Leonard Christopher LUCAS

LUCAS, Leonard Christopher

Service Number: 5222
Enlisted: 16 September 1915
Last Rank: Lance Corporal
Last Unit: 52nd Infantry Battalion
Born: Woodbridge, Tasmania, Australia, 29 October 1889
Home Town: New Town, Hobart, Tasmania
Schooling: New Town State School, Tasmania, Australia
Occupation: Postal motordriver
Died: Killed in Action, Mouquet Farm, France, 4 September 1916, aged 26 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Hobart Postmaster General's Department Glorious Dead Honour Roll, Hobart Postmaster-General's Department WW1 Honour Roll, Hobart Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial - France)
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World War 1 Service

16 Sep 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5222, 12th Infantry Battalion
29 Mar 1916: Involvement Private, 5222, 12th Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: RMS Orontes embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: ''
29 Mar 1916: Embarked Private, 5222, 12th Infantry Battalion, RMS Orontes, Melbourne
4 Sep 1916: Involvement Lance Corporal, 5222, 52nd Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 5222 awm_unit: 52nd Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Lance Corporal awm_died_date: 1916-09-04

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Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks

Leonard was killed during the disastrous attack by the 52nd Battalion at Mouquet Farm on the 4 September 1916, when the unit lost over 170 men killed. He was buried on the battlefield and there is mention in his service files that he was buried in the vicinity of Thiepval by dismounted members of the 3rd Cavalry Division of the British Army. 

His older brother Lieutenant Charles Daniel Lucas of the 12th Battalion AIF was also killed in action at Pozieres 6 weeks previous, on 25 July 1916. Age 31.

Leonard’s mother died in 1910 and his father in 1912, when he was in his early twenties, thus his medals were sent to his eldest surviving brother. His youngest sister Susan, age 17, and an older sister Ethel, were both awarded a pension of 12 shillings and 6 pence a fortnight on the death of Leonard.

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