KEOUGH, Leo Augustine
| Service Number: | 1195 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 26 September 1914, An original of F Company |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 4th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Kempsey, New South Wales, Australia, 1888 |
| Home Town: | Port Macquarie, Port Macquarie-Hastings, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Catholic School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Pozieres, France, 24 July 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
Serre Road Cemetery No.2 Beaumont Hamel, France Plot XXXVIII, Row A, Grave No. 6 (Remains recovered 1931), Serre Road Cemetery No 2, Beaumont Hamel, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Port Macquarie Cenotaph |
World War 1 Service
| 26 Sep 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1195, 4th Infantry Battalion, An original of F Company | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1914: | Involvement Private, 1195, 4th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Euripides embarkation_ship_number: A14 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Oct 1914: | Embarked Private, 1195, 4th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Euripides, Sydney |
Help us honour Leo Augustine Keough's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Leo Keough was an original man of the 4th Battalion, served at the Landing and Lone Pine before being wounded in the leg on 20 August 1915 which resulted in his evacuation back to Egypt. He was killed in action at Pozieres during the taking of Pozieres on 24 July 1916. A report in his Red Cross file states he was buried by shell fire, and though dug out his neck was broken by the fall of earth. Although buried near Pozieres his grave was lost and he had no known grave until 15 years later.
His remains were discovered during the course of exhumation work and confirmed by the discovery of his identity disc. The disc was sent to his parents in Port Macquarie NSW during 1931 and his body reinterred in the Serre Road No.2 Cemetery at Beaumont Hamel, France.
This article appeared in the Port Macquarie News during August 1916.
“Mr. and Mrs. T. Keough, of Port Macquarie, on Saturday last received the dread news that their second son, Lance-Corporal L. A. Keough, had been killed in action between the 22nd and 27th July. Deceased, who would have been 28 years old this month, was a native of Kempsey. Most of his life was spent at Telegraph Point, where he was popular among his associates. He was one of the first to join the colours at the outbreak of war, enlisting in the infantry. He took part in the historic landing at Gallipoli on 25th April, 1915. He saw some rough work in the trenches, and fought on till August 20th last year, when he was wounded in the leg by a bomb. He was sent to the general hospital at Alexandria, where he made a good recovery. Writing to his parents from the base on September 5th, 1915, he said: —
"Dear People,- 'Just a few lines to let you know that I am getting on alright. My wound is healing splendidly, and I hope to be back in the firing line in a few weeks' time. It was a clean wound—no bones broken or any such complications. The chap that was in the trench with me was also hit with a piece of bomb in the right ankle, and will very probably lose his leg. He is an aged man, and says he knows the Hastings and Manning Rivers very well, and in fact for some years he looked after the racehorse Zulu, winner of the Melbourne Cup of 1881. His name is W. Barrett.'
After his recovery Keough expected, and was indeed anxious, to return to the firing line, but was detailed for light duties in Egypt. Here he remained till the Australians were sent to France. He was among the first to arrive there, and doubtless fell in the great Somme offensive, where our brave men have taken a leading part, and suffered heavy casualties. His parents are well-known and much respected residents of Port Macquarie, and for many years conducted the Telegraph Point Hotel.”