Leonard Leslie Tily

Memorial: Chipping Sodbury Town Cross - Broad Street

Regiment: Welsh Guards

Medals: British War Medal, Next of Kin Memorial Plaque 1914 - 1921, Victory Medal

Rank and number: Private 3775

Parents: Alfred and Rosa Tily

Home address: Brookview, The Parade, Chipping Sodbury, Bristol

Date of birth: 1898

Place of birth: Chipping Sodbury, Bristol

Date of death: 01/12/1917

Buried/Commemorated at: Commemorated at Cambrai Memorial, Louverval, Nord, France (Panel 3)

Age: 19

Further information:

1st Battalion, Welsh Guards, British Army

Leonard Leslie was part of one of the largest and oldest of Sodbury families, going back as far as the mid-fifteenth century. These prosperous craftsmen became highly skilled professionals serving on many local Councils and many still reside within the town and district. Leonard Leslie was one of three brothers and five sisters. They were all the children of Alfred Tily and his wife Rosa. They lived in The Parade, in the house adjoining No.14, becoming known as ‘Brookview’. They all grew up there firmly attached to the Parish Church and all its activities. Leonard Leslie was baptised there on 8th August 1898, and remained in the church throughout his childhood, particularly with the bell ringers, and in singing with the church choir. Leonard’s father Alfred had served his apprenticeship as a coach builder, wheelwright, blacksmith and carpenter in the late 1860’s in Old Sodbury, He had then established his Wheelwright’s workshop at the top of The Parade. It was through his success there that he was able to support a large family. Such is the strength of the bond that still survives between this large family, that they are still perpetuating one at least of Leonard Leslie’s names among any new members of the family in remembrance

Enlisted at Avonmouth, Bristol

The Welsh Guards were only formed in the early months of 1915, and when Leonard Leslie joined them, he may have been through no other action until the Battle of Cambrai, which is what took him. This battle was the first in which much use was made of tanks without any preliminary bombardment

Leonard Leslie is remembered on the Chipping Sodbury and District War Memorial Cottage Hospital board, now at Yate and District Heritage Centre under Chipping Sodbury. He is also commemorated on his parents grave in the extension churchyard to Chipping Sodbury Church

By kind permission, this information is based on the following source(s):

Alison Benton (2014) Remembered with Honour. Sprint Print, Yate. Forces War Records