Leverstock Green War Memorial
This site is an in depth history of the 29 named soldiers on the War Memorial in Leverstock Green. The vicar in his Easter service gave thanks to the safe return of the home coming soldiers and listed all that did not return. On 5th February 1920, Leverstock Green village school unveiled a plaque to the old boys who had attended the school and died during the war. All three memorials record names missing from the other two memorials. The information in this site was obtained from numerous sources, Leverstock Green village church graves, Local newspapers, family decedents, National Archives at Kew, and of course the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
For over 30 years I have undertaken researching these men, the time taken runs into hundreds of hours of research and I am pleased to let anyone know and use the information I have found on them. Unfortunately some researchers use information and photos from this site on their own articles, trying to make it look as if they researched the information themselves. You should give credit where credit is due, letting others know where your information came from will help the spread of information.
One small point which took a considerable amount of time was the relationship between Frederick Johnson of Little Tring and Leverstock Green. I had to go through each member of his family, one at a time to discard them. One of his sisters lived in St Albans, was it her? Eventually, after many hours I came across the connection and solved the mystery.
Link to: Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Link to : Western Front Association
Link to: National Archives at Kew
Link to: National Army Museum
Link to: Leverstock Green
Link to Royal British Legion
If you have any information or pictures for the soldiers of Leverstock Green, before they are lost forever, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Leverstock Green War memorial
Leverstock Green War memorial
On the eve of their departure to France the Queen's Westminster Rifles had a booze up in the Leather Bottle, a public house, situated in the centre of Leverstock Green. Queens Westminster Rifles 1914
The landlords daughter, Olive Seabrook passed around her autograph book and the soldiers wrote it up.
The page above was one of many written that night in November 1914
Map showing the position of the War memorial in Leverstock Green
The dreams of empire lure the hearts of kings - and so men die
Corporal G W driscoll
Burma 1944
“The German soldier seemed thunderstruck at seeing the trench taken over by the British and picked up a rifle and bayonet and had a go at a sergeant in the 2nd Queens who had somehow got mixed up with us. The Queens sergeant was stabbed in the shoulder but he bayoneted the German a bit more severely – who then dropped the rifle and fell to the ground losing blood rather badly. When this happened our man just dumped his rifle and took out his water bottle, had a drink and then handed it to the German. He then got out his cigarette tin; taking two cigarettes out and lighting them, he handed one to the German. I heard him say ‘Come on Jerry, we are both finished with this,” and he picked the German up. I watched the two men go out of the trench, the German being assisted by the Englishman and not the least sign of hatred on either face. I remember saying to myself,
‘My God, Robert, what are we fighting for?”
Robert Renwick 16th King's Royal Rifle Corp
Those heroes that shed their blood
and lost their lives
you are now lying in the soil of a
friendly country.
Therefore rest in peace.
There is no difference between the Johnnies
and the Mehmets to us where they lie side by
side here in this country of ours.
You, the mothers who sent their sons from
far away countries wipe away your tears
your sons are now living in our bosom
and are in peace.
After having lost their lives on this land they
have become our sons as well.
Kemal Ataturk
founder of modern Turkey
