Dawlish World War One Project

The London Regiment
Battalions of the Territorial Force

The London Regiment was unusual. Not only were all of its battalions of the Territorial Force (although the first four were affiliated to the other City of London regiment, the all-regular Royal Fusiliers) but each battalion was regarded as a Corps in its own right.
3/5th Battalion
Formed at Bunhill Row on 26 November 1914. By April 1915, at Tadworth. Moved in October to billets at Sutton, then to Fovant in January 1916.
8 April 1916 : became 5th Reserve Bn. Moved to Exeter in November 1916, then Dawlish in December.

His funeral was reported in the Exeter and Plymouth Gazette of 2 January 1917, “ Rifleman L.W.Blackburn, London Rifle Brigade, was buried with full military honours yesterday at the cemetery.
The coffin, covered with the Union Jack, was carried from the Cottage Hospital to Park Road where 'A' Company, to which deceased belonged, was drawn up with the band of the battalion. A firing party, under Sergt Lloyd, was drawn from the same company.............
The mourners were the parents and sister. There were many floral tokens including one from officers and men of 'A' Company.”

Leonard Walter Blackburn was the second son of Joseph and Sarah Blackburn.
Joseph (1850- ) was born in Norfolk and Sarah (1858- ) was from Essex and they were living in Carshalton (Sutton registration district) when their children were born from 1886 to 1900.
Joseph was a house painter.

It is likely that Leonard enlisted early in 1916 and was attached to the 3rd/5th Battalion which moved to Exeter and then to Dawlish where he died and was buried in the cemetery.