Leonard Eversfield (1890-1982)

Post date: Mar 02, 2016 5:7:0 PM

Leonard George Eversfield was born in Halling, on 4th September 1889 according to his navy service record although his census record in 1911 shows him as 20 years old then and it is more likely that his navy record is wrong by a year, possibly deliberately.

He is not shown in the list of those who attended Wateringbury School who served in the war.

In 1901 his family were living in Old Road and his father, James, was a blacksmith but by 1911 he is described as a farm labourer. In 1911 Leonard is still on the census but he had joined the navy 3 years earlier. His mother, Fanny had 7 children in all of whom 5 were alive in 1911. They lived in a 5 room property.

He enlisted at Chatham in February 1908 for a standard 12 year term (service number K238). He was 5ft. 7 ¹/₄ inches tall with a 36 inch chest with dark brown hair, grey eyes and a fresh complexion. When he re-enlisted in 1920 he was over an inch taller and his chest was 2 inches bigger. Interpreting his naval record he seems to have served the whole war from 30th July (just days before war declared) until 30th November 1918 on Torpedo Boat 30. He continued in the navy after the war until at least 1927 and possibly longer.

Extract of his letter to vicar published in village magazine in December 1914:

" It puts a good heart into one when they know that they are being thought of by those in the village. . . We are waiting for the Germans to come out and fight, so that we can show them that we are British" (L. G. Eversfield, leading stoker, torpedo boat 30).

Torpedo Boat 30 was probably a 125 foot boat built by Yarrow and Company Limited.

He married Margaret Dickie in first quarter of 1919 and his death was registered in Shepway District, Kent in 1982.