Henry Leaf

Henry Meredith Leaf, DSO (18 October 1862 – 23 April 1931) was a British rackets player who competed in the 1908 Summer Olympics.[1]

Olympic medal record
Men's Rackets
Silver medal – second place1908 London Men's singles
Bronze medal – third place1908 London Men's doubles

He won the silver medal in the men's singles event. In the men's doubles competition he won the bronze medal together with Evan Noel.

Prior to taking part in The Olympics, Leaf made two appearances in first-class cricket, playing for the Marylebone Cricket Club in 1884 and GJV Weigall's XI in 1904.[2]

Leaf was a volunteer officer in the Electrical Engineers, a volunteer unit of the Royal Engineers (RE). Their role was to supplement the regular Royal Engineers in wartime by operating searchlights to defend major ports in conjunction with minefields controlled by Volunteer companies of Submarine Miners, RE. Following the outbreak of the Second Boer War, Leaf volunteered for active service. Early in the war, Colonel Robert Baden-Powell improvised searchlights to deter night attacks during the Siege of Mafeking. Soon afterward a detachment of the Electrical Engineers Volunteers went to South Africa where they operated electric Arc lamp searchlights, the first use of such equipment by the Royal Engineers on campaign.[3] Leaf was granted the temporary rank of Captain in the Army on 17 March 1900,[4] and served with detachment, which was in South Africa from April to October 1900 in the Transvaal and Orange Free State.[5]

He later served in the World War I in France, and he was awarded a Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for his services.[6]

References
  1. "Henry Leaf". Olympedia. Retrieved 6 April 2021.
  2. "Player profile: Henry Leaf". CricketArchive. Retrieved 15 June 2014.
  3. Keith Brigstock 'Royal Artillery Searchlights', presentation to Royal Artillery Historical Society at Larkhill, 17 January 2007.
  4. "No. 27174". The London Gazette. 16 March 1900. p. 1793.
  5. Quarterly Army List
  6. Temporary Captain Henry Meredith Leaf,. R.M. For services with the Royal Naval Division-- Motor Transport Company in France.
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