Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

2143 Sergeant Leslie Hubert Elphinstone only landed on Gallipoli on the 4 August 1915 and suffered bomb wounds to his right arm at Lone Pine a few days later. He was evacuated to Lemnos before returning to Anzac a few weeks later. He fought at Fromelles with the 56th Battalion, was shot in the foot at Bullecourt in 1917 and hit in the arm by shrapnel during April 1918. This last wound was the one which got him sent home medically unfit in July 1918.

Leslie Hurbert Elphinstone, Service Number: 2143

Leslie Hurbert Elphinestone was born on July 26th,1896, in Rockdale, Australia, to Dugald Guthrie Elphinstone and Mary Ann Mead. (1) He had a brother, Charles Edward Elphinstone, born in 1898, and a sister, Edith Maud Elphinstone, born in 1907. He lived in Railway Parade, Kogarah, NSW. (2) 

Elphinstone attended Sydney Technical College from 1907 to 1911. Elphinstone was a smart, overachieving student at Sydney Technical, graduating with a Junior Technical Scholarship and an intermediate certificate. (3) He ranked 6th overall in the second division class and received a Sydney Technical College Diploma in Electrical Engineering on the 21st of May, 1915. (4)

Leslie H. Elphinstone enlisted on May 7th, 1915, and embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board H.M.A.T. A63 Karoola on June 16th, 1915, to Galllipoli (5). At the four-day Battle of Lone Pine, he suffered bomb wounds to his right arm. (6) The objective of the Battle of Lone Pine was to divert Turkish reserves from the main Allied offensive, which was intended to breach the Anzac perimeter and take control of Hill 971 and Chunuk Bair. (7) Elphinstone was evacuated from Gallipoli to Moudros, Lemnos, on the 9th of August, 1915. (8)

On the 26th of August, Elphinstone rejoined the battalion after being deemed fit to do so. Between the 28th of August and the 29th of December, 1915, Elphinstone disembarked from Moudros and arrived in Alexandria, Egypt, on the 29th of December, 1915. From then, Elphinstone travelled to Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt, where he was taken on strength by the 56th Battalion from the 4th Battalion on the 13th or 21st of February 1916 (documents vary). (9)

During his time in Egypt, Elphinstone was promoted three times in the time span of three months (one promotion each month): from Private to Lance Corporal on the 14th of March 1916, then from Lance Corporal to Corporal and temporary Sergeant on the 6th of April 1916, and finally from Corporal and temporary Serjeant to Serjeant on the 1st of May 1916. (10) This shows how proficient Elphinstone was, as he demonstrated exceptional effort as a soldier.

On June 19th, 1916, Elphinstone embarked to join the BEF (British Expeditionary Force). Elphinstone sailed for France in the British transport HT Huntsend, arriving at Marseilles on the 29th of June. (11) Elphinstone then fought at Fromelles with the 56th Battalion and survived with no injuries. During Elphinstone’s time in France after the Battle of the Fromelles, he attended Gas School on the 3rd of September 1916 and finished on the 6th of September 1916. (12)

On October 10th, 1916, Elphinstone went on a leave of absence to explore France, only to return thirteen days later. Elphinstone then fought in the Second Battle of Bullecourt. Elphinstone was wounded in action due to a gunshot wound to his left foot on the 15th of May and was taken to a Casualty Clearing Station (CCS). (13) On the 16th of May, he was admitted to Abbeville at the 3rd AGH (Australian General Hospital) for better treatment, where he stayed for one month.

After that month, Elphinstone was transferred to the 5th CD (Convalescent Depot) in Cayeux. (14) Soldiers were sent to a convalescent depot as the final stage of their recovery and to regain their fitness. He was then sent to the Australian General Base Depot at Le Havre on July 6, 1917, as he was subjected to further tests laid down by GHQ (General Headquarters). (15) Elphinstone then marched in from the hospital on July 7th, 1917. On the 26th of October, 1917, Elphinstone went on leave to England for seventeen days and returned on the 12th of November, 1917. Three months later, Elphinstone rejoined the 56th Battalion on February 17th, 1918, and fights on the Western Front. (16)

On the 9th of April, 1918, Elphinstone was wounded in action, having been hit by shrapnel to his left forearm. (17) He was immediately taken to a Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) for treatment. He was then transferred to the 1st AGH (Australian General Hospital) in Rouen for better care a day later. (18) Elphinstone then bounced around hospitals, going to England to the Bath War Hospital nineteen days after being admitted to the 1st AGH, then to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford around three and a half months later, on the 19th of July 1918.

Finally, on the 25th of July 1918, Elphinstone was deemed medically unfit for war and was to return to Australia. (19) On the 21st of September, 1918, he travelled back to Sydney, Australia, on board the H.M.A.T. Boonah. He arrived in Sydney on the 13th of November, 1918, and was officially discharged from war. 

After the war, Leslie H. Elphinstone married Edna Bailey on March 26th, 1921, only three years after the war, and one year later he held his own telephone workshop in 1922. (22) Elphinstone then moved from place to place; in 1925, he bought his own house in Punchbowl. He then moved to Lakemba in 1932, and he finally moved and stayed at Brighton-Le-Sands in 1936. (23) His father, Dugald Guthrie Elphinstone, passed away in 1934, as did his mother, Mary Ann Mead, in 1954. (24) Although there is no mention of him having children, records indicate he had at least 3 granddaughters (25) suggesting he had a child at some point. Elphinstone lived an adventurous life and passed away as a retired electrician on July 22nd, 1968. 

Lest We Forget

Christian Jusuf - Sydney Technical High School - 2024

Refenrences:

Honour Board Project. Word Document
1.Ibid
2. Ibid
3. Ibid
4. Elphinstone Leslie Hubert - National Archives of Australia
5. Ibid
6. Battle of Lone Pine 6 to 10 August 1915 - Anzac Portal 
7. Elphinstone Leslie Hubert - National Archives of Australia
8. Ibid
9. Ibid
10. Ibid
11. Ibid
12. Ibid
13. Ibid
14. Ibid
15. Ibid
16. Ibid
17. Ibid
18. Ibid
19. Ibid
20. Honour Board Project. Word Document
21. Ibid
22. Ibid
23. Ibid
24. Ibid

Bibliography:

Ken Stevenson, Research on Google Drive 

Leslie Hurbert Elphinstone - Virtual War Memorial: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/209992 

Battle of Lone Pine 6 to 10 August 1915 - Anzac Portal: https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/wars-and-missions/ww1/where-australians-served/gallipoli/august-offensive/lone-pine

British Expeditionary Force (World War I) - Wikipedia: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Expeditionary_Force_(World_War_I)

Base_Depots: https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/OrderOfBattle/Base_Depots.html 

Category: 112th Convalescent Depot, Australian Army, World War II: https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Category:112th_Convalescent_Depot%2C_Australian_Army%2C_World_War_II