1st Battalion, Gloucestershire Regiment
Leonard John Ible was born in Dymock on 10 January 1887, one of six sons and one daughter born to William and Ann Ible.
On 13 June 1904, aged 17, he joined the Great Western Railway, as a porter at Gloucester Station although he did not stay there long, leaving on 4 July 1904 and on 23 August in that year he attested for service in the Gloucestershire Regiment for a three year term, plus nine in Reserve.
His Medal Index Card indicates that he first went overseas on 13 August 1914 (undoubtedly this was to France, with 1st Glosters). During his service he was promoted to Corporal.
His Service Record has not survived but his Attestation Form is present with the material that survives in the Army Pension Records from 1914-18. He was evidently discharged due to sickness on 11 April 1919 and was given a Silver War Badge, to denote he was a discharged soldier.
His Pension Record card (released via the Ancestry website in late 2018) gives reason for his discharge as ‘debility’, attributable to his military service. He was granted a 20% disability pension to run from 24 April 1920, this being for eight shillings and eight pence per week (43p). Following his death his widow was granted a pension of 21 shillings and eight pence per week (£1.08).
According to another Pension Record Card the cause of Leonard’s death on 21 May 1920, age 33 was due to tuberculosis and meningitis. A death notice in the Gloucester Journal of 29 May 1920 states that he died at Over Hospital and that he lived at 1 Victory Road, Gloucester.
He was buried in Gloucester Old Cemetery, where a CWGC headstone marks his grave.
Leonard would appear to have married Margaret Gittins in Gloucester in the first quarter of 1919.
Researched by Graham Adams 15 January 2019 (revised 30 July 2021)