Leonard John GOSPER MM

Leonard John GOSPER MM Update Details

If you confirm that you want to proceed with the update, this record will be locked for editing by all other users until you have finished. You will have 7 days to complete your changes before they will be automatically submitted.

Do you want to proceed?

GOSPER, Leonard John

Service Number:	6012
Enlisted:	1 March 1916
Last Rank:	Corporal
Last Unit:	1st Infantry Battalion
Born:	Molong, New South Wales, Australia, 5 June 1888
Home Town:	Meranburn, Cabonne, New South Wales
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Farmer
Died:	Killed in action, France, 18 September 1918, aged 30 years
Cemetery:	No known grave - "Known Unto God" Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, Villers-Bretonneux, Picardie, France
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Parkes & District Cenotaph, Parkes District Roll of Honor, Parkes RSL Roll of Honour, Villers-Bretonneux Memorial

World War 1 Service

1 Mar 1916:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6012, 1st Infantry Battalion
22 Aug 1916:	Involvement Private, 6012, 1st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Wiltshire embarkation_ship_number: A18 public_note: ''
22 Aug 1916:	Embarked Private, 6012, 1st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Wiltshire, Sydney
18 Sep 1918:	Involvement Corporal, 6012, 1st Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 6012 awm_unit: 1 Battalion awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1918-09-18

Help us honour Leonard John Gosper's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks

Leonard was awarded the Military Medal, 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty during operations East of YPRES 4/6th October, 1917. His platoon was held up by a strong post: he brought his gun into action in a very dangerous place and succeeded in killing 10 of the enemy, the remainder surrendered. He set a fine example throughout the operations to those near him.'

He died near Bellicourt in France during the last action of the 1st Battalion AIF. He was hit and killed by a machine gun bullet. Although buried in a marked grave in the field, his grave was lost after the war.

Virtual
War Memorial
Australia