Dates:
War Service:
Sergeant LESLIE WYARD SAWELL of ‘B’ Company, 1/20th Battalion, London Regiment was killed on 15 September 1916, aged 18. He enlisted at Blackheath just before his 17th birthday and first arrived in France on the 9th March 1915.
He was killed by a sniper’s bullet and following his death his captain wrote “We all feel his loss very acutely, as he was much liked by all ranks and was one of the best N.C.O.’s in my company. I had hoped that he would be coming home soon to take up his commission, which he well deserved”. A lieutenant wrote “He was a very good lad and gave great promise of becoming a very good officer. His death is doubly sad as he would shortly have gone to a cadet school for training before being commissioned…He has died for his country. He did his bit and did it well. Nobody could do more than he did”.
He is buried and remembered in Serre Road Cemetery No. 2 on the Somme France.
Location of Memorial:
He is remembered on the memorial at Brownhill Road Baptist church on the 20th London Regiment Roll of Honour, and also on the memorials at St Andrew's Church, Catford.
Details:
He was the son of William and Margaret Sawell, of 7 Minard Rd., Catford and he was educated at Colfe’s School. His brother, William Guy Sawell, also served with the London Regiment (1st Battalion) during the First World War and survived.
Contributed By:
Andy Pepper and Kevin Loughnane
Do you have more information on this person or the memorial they are commemorated on? If so click here to contribute information.
by Local History and Archives Centre, Lewisham and licensed for reuse under this Creative Commons Licence
