My grandfather and namesake Leonard Warren, born in 1897 was called up for short service on the 29th September 1915. To see his call-up papers, click HERE.
He joined the Somerset Light Infantry as a Private, Regimental Number M/284269. His trade before joining was a chauffer, so being medical category B, he served as a M.T. Driver between 21st December 1916 and 6th June 1919. On the 12th July 1919 he was demobilized having served the latter part of the war in the Royal Army Service Corps.

Unfortunately this is about all I know of my grandfathers war service. He died when my father was a child, so I was named after him. He originally grew up on a farm in Chard, Somerset. After the Great War, work brought him north of the border to west central Scotland where he took a job as a chauffer to a wealthy local Jeweller. The Jeweller had a large house in Airdrie, Lanarkshire with a few domestic servants. There my grandmother was a chamber maid and met her future husband, the chauffer of a shiny Rolls Royce.

I have always wanted to research my grandfathers war service, however about three quarters of the Great War Service Records were destroyed during the Blitz in World War II. The Central Records Office have the remaining records, but there is currently a two year waiting list!

For a detailed overview of the Somerset Light Infantry, why not have a look at the Regimental Timeline.

The S.L.I. actually started as the 13th Foot and it was as such that they won their battle honour which was later to feature on their cap badge. The honour "Jellalabad" commemorated the defence of that fort during the First Afghan War of 1842. Earlier in 1822 they had gained the Light Infantry horn and along with Prince Albert's initials, P.A. formed the Regiments badge when it changed to The Prince Albert's (Somerset Light Infantry) in 1912. A further name change occurred in 1920 to The Somerset Light Infantry (Prince Albert's) although this didn't affect the design of the cap badge. The cap badge was however reduced in size slightly in 1950.

In 1959, the Regiment merged with the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry and took the name and badge of the Light Infantry Brigade. These changes were brought about by the Government White Paper of July 1957 and the intention was to group the Infantry into fourteen brigades and the Parachute Regiment. Each Brigade was to consist of three or four Regiments so it was necessary to merge certain Regiments and lose about fifteen. There was a certain hostility towards this, as the Regimental system breeds a loyalty that is a distinct advantage in terms of morale.

The result of the S.L.I's merger became The Somerset & Cornwall Light Infantry and along with The Kings Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, The King's Shropshire Light Infantry and the Durham Light Infantry became the new Light Infantry Brigade. All of the component Regiments used a new badge, a stringed Light Infantry bugle horn in white metal, actually the universally disliked anodised aluminium, "stay-brite".

By 1970, the system had changed again. Instead of the previous fourteen Brigades, a looser system of five Divisions was formed, which naturally led onto the Regiments discarding their Brigade Cap Badges and reverting to the Regiments own badge. This was a welcome return for the soldier, although the previous mergers of the late '50s still held. The S.L.I. was still the Somerset & Cornwall Light Infantry.

To find out more about the Somerset Light Infantry, why not click  HERE  to look at Michael Young's excellent site dedicated to the S.L.I.