Leonel 'Leo' Graham Pringle died of wounds on this day in 1914
Leonel 'Leo' Graham Pringle was born 27 April 1880 in Ben Rhydding, Ilkley. His father was Commander James Thomas Pringle, the 11th Laird of Torwoodlee, Selkirkshire, an estate that had been in the family since the 15th century. His mother was Ann Parminter (née Black). He had an older brother and two older sisters.
In 1881, the family lived in Torwoodlee House with 4 servants.
Leo was educated at Vitzthum Gymnasium in Dresden; Sunningdale School; Radley College; and, finally, at RMC Sandhurst where he qualified as an Army Interpreter in German.
In 1899, he was gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in the 2nd Battalion, Highland Light Infantry and, in 1900, he was made Lieutenant. In 1901, he lived in barracks in Aldershot.
In 1903, as part of Edward VII's Birthday Honours List, Leo was awarded M.V.O. (5th Class) for carrying the Colours on their presentation to the 2nd Highland Light Infantry by H.M. Queen Alexandra, on behalf of H.M. King Edward VII, in Aldershot.
[M.V.O. is Member of the Royal Victorian Order, a dynastic order of knighthood established in 1896 by Queen Victoria. It recognises distinguished personal service to the monarch, members of the royal family, or to any viceroy or senior representative of the monarch.]
In 1908, he was promoted to Captain and transferred to the 1st Battalion. Prior to the outbreak of war. he was serving in India. On 22 August 1914, the Battalion left Bombay on SS Sumatra for France but were diverted to guard Suez Canal. On 4 December 1914, they landed at Marseille as part of the Sirhind Brigade in the 3rd (Lahore) Division.
On 12 December, the Battalion was in trenches at Festubert. It was rushed to the Givenchy area after the initial German assault on Indian troops. The fighting was particularly heavy, and the Battalion suffered significant casualties, losing around 200 men. The Highland Light Infantry Chronicle takes up the story:
"At 9pm on the 18th December, orders were received..... to attack the German trenches near Givenchy. At 3.30am the following day, the march against these trenches commenced and, at 5.15 am, the point of deployment was reached. The Artillery began the bombardment of the German trenches at 5.30 am, followed a few minutes later by the advance of the 1st line..... followed four minutes later by the 2nd line. These lines took two saps and two German trenches. The 3rd line..... was sent forward to support these lines about 5.45am, but the majority of this line were sent back, as there was no room for them in the trench captured. About 80 Germans were taken prisoner here. At 6.00am, a party of pioneers started to dig a communication trench between the main British trench and the trenches captured from the Germans but, their British officer being killed, they ceased work..... During the remainder of the day, the first two lines gallantly held their position, but were finally driven back with very heavy loss into the right German sap, the Germans driving them back with machine guns and bombs. At 4.30pm, the remnant of the first two lines retired, under heavy fire, to the main trenches. Lieutenant Kerr being killed and Captain Pringle MVO and Lieutenant CH Anderson reported missing".
Leo had been seriously wounded in the trenches and taken POW when the Germans recaptured the position. He was taken to Lazarett (Military Hospital) 111, St Sauveur, Lille but died on 29 December 1914. He was buried with full military honours in Lille Southern Cemetery
Captain Leonel 'Leo' Graham Pringle M.V.O., 1st Bn Highland Light Infantry