Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Henry Lenton, a shoe trade finisher, born 1857 in Collycroft, Bedworth, Warwickshire and his wife Annie Maria Lenton (nee Moore, married on the 1st quarter of 1877 in St. Matthew’s Church, Leicester), born 1857 in Rothwell, Northamptonshire. Horace was born in the 3rd quarter of 1893 in Leicester, his siblings were, Ernest William, a shoe trade clicker, born on the 17th September 1879, Lilian, a shoe trade machinist, born 1884, Archibald Garfield, a shoe trade clicker, born on the 13th September 1885, Phyllis, born on the 2nd September 1888, Oscar, born 1890, Grace, born on the 24th February 1892, Emily, born 1897 and Constance, born on the 1th March 1899, all his siblings were born in Leicester, in March 1901 the family home was at 40, Halstead Street, Leicester. In April 1911 Horace was employed as a shoe trade finisher and was residing in the family home at 40, Halstead Street, Leicester, together with his father, a boot maker and dealer, his mother and siblings, Ernest, assisting in the family business, Lilian, a hosiery trade button holer, Archibald, a shoe trade finisher, Phyllis,a shoe trade machinist, Grace, assisting in the family business, Emily a cotton trade winder and Constance, a schoolgirl. Horace nominated his father as a legatee together with Miss Nellie Pratt who was born on the 25th March 1893 in Leicester, in 1911 she resided at 33, Gladstone Street, Leicester, my assumption is that Nellie was Horace’s young lady. In 1939 Nellie was still unmarried and was employed as a hosiery trade worker and resided in the family home at 26, Matlock Street, Leicester. In 1939, Horace’s sister Grace, a shoe trade machinist, brother’s Ernest, a shoe maker and Archibald, a shoe maker were all unmarried and residing in the family home at 40, Halstead Street, Leicester.
Horace attested into the Territorial Force to serve 4 years Service in the United Kingdom on the 6th October 1915 in Leicester. He gave his present address as 40, Halstead Street, Leicester. His record of service began when he joined the Depot of the Leicestershire Regiment as a Private, service number 5262 on the 8/10/15. Posted to the 3/4th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 8/10/15. Embodied service commenced on the 8/10/15. Embarked from Southampton to join the British Expeditionary Force in France on the 8/4/16. Disembarked Rouen on the 8/4/16. Posted to No.6 Entrenching Battalion on the -?-. Transferred to the 1/4th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment on the 17/4/16. Joined 1/4th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment and allotted the service number 201611, in the field on the 26/5/16. Admitted to the 1/2nd North Midland Field Ambulance, in the field, suffering from gunshot wounds to left arm and right leg on the 16/6/17. Transferred to the 1st Casualty Clearing Station on the 16/6/17. Transferred to Convalescent Depot, Etaples on the 6/7/17. Discharged to duty on the 15/8/17. Arrived -?- at Calais on the 17/8/17. Proceeded to -?- 46th Divisional Depot, in the field on the 29/8/17. Awarded Proficiency Pay Class I from the 8/10/17. Granted leave to the UK from the 15/10/17 to the 25/10/17. Admitted to the 1st Casualty Clearing Station suffering from an accidental injury, in the field on the 20/11/17. Admitted to the 1/1st North Midland Field Ambulance suffering from gunshot wounds to his right arm (amputated) legs and face, in the field on the 6/5/18. Transferred to the 1st Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, in the field on the 7/5/18. Died of wounds on the 7/5/18. Burial conducted by the Reverend R. K. Lambert, attached 1st Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, Pernes, France. A summary of his service records: Home Service, 8/10/15 – 8/4/16, 183 days. British Expeditionary Force, France, 9/4/16 – 7/5/18, 2 years 28 days. Total service 2 years 211 days. He was awarded the British War and Victory medals. Horace’s mother died of pernicious anaemia on the 21st January 1918, aged 61. A memorandum attached to Horace’s service record from Alfred E. Manger, Registrar, 3, Pocklingtons Walk, Leicester and dated the 21st January records the following information. The payment of 2/7, being the amount due to me, for the certificate, furnished overleaf, of the death of Annie Maria Lenton, stated to have been the mother of Private Horace Lenton, 201611: 1st 4th Leicester Regt., also, Pte. Archibald Garfield Lenton, 99127 Royal Army Medical Corps, also Pte. Ernest William Lenton, 64100 1st Durham Light Infantry is hereby requested, also the reimbursement of 1/= for the Separation Certificate of Identity, P814813, hereby transmitted. The following information was provided by Horace’s father George Lenton on the 11th September 1919, and was witnessed and signed by G. W. L. Brookes, Clerk in Holy Orders, 1, Egginton Street, Leicester on ARMY FORM W. 5080 (Information on deceased soldier’s family) Father of soldier, George Henry Lenton of 40, Halstead Street, Leicester. Mother of soldier, dead. Full blood brothers of soldier, Ernest William, age 40 of the 1st Durham Light Infantry, India. Archibald Garfield, age 33 of Horton War Hospital, Epsom. Oscar, age 29 of 9, Perkins Street, Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Full blood sisters of soldier, Lilian, age 35 of 40, Halstead Street, Leicester. Phyllis Rawson, age 31 of 30 Oak Street, Leicester. Grace, age 27 of 40, Halstead Street, Leicester. Emily, age 22 of 40, Halstead Street, Leicester. Connie, age 20 of 40, Halstead Street, Leicester. Horace’s surviving service documents are in a very poor condition, and much of the finer detail relating to the period of time that he spent in the Army, is either illegible or missing, hence the sparse overall description of his military and personal family history.
A report from the 1st Canadian Casualty Clearing Station records that Private Lenton, H. Serial No. 201611 of the 1/4th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, 46th Division was received on the 7th May 1918 suffering from wounds, right arm (amputated) legs and face and died the same day. He was buried on the 7th May 1918 in Pernes British Military Cemetery, Plot 2 – Row B – Grave No.6. The Chaplain conducting the service was the Reverend R. K. Lambert. His mother Mrs. Annie Lenton of 40 Wanstead (sic) Street, Leicester was recorded as his next of kin, and a letter was forwarded to her. Horace was recorded as a Wesleyan.
The War Diary records: 6 May-18 – TRENCHES. The day was very quiet. Relief commenced at 9.30 pm and was complete by 10.30 pm. The Battalion marched to VAUDRICOURT and took over bivouacs from the 6th NORTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT. On the way out we sustained four casualties on the outskirts of ESSARS. The Battalion was accommodated in bivouacs by 2.00 am.