An Historically Important “STOCKBROKER BATTALION”
1914-15 Star Trio & Plaque.

To:
STK-215. Pte L.W. RODDIS. R.FUS.
10th Bn Royal Fusiliers.

KILLED IN ACTION, 21st February 1916.


[10th ROYAL FUSILIERS] ... THE FIRST PALS BATTALION.
On 21 August 1914, the first Pals battalion began to be raised from the Stockbrokers of the City of London. In a matter of days 1,600 men had joined what became the 10th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers. It’s clear from Leonard Roddis’ service number (STK-215) that he joined up in the city of London on the very first day of recruitment. It was Lord Derby who first coined the phrase 'Battalion of Pals' and recruited enough men to form three battalions of the King's (Liverpool) Regiment in only a week.

[BIOGRAPHY]
Leonard William Roddis was born in Forest Hill, London in 1893, the third son of the six children of Frederick and Gertrude Roddis. On 1911 census they are all seen living at 26 Terrapin Road, Tooting Bec Common. Leonard was a stockbroker’s clerk and his father is shown as “Member of the Stock Exchange”. Two of his brothers were in banking and insurance, so this was clearly a well to do family. Leonard joined up on the first day of recruitment on 21st August 1914 and after eleven months training he arrived in France on 31st July 1915.

After serving for just under seven months he was Killed in Action on 21st February 1916 in the trenches at BAILLEULVAL when the machine gun team he was with was hit by a German shell. Another member of the gun team was *killed and three more wounded. The war diary fully describes the situation.

*((The other man killed was, STK-458, Samuel Ellis Levy, Age 24, a Jewish soldier who served as “Mack”, the son of Edward & Ellen Levy of 14 Corsehill Street, Streatham, London)).

Both Leonard Roddis and Samuel Levy are buried & remembered with eternal honour at Douchy-les-Ayette British Cemetery, Pas-de-Calais, Northern France.

In his will, published in 1916, Leonard left to his father Frederick, what was the then the very tidy sum of £585 15d 7d.







A greatly desirable and rare group. The Medals & Plaque are Mint with original ribbons. Also included are many pages of research with a wonderfully clear and fully readable copy of the February war diary which gives full details of the circumstances of the loss of Leonard and his mate Samuel.

SOLD