Rifleman Leonard Calder (7019561) served in 7th Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles during the Second World War. He was the son of John Calder, a Royal Irish Rifles veteran, of Belfast, and husband of Susan Calder of 31 Andrew Street, Belfast.
Leonard died on 10th August 1943 aged 22 years old at the London North Eastern Railway, Scarborough, North Yorkshire. A train carrying men of the Royal Ulster Rifles collided with another train at the station. This caused the death of 3 Ulster men including William Henry Jamieson and William Hall. A fourth soldier, John Harman also died in the collision. The incident came about when a signalman pulled the wrong signal. An inquest found no evidence of criminal negligence, returning verdicts of accidental death.
A further 8 men received medical care in a hospital. G. Buick, W. Curran, F. Cane, J. Kehoe, R. Kirby, D. Ruddy, R. Kirk all served in 7th Battalion Royal Ulster Rifles. Another soldier named Hume was in the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.
I had the misfortune of making an error which caused the 9.05am train ex-Hull to run on to the wrong platform, number 5 instead of number 3 platform, for which error I am deeply grieved and sorry. I am unable to say what caused me to do this.
Signalman Herbert William Scholes, Scarborough.
Leonard Calder’s grave is in Section AF, Joint Grave 139 of Carnmoney Cemetery, Newtownabbey, Co. Antrim. He lies next to colleague, neighbour, and brother-in-law Rifleman William Henry Jamieson who died as a result of the same incident. The funeral took place from the house of Mr. F Spence, father-in-law of both men, at 8 New Dock Street, Belfast.