Joseph Leslie KEFFORD

KEFFORD, Joseph Leslie

Service Numbers: 2913, 2901
Enlisted: 10 October 1915, Snr Cadets Toowoomba 18 mths
Last Rank: Corporal
Last Unit: 47th Infantry Battalion
Born: Warwick Queensland, Australia, 20 October 1891
Home Town: Kingaroy, South Burnett, Queensland
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Carpenter
Died: SW right thigh, Military Hospital, Boscombe, Hampshire, England, United Kingdom, 6 April 1918, aged 26 years
Cemetery: Bournemouth East Cemetery, Hampshire, England
Bournemouth East Cemetery (O.1. 143), Hampshire, Bournemouth East Cemetery, Bournemouth, Dorset, England, United Kingdom
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Kingaroy RSL Roll of Honour, Kingaroy Stone of Remembrance, Kumbia & District Fallen Roll of Honour Memorial, Kumbia WW1 Roll of Honour
Show Relationships

World War 1 Service

10 Oct 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2913, 47th Infantry Battalion, Snr Cadets Toowoomba 18 mths
27 Oct 1916: Involvement Private, 2913, 47th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '19' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Marathon embarkation_ship_number: A74 public_note: ''
27 Oct 1916: Embarked Private, 2913, 47th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Marathon, Brisbane
6 Jun 1917: Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 47th Infantry Battalion
23 Jan 1918: Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 47th Infantry Battalion
28 Mar 1918: Wounded AIF WW1, Corporal, 2901, 47th Infantry Battalion, German Spring Offensive 1918, SW to thigh, DoW
6 Apr 1918: Involvement Corporal, 2913, 47th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2913 awm_unit: 47th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1918-04-06

Help us honour Joseph Leslie Kefford's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Evan Evans

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland

Died on this date – 6th April.... Joseph Leslie Kefford was born at Warwick, Queensland in 1891. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 10th October, 1916 as a 25 year old, single, Carpenter from Mannuem Creek, via Kingaroy, Queensland.

Private Joseph Leslie Kefford embarked from Brisbane, Queensland on HMAT Marathon (A74) on 27th October, 1916 with the 47th Infantry Battalion, 7th Reinforcements. He was admitted to Ship’s Hospital on 23rd November, 1916 & discharged on 24th November, 1916. Private Kefford disembarked at Plymouth, England on 9th January, 1917 & was posted to 12th Training Battalion at Codford, Wiltshire.

Private Kefford was sent sick to Hospital on 20th January, 1917 & rejoined 12th Training Battalion, No. 14 Camp at Codford on 26th January, 1917.
Private Kefford proceeded overseas to France via Folkestone on 28th March, 1917 & was posted to 4th A.D.B.D. (Australian Divisional Base Depot) at Etaples, France on 29th March, 1917. He was marched out to his Unit on 31st March, 1917 & was taken on strength of 47th Battalion on 7th April, 1917.

Private Joseph Leslie Kefford was appointed to Lance Corporal on 19th June, 1917 in Belgium.

Lance Corporal Joseph Leslie Kefford was promoted to Temporary Corporal to date from 19th November, 1917 vice 4041 Sergeant Westwood evacuated wounded on 12th October, 1917.

Temporary Corporal Joseph Leslie Kefford was promoted to Corporal on 23rd January, 1918.
Corporal Joseph Leslie Kefford was granted leave from 20th February, 1918 & returned from leave on 8th March, 1918.

Corporal Joseph Leslie Kefford was wounded in action in France on 28th March, 1918. He was invalided to England on Hospital Ship St David on 2nd April, 1918 & admitted to Military Hospital, Boscombe, Hampshire, England on 3rd April, 1918 with Shrapnel (GSW) wounds to right thigh.

Corporal Joseph Leslie Kefford died at 10.45 am on 6th April, 1918 (time of death as per Morning State of Sick form, however a Telegram from the Hospital to Administrative Headquarters records the time as 10.55 am) at Military Hospital, Boscombe, Hampshire, England from wounds received in action – shell wound to right thigh.

Corporal Joseph Leslie Kefford was buried in Bournemouth East Cemetery, Bournemouth, Dorset, England where 9 other Australian WW1 War Graves are located & 1 Australian born who served with New Zealand Forces.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/bournemouth-east.html

Read more...