd Battalion Inniskilling Fusiliers and His next of kin is given as his Mother Emma Rodwell.
He disembarked for the Western Front at Boulonge on 12/6/1917.
On 25th August 1917 he was listed as wounded in action having been gassed. He re-joined his Battalion but on 29th September he was once again wounded while on duty.
Once Leonard had recovered he was sent on a course with the 5th Army and rejoined his regiment from the course on 15th December 1917.
He was granted leave for two weeks in February 1918 but by March 1918 he was once again a casualty this time not only of gas but it appears he may have been wounded by shell also on that occasion.
On recovery from the gas and shelling, Leonard was initially transferred to the 3rd Battalion of the Royal Innsikilling Fusilers and he was subsequently transferred to an agricultural section of the Labour Corps in Baverley Yorkshire.
By September 1919 he was still suffering from shortness of breath as a result of his having been gassed twice while on active service in Belgium.
He initially joined the Inniskilling Fusiliers in 1915 and when examined medically on 20th November 1915, his given age was 33 years and his occupation was that of a farmer. He joined in Hull and his birthplace was Sutton in Yorkshire.
It is evident from Ancestry that having survived his experiences in the Great War he lived a long life, he married in 1921 and died in 1969. He continued to work in agriculture and is listed on the 1939 census as a dairy farmer. Leonard Rodmell was born in 1882.
I will supply hard copies of the documents that I have used in this research. Please note that some are difficult to read and they are more legible on Ancestry and fold3 where the print an be enlarged.
The Victoy medal to Leonard Rodmell is in very good condition and has a replacement ribbon.
