Leonard was Stoker 1st Class C/KX 93992 and served on the destroyer HMS. Gallant (picture above). He died 10th January 1941 when his ship struck a mine in the Mediterranean Sea near Malta.

He was born in Ipswich in 1920, son of Claude William and Betrice Rose Bardwell. In 1921 the family was living in Bredfield.

Military.

HMS Gallant took part in several actions in the North Sea during eary 1940, before taking part in Operation Dynamo – the evacuation of Dunkirk in May/June 1940 – during which she suffered minor damage. She was then transfered to the 13th Destroter flotilla and then Force H in the Mediterranean Sea based at Gibralter, performing escort duties. Later she joined the 14th Destroter flotilla and took part in convoys to Malta and other allied ports. On 10th January 1941 she hit a mine which detonated her forward magazine and killed 65 of her crew, including Leonard. HMS Gallant managed to return to port in Malta, but was later damaged in an air raid and written off, ending her life after being deliberately sunk as a blockship.