Lieutenant Leonard Aynge Edens 2547 the son of Thomas J and Margaret Mary Edens, of 39 Queen’s Rd., St. John’s, Newfoundland. The couple married on 13 February 1889, and had four children. Thomas Edens the proprietor of two grocery and provisions outlets in the city.
This property at 39 Queen’s Road the site of the last Congregational Church in St. John’s. A sister, Mary in Halifax at the time of the Explosion in December of 1917, but seemingly survived.
St. Edmund’s College
Leonard Aynge Edens attended St. Edmund’s College (1908-1910), and later the Carnagie Institute (1910-1914) in Pittsburgh, USA.
The Edmundian
The following text transcribed from the The Edmundian (1814-1819) – The contemporary magazine of St Edmund’s College.
At the last moment before going to press we have recently received certain news of the death of yet another of our boys, Leonard Edens. The news reaches us through Mr. O’Neill Conroy, of St. Johns, Newfoundland. Leonard Aynge Edens was at St. Edmund’s College for something over two years, leaving at Easter, 1910. He was tall, well made, lithe, after the manner of so many who hail from Newfoundland and the further reaches of the Empire.
One clear memory of him pictures him on the ice during one of those short, precious spells of skating, making the most of the short-lived frost, bringing to the ice that ease and grace and speed in skating to which we, whose winters are short and bleak, can never aspire. As a student, he showed much talent, and gave promise of great success. Following his bent, he began, after leaving school, a long course of study of electrical engineering; this course was all but finished at the time of the outbreak of war.
Instructor
Early in 1915 he enlisted in the Royal Newfoundland Regiment, was very soon commissioned, and transferred to the Royal Flying Corps. Here his expert knowledge of engineering technique stood him in great stead, enabling him to do invaluable work. For more than a year he was an instructor.
Towards the end of last year he went to France, and in March last came the news that he was “missing;” two aeroplanes had come down behind the enemy lines, and one pilot was killed, and the other (now known to have been Leonard Edens) was taken prisoner.
Edmundian
Early in May it was announced officially that the Prisoners of War Committee had received news from Copenhagen that he had died in enemy hands. His friends and relatives are assured of Edmundian prayers for him, and of Edmundian sympathy for them in their loss, which is the more grievous as being the second of its kind; for we hear that a brother of Leonard died of wounds early in this year.
Service of Leonard Aynge Edens
Leonard returned from the Carnagie Institute in Pittsburgh to enlist. He had spent three years at the Westinghouse Works, Manchester, UK, and then completed a two year course in Electrical Engineering at Carnagie.
Leonard had two youngers brothers, both serving with the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. Private John Francis Joseph Edens 883 had already enlisted, and Lt Francis Augustine Edens 2894 would enlist in 1918.
England
Leonard, having been promoted to the rank of lance corporal on 9 June 1915 and subsequently directly to that of (acting) sergeant on July 14, some five weeks later, Sergeant Edens departed Newfoundland only days following, on July 19 of the same year on board the Allan Line steamship Sicilian bound for the United Kingdom. His swift advancement in rank may have been due to his reported former service with the 6th Manchester Territorials.
Request to join RFC
Sergeant Edens had by that time written to Governor Davidson of Newfoundland concerning his desire to join the Royal Flying Corps. The Governor was to duly relay this information and request to his connections in Downing Street, the official residence of the Prime Minister and of other ministers of the British government.
Royal Flying Corps
Sergeant Edens reported to the Regimental Depot at Ayr on the west coast of Scotland at the latest on 31 July 1916 and received his Imperial Commission, appointed to the rank of second lieutenant, on the following day, 1 August 1916, in preparation for his secondment to the Royal Flying Corps and his future status as flying (pilot) officer.
France
Lieutenant Edens graduated as a flying officer from the flying school at Lilbourne on 31 March 1917, and thereupon attached to the British Expeditionary Force on the Continent on 11 August 1917. Immediately posted to Number 40 Squadron – his rate of pay a daily six dollars – and later, on or about November 27, to 29 Squadron. On December 12 he received promotion from second lieutenant to first lieutenant.
Death of Lt John Francis Joseph Edens
Lieutenant Edens wounded in the side by a bullet. His wound dressed and taken by ‘D’ Company stretcher-bearers who reportedly handed him over to the Medical Officer of the King’s Royal Rifles of 20th Division at the Rest Station in Sorrel.
It was decided on December 17, 1917, that his record should be amended so as to finally read killed in action or died of wounds on or shortly after 20/11/17 – authority: burial report of Reverend Keary submitted December 15.
Villers-Plouich Communal Cemetery
Villers-Plouich captured in April 1917, by the 13th East Surreys. Lost in March, 1918, and regained at the end of the following September. The 1st East Surreys the first troops to enter the village. Later “adopted” by the Borough of Wandsworth.
Lieutenant John Francis Joseph Edens died 20 November 1917, and concentrated to Villers-Plouich Communal Cemetery in 1920.
Letter Home
On 4 December 1917, while serving with No 29 Squadron, Lieutenant Leonard Aynge Edens penned a letter, aware his brother had been wounded, but not killed.
Three months later, Lt Edens shot down and died 18 March 1918 shortly after taken prisoner. Leonard given a burial by his foe with full military honours at Hooglede West German Military Cemetery.
2/Lt Robert Edward Neale, also of the 29th Squadron, missing and presumed dead on 18 March 1918. Possibly 3rd victory of Vizefeldwebel Friedrich Ehmann.
Lt. L. A. Edens R. Newfoundland Regt. late of this Squadron, was flying Nieuport Scout B6836 on the day he was missing. When last seen he was in a “dog fight” over Roulers. 11.45 a.m I regret that I am unable to give you any further information.
XXXXX
(sgd.) C. H. Dixon’
Major
O. C. 29 Squadron, R. A. F.
Lieutenant Leonard Aynge Edens critically injured, and died soon after arrival at the German field hospital.
Rumbeke German Military Cemetery
Lt Neale’s remains found in Rumbeke German Military Cemetery, 20.X.17.a.3.2, and reinterred at Harlebeke New British Cemetery, Plot XII, Row A, Grave 3 on 25 March 1920.
The German plot at Begraafplaats Rumbeke concentrated to Hooglede in 1920, but a communal grave of ten civilians remains, murdered by the Germans on 19 October 1914.
Rumbeke German Military Cemetery just south-east of Roeselare, while Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Hooglede located north-west of Roeselare.
Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Hooglede
Following the Great War, on 27 May 1920, Lieutenant Leonard A Edens’ remains exhumed from Deutscher Soldatenfriedhof Hooglede.
Concentrated into Harlebeke New British Cemetery, Plot XII, Row B, Grave 8 on 19 July 1920.
Harlebeke New British Cemetery
Harlebeke village taken on the night of 19-20 October 1918 by the 9th (Scottish) Division. The cemetery made after the Armistice when graves brought in from the surrounding battlefields of 1918 and, in 1924-25, from German cemeteries or plots in Belgium.
The earlier concentrations are in Plots I and X, and the later in Plots I, II and XI to XIX. In the latter group are many graves of October 1914.
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