Corporal 242203 Leonard Eades Jukes

 
Leonard Jukes' gravestone plus inscription.

Died of Wounds on Tuesday, 4th September 1917, age 22.
Buried in Grave XVIII. H. Z. at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium.

2nd/6th Bn., Royal Warwickshire Regiment. 182nd Brigade of 61st Division.

Son of John and Maria E. Jukes, of 14, Whitehouse St., Tipton, Staffs.
Born: Tipton, Enlisted: Birmingham, Resident: Tipton.

First landed France & Flanders, post 31st December 1915.
Medal entitlement: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.

Commemorated on the Tipton Library Memorial.
Commemorated here because he appears on a Tipton memorial.

Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/145281/

Genealogical Data

Birth of Leonard Eades Jukes registered September quarter 1895 in Dudley.

1901 Census
190a Horseley Heath, Tipton, Staffs.
John Jukes (46, Draper - Own Acount at Home, born Tipton), his wife Maria (48, born Tipton), and their 3 children: John (14, Draper's Apprentice, born Tipton), Caleb (13, born Tipton), Leonard (5, born Tipton).

1911 Census
190a Horseley Heath, Tipton, Staffs.
John Jukes (57, Draper, born Tipton), his wife Maria (59, born Tipton), and their 3 surviving children of 3: John Harold (24, Contractor's Clerk, born Tipton), Caleb Edd (22, Postal Clerk, born Tipton), Leonard Eades (15, Oil Merchant's Clerk, born Tipton).

Personal Data

After Leonard's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £10/10/3d (10 pounds, 10 shillings and 3 pence); this was paid to his father, John, in November 1917 and January 1918. His War Gratuity was £11/0/0d (11 pounds exactly), this was also paid to his father in November 1919. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that Leonard had enlisted in approximately April 1915.

Action resulting in his death

For the first half of August 1917, the 2/6th Royal Warwicks had been training at Rubrouck in France, about 20 miles west of Ypres. On 16th August the battalion moved by train to Brandhoek, about 4 miles west of Ypres, where they did further training and provided working parties. The battalion was at full strength, with 39 Officers and 953 Other Ranks.

Leonard Jukes died of wounds on 4th September 1917 at a Casualty Clearing Station at Lijssenthoek, and is buried in the adjacent Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery. It cannot be stated with certainty when he was wounded but it is a strong possibility that it may have been on 3rd September, both from a statistical and logistical viewpoint. That is, 3rd September saw most 2/6th Royal Warwicks casualties at that time, and at a location 10 miles from Lijssenthoek.

By the end of August, the 2/6th Royal Warwicks were in Support, just north of Ypres, before taking over a sector of the front line on the evening of 2nd September. This was in the general area of Hill 35, about 3 miles north-east of Ypres and 1 mile south of St Julien. Captain Pridmore and 2 Other Ranks were killed in the process of taking over the front line.

The slope of Hill 35 was strategically important as it runs up to the Graventafel Ridge, 3 miles north-east is Passchendaele – the ultimate objective for the Third Battle of Ypres. The slope was strongly defended by German positions in reinforced farm buildings, especially machine gun emplacements at Gallipoli Farm and Schuler Galleries.

The area had been first attacked on the opening day of the Third Battle of Ypres – 31st July 1917. This was unsuccessful, and further localised attempts on Hill 35 also proved unsuccessful until eventually taken by the 55th (West Lancashire) Division on 20th September, at the eleventh attempt.

The attack on Hill 35 began at 10pm on 3rd September, it opened with rifle-grenade fire, an artillery protective barrage, and a feint attack by one platoon.

Despite these preliminaries, the main attack failed due to intense German machine gun fire on 3 sides, and the 2/6th Royal Warwicks had returned to their starting lines by midnight. They had 13 men killed on 3rd September, and a further 5 men killed on 4th September.

Newspaper Cuttings

Birmingham Daily Post 5th October 1917
RANK AND FILE: MIDLANDS MEN.
The following casualties amongst warrant officers, non-commissioned officers, and men are reported under various dates:
DIED OF WOUNDS.
Royal Warwicks Regiment, Jukes, 242203, Cpl., L., (Tipton).