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Son of the late L. Brereton, C.E., and of Ruth Brereton, of Natal, South Africa. On Maritzburg College cenotaph. Born 12th February 1895 in Pietermaritzburg, Natal. His father, a Civil Engineer from Cheshire, died relatively young and Leonard and his 3 younger siblings were taken back to the England for their education. His mother was a Hamilton and their family came from Fintra House, Killybegs, Co.Donegal, Ireland. Leonard went to High School at Bedford Grammar and was an outstanding student and athlete. He won the mile trophy two years running as well as winning the sculling fours (see photographs below). It appears that he then went back to Africa to be trained as an engineer, where he worked for the Natal Railways. He next turns up fighting against the Germans in German South West Africa until the campaign ended with their capitulation in 1915. In March 1916 he traveled to England to enroll there. He spent a frustrating few months waiting to take part in the war effort, as can be seen in his diary entries. In November he received orders for Egypt arriving there late January. He died of wounds received at the 2nd Battle at Gaza only 3 months later, aged 22, and is buried in the Cairo Military Cemetery. After his death his colleagues in Natal, South Africa, named a Railway tunnel after him. |
