43105
WALLER, Leonard John
| Service Number: | 249 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Sapper |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Warooka, 5 May 1895 |
| Home Town: | Warooka, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Painter |
| Died: | Coobowie, South Australia, 2 July 1938, aged 43 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Sunbury Methodist Cemetery, Yorketown, South Australia Sunbury Methodist Church, Yorketown |
| Memorials: | Yorketown and District of Melville Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 20 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 249, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Ascanius embarkation_ship_number: A11 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 249, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ascanius, Adelaide | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Sapper, 249 |
Help us honour Leonard John Waller's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by St Ignatius' College
Leonard John Waller was born in Warooka, Yorke Peninsula, South Australia in 1895. He later moved to Exeter. Before enlisting in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) at the age of 19, Leonard worked as a painter and was dedicated to the Methodist faith, a Christian denomination rooted in the teachings of John Wesley. Standing 5 feet 8½ inches tall and weighing around 148 pounds (67.1 kg), he had a fair complexion, light hair and blue eyes. Leonard was single, and his mother, Mrs. Elizabeth Waller, was listed as his next of kin. At the South Australian recruitment office in Morphettville, Leonard completed the AIF enlistment form, known as the ‘Attestation Paper,’ confirming his age, occupation, and marital status.
Leonard enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (AIF) in 1914, volunteering at the Morphettville SA recruitment office. After basic training, he departed for war aboard the HMAT Ascanius on October 20, 1914. His first destination was Egypt, where he and the other ANZACs continued training. Leonard’s unit, the 10th Battalion, was among the first to land at Anzac Cove on April 25,1915 during the Gallipoli Campaign. Following their evacuation in December 1915, Leonard’s battalion moved to the Western Front, fighting in major offensives such as the second Battle of Bullecourt and the Menin Road operation in Belgium. Although suffering injuries twice, once in the arm and once in the shoulder, Leonard continued to serve. He was part of the 1st Australian Signals Company. Whilst, he was never awarded medals, his service was marked by strength and sacrifice.
After the war, Leonard returned home to Australia and continued his life. Leonard passed away on the 2nd of July 1938 in Coobowie, South Australia. His grave lies at Sunbury Methodist Church, Yorketown.
Reference list:
National Archives Australia Service Record NAA: B2455
Details 2024, Adfa.edu.au, viewed 5 September 2024, <https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=312000>.
Memories 2018, Memories.net, Memories, viewed 5 September 2024, <https://app.memories.net/memorials/leonardjohn-waller-96809>.
Anzac Day 2024, Australian Army, viewed 5 September 2024, <https://www.army.gov.au/about-us/history-and-research/traditions/anzac-day#:~:text=ANZAC%20stands%20for%20Australian%20and>.
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