One of Leonard's brothers was a fine salmon fisherman and hence became the ghillie for a local estate.
Allan was born in Brilley on February 28th 1895, the son of George Lewis, a carpenter from Brilley, and Annie
from Lyme Regis, Dorset. By 1901, the family were living in a house called 'Wyeside' in Whitney-on-Wye.
During World War One he enlisted in the 6th battalion of the Northamptonshire regiment On 18 September 1918 at Rossnoy, near Lempire, France, Lance-Corporal Lewis was commanding a section on the right of an attacking line. However this was being pinned down by blistering machine-gun fire. He noticed that two guns were enfilading the line and crawled forward unaccompanied, and managed to bomb the guns and by firing his rifle forced the whole team to surrender. On 21st September he raced his company through the enemy barrage, but perished whilst getting his men under cover from heavy machine-gun fire.
There is tribute to his valour on the Vis-en-Artois memorial in France and in also back in Brilley.
One of Leonard's brothers was a fine salmon fisherman and hence became the ghillie for a local estate.
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