The Fighting Padre
Pat Leonard's Letters From the Trenches, 1915–1918
- 256 pages
- English
- ePUB (mobile friendly)
- Available on iOS & Android
The Fighting Padre
Pat Leonard's Letters From the Trenches, 1915–1918
About this book
Pat Leonard served throughout the Great War as a Chaplain to the Forces in France, Belgium and, after the Armistice, in Germany. Along with the many hundreds of letters he wrote to the relatives of those parishioners who died or were wounded, he found time to describe for his parents back at home the awful reality of life in the Trenches, and on the makeshift aerodromes from which the pilots of the Royal Flying Corps operated from the Observers seat which liberated his spirit from the mud of Flanders. Very much a front-line priest, his descriptions provide an unusually objective view of army life, and of the job of the multitasked chaplain who was expected to undertake the roles of counselor, comforter, caterer, censor, entertainment officer and sports supreme to name but a few. The extracts selected from his letters are full of detail, humor, self deprecation and just sometimes when judged by todays standards, mild political incorrectness! Known as a veritable fighting parson (because of his prowess in the boxing ring) he also played rugby for the RAF, was mentioned in dispatches, and was decorated for bravery. 90 years have passed before this opportunity arises to share his account of a life which the world remembers as dreadful beyond belief. Reading it demonstrates that despite the ghastliness, human qualities emerged with which we should all be proud. Pat Leonard was born in 1889 into a clergy family in Cumbria, MPG (Pat) Leonard went from being Head of School at Rossall to Oriel College, Oxford on a mathematics scholarship. After graduating and obtaining a TA Commission in the Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, Leonard served as a curate in a Manchester parish before being accepted as Chaplain to the 8th Battalion, the Kings Own, from September 1915 in the battlefields of the Somme Awarded the DSO for bravery and mentioned in dispatches, he transferred to the RFC in early 1918. After the war he was much involved in the development and growth of TocH throughout the world. Subsequently after a period as Rector of Hatfield and ten years in Glasgow as Provost of St. Marys Cathedral he was consecrated Bishop of Thetford in 1953.
Frequently asked questions
- Essential is ideal for learners and professionals who enjoy exploring a wide range of subjects. Access the Essential Library with 800,000+ trusted titles and best-sellers across business, personal growth, and the humanities. Includes unlimited reading time and Standard Read Aloud voice.
- Complete: Perfect for advanced learners and researchers needing full, unrestricted access. Unlock 1.4M+ books across hundreds of subjects, including academic and specialized titles. The Complete Plan also includes advanced features like Premium Read Aloud and Research Assistant.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app.
Information
Table of contents
- Front Cover
- Title Page
- Copyright
- Contents
- List of Plates
- Preface
- Acknowledgements
- Glossary
- Map
- Introduction
- Chapter 1 The Mad Major … and the Guardroom
- Chapter 2 Vaseline, Glycerine and the Suffolks
- Chapter 3 ‘We have won our spurs’
- Chapter 4 Fighting Padre in the Fighting Third
- Chapter 5 Longueval to the Bazentins
- Chapter 6 ‘If I fall, we shall meet again’
- Chapter 7 Success in Action – and the Cost
- Chapter 8 God and Man on Active Service
- Chapter 9 Loot in the Hymn Books
- Chapter 10 Of Boxing and Praying, Dogfights and Dances
- Chapter 11 The Measure of the Bosch
- Chapter 12 ‘Three Cheers for the Armistice!’
- Epilogue