Leopold Hibbert was born in the Bradford area of Manchester and lived there until shortly before the Great War. His parents were James and Ruth and he was probably their only child. The family home was at 81 Victoria Street. James was a hairdresser and, after leaving school, Leopold followed in his footsteps. On 1 January 1901, he married May Sutton at Christ Church, Bradford. They went to live with his parents but, by the time of the War, had moved to 6 Tyrell Road, North Reddish and had two sons - Ernest born in 1903 and Roland in 1910
On 10 December 1915, he enlisted into the army at Stockport and was assigned to the 2/6th Battalion, Royal Welsh Fusiliers. His service papers still exist at the National Archives and these show him to have been 5' 5" tall - about average height for those days. The medical examination found him generally fit but missing a few teeth. His services were not immediately needed and he was posted to the Reserve - returning to Stockport but ready to be called up later. He was finally mobilised for training on 15 August 1916.
Just before going overseas at the beginning of August 1917, Leopold was given a short leave to return home but overstayed his trip. He was fined two days pay and confined to barracks for a week. Seven weeks later, he would be dead. Just after his arrival in France, he was posted to the 16thBbattalion and joined it on the 17 August as part of a draft of reinforcements.
After a period in reserve, the Battalion moved back to the front line on 17 September 1917, taking over trenches in the Bois Grenier sector. The next day is recorded as being quiet but, on the morning of the 19th, British artillery started to fire in front of the German trenches with the intent of destroying the barbed wire. Retaliation was swift and the Fusiliers were shelled by enemy trench mortars and heavy artillery. Eleven men were killed (and another four died shortly after from their wounds). An officer later wrote to May, saying Leopold had been killed instantly by shrapnel from one of the explosions.
Charles Caine