Arthur Albert Lennard was born in Eyke, Suffolk, on 30th September 1894. The birth of his brother, William Robert, was a year later on 24th October 1895 at the family’s new home in Melton. Both boys were baptised in St Andrew’s Church.

Both brothers enlisted in June 1915, joining the 2/1st Battalion, Suffolk Yeomanry, the training battalion of the 1st Suffolk Yeomanry. The 1st Suffolk Yeomanry had been posted to Gallipoli in late September 1915 and then to Egypt after the end of the Gallipoli campaign in December 1915. 

 

In 1916, the brothers were posted to join the Suffolk Yeomanry in Egypt, where they were guards along the Suez Canal. In 1917, the battalion was re-organised and renamed the 15th (Yeomanry) Battalion, Suffolk Regiment. Arthur and William would have been involved in the Palestine campaign, including the successful capture of Jerusalem in November 1917.

On 3rd April 1918, while still in Palestine, the 15th Suffolks received orders they were being posted to France. They arrived back in Egypt where, after a period returning equipment only used in Palestine, they left Alexandria on board the HMT Leasowe Castle arriving in Marseilles on the 7th May.

By 25th May, the battalion was in billets in Penin, to the west of Arras, where for the next month, they underwent training and familiarisation to prepare them for life on the battlefields of Europe. On 1st July, Arthur, William and the battalion had moved to Erny-Saint-Julien and were in a supporting role. This meant they had to be ready at four hours’ notice to head to the front line. Just over a week later, the battalion relieved the 2/5th Worcesters on the Robecq line. Arthur and William remained in the area taking part in counter attacks on the German lines until 24th July, when the battalion was relieved by the 12th Somersets.

The One Hundred Days offensive began on the 8th August and, after a short period on the Robecq line, the battalion was moved to the Somme. Here, on 18th September, they took part in the Battle of Transloy at Templeux- La-Fosse. (It was during this action that another Melton man, Serjeant William Beaden, was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal for his actions capturing three enemy machine gun posts.) Overnight on the 23rd September, the battalion was relieved and after a few days in billets, was sent to Neuve Chapelle. From here, they followed the retreating German army, finishing the war near Tournai in Belgium.

After their discharge from the 15th (Yeomanry) Battalion, Suffolk Regiment, the brothers returned to Melton. In 1920, William married Doris Meadows and they had two children, Rita and Dennis. Doris died in 1959 and William remarried in 1960 to Gertrude Gowan (née Ward). On 24th June 1966, William died at Denrita, The Street, Melton. He is buried at Melton Old Church. Gertrude died at the age of ninety-one in 2000.

Arthur married Edith M Bartlett in 1930 and they had three children: Michael, Reginald and David. In 1939, Arthur and Edith were living at 15 Prospect Terrace, from where Arthur worked as a gardener. During the Second World War, he served as a special constable with the East Suffolk Constabulary. Arthur died on 22nd February 1943 and is buried at Melton Old Church.

For their war service, both Arthur and William received the British War and Victory Medals.