GORTON, LEONARD DOUGLAS
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Serjeant
5881850
22/10/1944
33
Royal Armoured Corps 3rd/4th County of London Yeomanry (Sharpshooters)
II. C. 5.
Original gravesite at Meerveldhoven.
From surviving service records, the following outline of Leonard Douglas Gorton’s life and military service can be reconstructed.
Leonard Douglas Gorton was born on 28 August 1911. Before enlistment he worked as a boot repairman. He married Madge Daphne Constance Bing at Wood Green on 8 January 1938, and together they had two children. His physical description records him as being 5 feet 5¼ inches tall, with blue eyes and light brown hair.
He enlisted in the British Army on 28 September 1929 and joined the North Hampshire Regiment. On 6 October 1933 he was appointed Saddler and Harnessmaker to the regiment, a skilled technical role within the unit.
On 27 March 1941 he transferred to the Royal Armoured Corps.
He served in the Middle East from 15 August 1941 until 9 September 1943, and subsequently in British North Africa from 10 September 1943 until 6 January 1944. He embarked for service in North West Europe on 2 June 1944.
Leonard Douglas Gorton died as the result of a battle accident on 24 October 1944.
Leonard Gorton on the left.