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Lieutenant Leslie William KENNELLY
9th (Service) Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment Date of birth: 29th July 1895 Date of death: 10th October 1915 Died of wounds aged 20 Buried at Longuenesse Souvenir Cemetery Plot II Row A Grave 54
Leslie William Kennelly was born at Simla in India on the 29th of July 1895 the son of the Reverend Canon William James McKeon Kennelly, Canon of Bombay, and Maude (nee Turner) Kennelly of "Little Teviot", 95 Arundel Road, Littlehampton. He was christened at Simla on the 17th of August 1895. He was educated at Lancing College where he was in Olds House from September 1910 to July 1914 and was known by the nickname "Fuzzy". He was a Sergeant and Drum Major in the Officer Training Corps achieving Certificate A and was appointed as a House Captain in May 1914. He played 2nd XI Football in 1913 and 1914 and won his House Colours for Cricket, Gym and Running. He had passed the matriculation for London University but when war broke out he decided to defer his place there to volunteer. Following the outbreak of war he applied for a commission in the army on the 19th of August 1914 expressing a preference for the Royal Sussex Regiment and his brother's battalion in particular. His application was supported by the Reverend H.T. Bowlby, the Head Master of Lancing College. He underwent a medical examination at the Depot of the Royal Sussex Regiment at Chichester at which he was passed as fit for general service. Unable to wait for his commission to come through he enlisted at Chichester as Private 3659 in the 19th (Service) Battalion Royal Fusiliers on the 15th of September 1914. At a medical examination held the same day it was recorded that he was 5 feet 6 inches tall with green eyes and light brown hair. He was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Sussex Regiment on the 19th of September 1914 and was posted to the 9th Battalion, the same battalion as his younger brother, Donald McKeon Kennelly OL. He embarked for France with his battalion from Southampton on the 31st of August 1915 on board the SS "La Marguerite", landing at Boulogne the following morning. On the 25th of September 1915 the British launched a major offensive at Loos. That morning the 9th Battalion Royal Sussex Regiment moved to Vermelles and into the trenches which had been vacated by the assaulting battalions earlier in the day. Although the attack had been repulsed in this part of the line the battalion waited for most of the day before being ordered to advance to "Fosse 8" which they were to hold "at all costs". At 11.30pm they began their advance and moved over the Fosse into their new positions. Here they faced several determined counterattacks while under continuous heavy artillery and machine gun fire without food or water until they were relieved on the night of the 27th/28th of September. The battalion had suffered casualties of nineteen officers and three hundred and sixty two other ranks, killed wound and missing during the fighting. Leslie Kennelly was badly wounded on the 25th of September and was evacuated to the rear. His father received the following telegram dated the 2nd of October 1915:- "Regret to inform you that Lt. L.W. Kennelly 9th Sussex Regt. was wounded between 25/27 Sept. Further details will be wired when received." He received a further telegram dated the 8th of October 1915:- "Lieut. L.W. Kennelly Sussex Regt. admitted 10 Stationary Hospital St Omer 5th October with gunshot wound hand, mouth fractured skull dangerously ill. Further reports will be wired as received. It is regretted that permission to visit cannot be granted." He received a final telegram dated the 9th of October 1915:- "Deeply regret to inform you that Lieut. L.W. Kennelly Sussex Regt. Died of wounds today at 10 Stationary Hospital, St Omer. Lord Kitchener expresses his sympathy." He died at No. 10 Stationary Hospital at St Omer; his funeral was conducted by the Reverend G.E. Gettins.

Olds House