Lenihan Christopher Pte 4455388
Personnel Entry
Name Lenihan Christopher
Army number 4455388
Rank Pte
Decorations
Date of birth Born County Durham 1919/20.
Age 20 at the time of his death.
Unit Enlisted in The Durham Light Infantry in late April/early May 1939. Posted 6th Battalion DLI. Posted 10th Battalion DLI - probably 1st September 1939. Served with the BEF. in Northern France. Posted Missing 10/5 to 20/6/40. Presumed to have been KILLED in ACTION 20/5/40 with 10th Battalion The Durham Light Infantry.
Company/Battery C Company 10th Battalion DLI.
Platoon or other sub-unit Not yet known.
Task or role Probably Rifleman.
Joined Brigade Probably 1/9/1939.
Promotions None known.
Wounded Not so far as is known, other than those injuries which caused his death.
Prisoner of War No.
Died/Killed in action KILLED in ACTION 20-May-40. Buried Plot 8. Row I. Grave 12. BUCQUOY ROAD CEMETERY, Ficheux. His headstone inscription reads: MEMORIES EVER LINGER.
Home address Resident of County Durham. Son of Mrs J A Lenihan, stepson of Mr J Dale, Spennymoor.
Source table 10DLI
Mentioned as being a friend by Mr Tommy Bamforth on 13/9/2014.
Following contact from the family of Pte William Bestford - buried next to Pte Lenihan in Bucquoy Road Cemetery - the author was made aware of a letter written from PoW Camp to his family from Pte Jonathan Bestford - captured in the same engagement at FICHEUX in which his brother was killed - to the effect that Pte Lenihan was with him in PoW Camp. The only explanation is that Pte Jonathan Bestford was mistaken, as the body of Pte Lenihan was identified in the usual way by those French civilians engaged in the initial burial of the casualties at FICHEUX and MERCATEL and he is included on the list of those recovered at the time.
