Inland Waterway & Docks (18th Works Company) Royal Engineers
Leonard Alfred Hambling was the son of John Hambling and Esther (Hester) Hall. He was baptised on 24 June 1883 at Eysey, Cricklade, Wiltshire.
His siblings were Daniel William (born 1876), Charlotte Ann (1878), John (1881), James Frank (1885) and Elizabeth Kate (1888).
In the 1891 and 1901 Census, the family were living at Cooks Farm, Uckington, near Cheltenham. His occupation was a Farm Labourer in 1901.
On 5 March 1905 he married Ruth Lerigo in Walford, Herefordshire and they had seven children, namely Alfred Charles (1905), Esther Rose Kate (19 April 1907), Elizabeth Frances (30 August 1909), twins Eleanor May and Dorothy Mary (1 August 1912), Margaret Annie (13 November 1915), and Evelyn Lucy (23 April 1917).
On 2 April 1911, the family was based at Rodley, Westbury-on-Severn, Gloucestershire, when his occupation was a Carter on a Farm.
Leonard served in the Number 18 Works Company, Inland Waterways and Docks, Royal Engineers, and his service number was WR/336135 (the WR prefix stands for Waterways and Railways).
In December 1914, as part of the Railways Directorate, the Inland and Water Transport and Docks Section was formed to deal with transportation along the canals and waterways in France and Belgium. It became a separate section in October 1915 and grew rapidly in size with its headquarters in Richborough, Kent. Richborough covered some 2,200 acres, and maintained a personnel of 20,000 officers and men.
Sappers operated in a variety of roles, and worked to maintain communications and transportation of food, supplies, ammunition and the evacuation of the wounded. In 1916 its work was extended to Mesopotamia, and in 1917 to Egypt and Salonika and other theatres of war.
Leonard died, age 36, of malignant disease of the liver in the Military Hospital in Kent on 10 July 1918. It is understood that the Military Hospital was in Reculver Road, Herne Bay, Kent.
The military took over the two Passmore Edwards convalescent homes and transformed them into a hospital, which together with adjacent marquees could accommodate a total of some 320 men.
Leonard was buried in the south of St Andrew’s Churchyard, Churcham, Gloucestershire (Row F No 10) on 15 July, and a CWGC headstone marks his grave.
Soldiers from Churcham and Bulley, who served in WW1 and WW2 are commemorated on a Roll of Honour in the Chapelry of St Michael and All Angels Church, Bulley.
Researched by Baden Russell April 2021