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G/3199 7th Battalion, The Buffs (East Kent Regiment)
Leonard Sillett was born in 1894 in Harleston in Norfolk, one of eleven children of James Frederick and Eliza Sillett. The family moved to Sudbury where his father was employed as ‘an engine driver’ in a local brewery and the family lived at 5 Girling Street before moving to 23 Plough Lane. In 1911 Leonard was living in Barnes in Surrey with Joseph and Florence Wellham (his sister and brother-in-law) and was employed by Joseph as an apprentice carpenter.
Leonard enlisted in Fulham and first served in France on 28 July 1915. He had two brothers also serving with the army in France. His younger brother Percy lost his life serving with the Suffolk Regiment and is also remembered on the Sudbury War Memorial.
Leonard’s battalion formed part of 55th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division which was formed in September 1914; the early days were somewhat chaotic as the new volunteers had very few trained officers and NCOs to command them. They had no organised billets or equipment. Initially they were billeted around the Colchester area but in May 1915 they were moved to Salisbury Plain where King George V inspected them on 24 June. The Division began embarking for France on 24 July and was billeted at Flesselles. Their first significant action was in the opening phase of the Battle of the Somme at the Battle of Albert (1 – 13 July 1916). Leonard served alongside another Sudbury man George Durrant who would also lose his life during this battle .
A letter received by his father from Captain Victor Allen describes Leonard as ‘a good a soldier as I had in my company, very hard working, always cheerful, and willing to do anything asked of him and always ready to do his duty’.
Leonard was killed in action on 1 July 1916, only four months after his brother Percy was killed. There is no known grave and he is remembered on the Thiepval Memorial, Somme, France. He was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
A Cross of Remembrance was laid at the Thiepval Memorial in April 2006 and April 2009.
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