On Chatham Naval Memorial is the name of C/JX 172155 Ordinary Seaman Leonard Gardner serving on H.M.S. Pelican who died 22/04/1940.
The son of Richard and May Gardner, of Hartlepool, Co. Durham.
Peter Kay has submitted the following:-
My grandmother lost a nephew in each war. Charles in WW1 and Leonard in WW2.
Grace Gardner was my maternal grandmother. She was the youngest of 13 children, 3 of whom never survived infancy. There were 7 surviving females and 3 males. Her parents were Sydney Smith Gardner and Isabella Winifred Burden.
Grace’s other 2 brothers were twins, Edward and Richard, born in Stranton in 1882. As an aside, the elder twin Edward was the father of Teddy Gardner, well known locally as a triple Lonsdale Belt winner, being a British, British Empire and European bantam weight boxing champion.
The younger twin Richard, my Great Uncle Dick, married May Bryson of the Headland in St Hilda’s Church in May 1910. He was a ships’ plater, but when I was a boy they ran a fruit and vegetable shop at 47 Northgate, Hartlepool, supplied by my maternal grandfather, who by then was a wholesaler.
Richard Gardner had 3 sons, Sidney, George and Leonard who served in WWII in the Army, Air Force and Navy respectively.
Leonard, the youngest, was born in Hartlepool in December 1917. In October 1939 Leonard was best man at his brother Sydney’s wedding to Doris Smurthwaite at Stranton Church. Leonard joined the Royal Navy as C/JX 172155 Ordinary Seaman Gardner. He was killed in action on 22nd April 1940 whilst serving on the frigate HMS Pelican.
22 Apr 1940 The anti-aircraft sloop HMS Pelican (Cdr. L.A.K. Boswell, D.S.O., RN), while on her way to the Romsdal Fjord carrying the personnel of the Naval Base party for Molde, was crippled by a German Ju-87 (Stuka) dive bomber. She was hit aft, setting off her depth charges. Pelican was towed to Lerwick and then to Chatham for repairs that lasted until early December 1940. 60 ratings lost their lives in this incident.
Hartlepool Mail 26/04/1940 informs of Leonards death:
He was well known in local swimming and water polo circles and he was an expert swimmer. His parents have been in business on Northgate for over 20 years. Leonard was the youngest son and was educated at Middleton St. Johns School.
In May Leonard’s parents were sent the following letter from Captain Lennox Boswell:-
H.M.S. Pelican, Chatham, 8th May (1940)
Dear Mr Gardner, Now that we have got the ship safely home I may write:- Please accept my very sincere sympathy, I know only too well how you and Mrs Gardner must feel his loss.
Although he had been in the ship a short time he had already begun to stand out from his fellows for his cheerfulness and intelligence.
He was at his Action Station supplying ammunition to the after guns during the air attacks and was killed instantaneously by the explosion when the last of the bombs just caught us aft.
I read the Burial Service the same evening off the Norwegian Coast just as the day was dying and a full moon was rising over the distant mountains. The wind had died away and it was very peaceful after a long and trying day.
Our Country lives by the sea and there is no finer resting place in death for those who have given their lives for their Country.
Your Son’s private effects will be sent to you as soon as the necessary arrangements have been completed.
I am so sorry this has happened to you but you must be brave and help those who are left to finish off this business.
Yours very truly Lennox Boswell
P.S. No photographs are allowed in wartime but he may of course have a photograph amongst his papers in the ditty box which will be sent to you.
Peter Kay does not have a photograph of Leonard.
In some cases his name has been given at Leonard R., or L.J. Gardner but all official records just read Leonard Gardner.
Leonard Gardner is remembered at Hartlepool on H115.16 and H115.20, at West Hartlepool on W111.055 and in our List of Ships’ crews.
