One hundred years ago today, City lost one of its former amateur players. Leonard Turner, as the Hadra War Memorial Cemetery Index records, was: ‘Drowned in loss of S.S. “Aragon” (enemy torpedo explosion) off Alexandria, 30 Dec. 1917.’
The "Aragon" was carrying over 2,000 troops, bound for the conflict in Palestine. She had left England at the end of November 1917. Len was with the 4th Devons. A qualified gymnastics instructor, he’d been in the army almost two years.
An Exonian through and through, Len’s links to City dated back to the 1906-07 season. In his eight games for the first team he scored three goals. He was a centre forward.
For the Western Times: "His death will be deeply regretted by a very large circle of friends in the City, for he was well-known and popular in athletic and social circles."
At St James Park, we commemorate Leonard Turner on a plaque in the Garden of Remembrance.
Forever a Grecian.