The following was supplied along with the photo above by Lens nephew, Paul Mansell.
Len came from a large family, he had 8 brothers and sisters. My father Frank (Lens Brother )had fond memories of his childhood in Birmingham with Len and Percy, they were of a similar age. They were a working class family living in a two/three bedroom terraced house .The family had an age range of 20 years between the eldest and youngest. Their father had served in the army in India in the 1890 s and was too old for the first world war. Len joined the Navy in early 1939 initially based at HMS Pembroke (Chatham barracks). He served on HMS Boadicea from 1939 -1940 and HMS Arethusa from 1940 until his death on the 18th November 1942 aged just 22 years. Whilst in the Navy he was a keen boxer and I have a Navy boxing medal for 1939 naming him as a Light Heavy weight winner.

Three other brothers served in the forces in World War II.

Percy was in the South Staffordshire regt serving in the Chindits in Burma. He survived the war, married and lived in Canada until his death 10 years ago.

Fred also served in the Army.

Jack had served in the Army in India during the late 1920's. He was called up in 1939 as a territorial and served in the Middle East, North Africa, Italy and Normandy. By the time he was killed on the 16th June 1944(near Bayeux) he had risen to the rank of Sergeant and was 35 years old. He had only been married a few weeks when war came in 1939.

Undertaking just a little research makes you realise the sacrifices ordinary families made in World War II.