Divisional Commander Leonard William Cornish Devon and Exeter Special Constabulary
Defence Medal. Special constabuylary Long Service Medal 'Long Service 1945, 1955, 1965'
The Man Leonard William Cornish was born on Born on Sunday 21st June 1896 in St Thomas, Exeter, his register of birth incorrectly showing his first names reversed, Son of William Henry a Tea Merchant’s Accountant and Eliza Maud Eva (Eva) nee Horrell. He had one brother Ronald James (1898-1986) and was baptised as an Anglican on 15th July 1896 at St Thomas Exeter.
William sadly passed away in 1900 aged just 29 when Leonard was aged 4 leaving Eva, a school mistress, to bring up the two children. The 1901 census shows Eva Leonard and Ronald living with her parents and sister Samuel, Jane and Annie Horrell at 43 Church Street, St Thomas.
By 1911 Eva, her sister, also a schoolteacher, Leonard aged 14 and Ronald were living together with a servant at St Thomas’s Girls School, Exeter where Eva taught. Leonard attending Helles School in Exeter.
Following his education, it appears Leonard became an engineer and at the outbreak of World War I on 4th August 1914 was aged 17, he didn’t enlist into the armed forces until 29th April 1918 when he joined the Royal Air Force as an Electrical Engineer with service number 162551. He was described as 5’.11¼” tall with brown hair and eyes and a fresh complexion. He served at home with 36 Squadron and at RAF Halton and was discharged in early 1920 when he became a Clerk of Works working for the Air Ministry in London.
By 1924 he was living at 11 Tintern Road, Wood Green London and on Saturday 4th October 1924 aged 28, married Rachel Jack Dingwall Sanderson, a typist, at 3 St John Street, Edinburgh, Rachel hailing from the city. They had one son Charles William Cornish born in 1931-2015.
In about 1938 Leonard joined the Devon and Exeter Special Constabulary, being promoted to Divisional Commander. The 1939 Register shows him, Rachel and Charles (two other names having been redacted), living at 44 Cowick Lane, Exter and he, now aged 43 working as a Consumers Engineer and his SC rank reflected on the register.
Leonard served in the SC throughout World War II and was awarded his Special Constabulary Long Service Medal in 1941; followed by his first clasp in 1945 (war service counting treble) and at the end of the war his Defence Medal. He continued serving with the Specials for the next 20 years and awarded two further long service clasps in 1955 and 1965, a year before Devon and Essex Police were merged into the newly created Devon and Cornwall Constabulary and most likely when he retired aged 68!
Rachel died in the last quarter of 1977 and Leonard passed away on 11th December 1979 aged 83, still living at 44 Cowick Lane, Exeter.
William sadly passed away in 1900 aged just 29 when Leonard was aged 4 leaving Eva, a school mistress, to bring up the two children. The 1901 census shows Eva Leonard and Ronald living with her parents and sister Samuel, Jane and Annie Horrell at 43 Church Street, St Thomas.
By 1911 Eva, her sister, also a schoolteacher, Leonard aged 14 and Ronald were living together with a servant at St Thomas’s Girls School, Exeter where Eva taught. Leonard attending Helles School in Exeter.
Following his education, it appears Leonard became an engineer and at the outbreak of World War I on 4th August 1914 was aged 17, he didn’t enlist into the armed forces until 29th April 1918 when he joined the Royal Air Force as an Electrical Engineer with service number 162551. He was described as 5’.11¼” tall with brown hair and eyes and a fresh complexion. He served at home with 36 Squadron and at RAF Halton and was discharged in early 1920 when he became a Clerk of Works working for the Air Ministry in London.
By 1924 he was living at 11 Tintern Road, Wood Green London and on Saturday 4th October 1924 aged 28, married Rachel Jack Dingwall Sanderson, a typist, at 3 St John Street, Edinburgh, Rachel hailing from the city. They had one son Charles William Cornish born in 1931-2015.
In about 1938 Leonard joined the Devon and Exeter Special Constabulary, being promoted to Divisional Commander. The 1939 Register shows him, Rachel and Charles (two other names having been redacted), living at 44 Cowick Lane, Exter and he, now aged 43 working as a Consumers Engineer and his SC rank reflected on the register.
Leonard served in the SC throughout World War II and was awarded his Special Constabulary Long Service Medal in 1941; followed by his first clasp in 1945 (war service counting treble) and at the end of the war his Defence Medal. He continued serving with the Specials for the next 20 years and awarded two further long service clasps in 1955 and 1965, a year before Devon and Essex Police were merged into the newly created Devon and Cornwall Constabulary and most likely when he retired aged 68!
Rachel died in the last quarter of 1977 and Leonard passed away on 11th December 1979 aged 83, still living at 44 Cowick Lane, Exeter.
The Story The medals awarded to Leonard William Cornish were acquired from Lockdales Auction on 14th July 1915 and of interest because the three clasped Special Constabulary Long Service Medal.
Surprisingly, there were several Leonard W Cornish’s on Ancestry, several of whom could have been the man. However, the 1939 Register had one hit with the word ‘Divisional’ in the comments box, suggesting it may have said Divisional Commander, which was the rank on the SCLS Medal.
On the balance of probabilities this is the right man and as such a reasonable biography has now been pieced together, with Scotland’s People filling in his elusive marriage details.
Surprisingly, there were several Leonard W Cornish’s on Ancestry, several of whom could have been the man. However, the 1939 Register had one hit with the word ‘Divisional’ in the comments box, suggesting it may have said Divisional Commander, which was the rank on the SCLS Medal.
On the balance of probabilities this is the right man and as such a reasonable biography has now been pieced together, with Scotland’s People filling in his elusive marriage details.
Medal Details:
- Defence Medal: Unnamed as awarded.
- Special Constabulary Long Service Medal: xxxxx
This page last updated 26 Oct 25
60
