Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Leslie Irving Grandison was born on the 2nd of May 1893 in Port Pirie, Australia. Leslie was not married before the war, living alone on Heath Street, Birkenhead. He was the eldest of a large family containing 5 siblings. He had two sisters, Helen and Jean, and two brothers, Clement and George. One of his brother’s, George Gladstone Grandison, enlisted in the war with him in the 27th Battalion. Leslie’s closest relative was his mum as listed in his service records for his next of kin. Before the war Leslie Irving Grandison was a Labourer. As a labourer he would have had to be physically fit which would have helped prepare him for the physical demands of the military. After all of this, Leslie, like most young Australian men, volunteered to participate in the great World War One.
 
During World War One Leslie Grandison often moved with the 27th Battalion except when he was wounded on a few occasions. Leslie went on board of the HMAT A2 Geelong as a Private for the 27th Battalion arriving at Egypt on the 11th of January 1916. He would then disembark in Marseilles, France before almost instantly getting promoted to Lance Corporal. Leslie fought in the battle of Pozieres before facing shell shock within the first 3 days of the battle ending up with him being admitted in the first Anzac Rest Station. After the 27th Battalion were finished with the battle of Pozieres, he rejoined the Battalion on the 5th of August, where he was instantly promoted to Corporal temporarily as replacement of another wounded soldier. At the end of August, he became sick with a fever but quickly recovered within 3 days. Leslie was wounded in action with a shell to the left arm on the field in France on the 5th of November 1916 causing him to automatically be demoted back to Lance Corporal for his evacuation. 5 days after being wounded he was then embarked on the HS Carisbrook Castle to go to England arriving a month later to be hospitalised in the 3rd London General Hospital. After recovery he marched from Wareham to Weymouth. On the 23rd of March 1917 he was transferred to the 70th Battalion for 6 months before rejoining the 27th Battalion. On the 10th of August 1918 in France, Leslie was promoted to Corporal temporarily before having the position permanently 15 days after. On the same day of his permanent promotion, Leslie went on leave for 3 weeks to join back and accidentally sprain his ankle. This ankle sprain allowed him to aboard an ambulance train to Rouen, France where he was put into Base Hospital on the first of October 1918. He rejoined his Battalion a few weeks later to be promoted to Sergeant before marching back to England on the 20th of January 1919. Leslie boarded the Poll Macquarie to be disembarked in Australia on the 21st of May. Exactly two months after being disembarked, Leslie Grandison was discharged from service as a Sergeant.
 
Leslie Grandison survived the war and returned to Australia on the 21st of May 1919 on board of the Poll Macquarie. Though Leslie was fortunate enough to make it back alive, he came home without his brother, George Grandison, who was with him in the 27th Battalion. Unfortunately for the Grandison family, George was killed in action on the 10th of September 1918, just around one of their last battles. George’s death occurred while Leslie was fighting in the 27th Battalion alongside him. After returning to Australia, Leslie then went on to get married with Florence May Poulsen and moved to a house in Rosewater. Leslie and Florence had a daughter, Pamela Alice Grandison. Leslie lived a peaceful life after this spent with his new family before passing away on the 28th of September 1948. His grave is now currently lying in the Cheltenham Cemetery in Woodville.

Bibliography

-vwma.org.au. (n.d.). Leslie Irving GRANDISON. [online] Available at: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/244115 [Accessed 9 Mar. 2021].
-Adfa.edu.au. (2016). Details. [online] Available at: https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=116463 [Accessed 9 Mar. 2021].
-Naa.gov.au. (2015). Session expired | RecordSearch | National Archives of Australia. [online] Available at: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=4671056&isAv=N.
-www.awm.gov.au. (n.d.). | The Australian War Memorial. [online] Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51467.
-Veterans SA. (n.d.). South Australian Regiments and Battalions (1914 – 1918). [online] Available at: https://veteranssa.sa.gov.au/history-and-stories/south-australian-regiments-and-battalions-1914-18/.
-birtwistlewiki.com.au. (n.d.). HMAT A2 Geelong - Our Contribution. [online] Available at: https://birtwistlewiki.com.au/wiki/HMAT_A2_Geelong [Accessed 9 Mar. 2021].
-greatwar.co.uk. (n.d.). A Guide to British Campaign Medals of WW1. [online] Available at: http://www.greatwar.co.uk/medals/ww1-campaign-medals.htm.
-ACT, R. (2013). Victory Medal : World War One : Department of Defence. [online] Defence.gov.au. Available at: https://www.defence.gov.au/Medals/Imperial/WWI/Victory-Medal.asp.
-www.awm.gov.au. (n.d.). George Gladstone Grandison. [online] Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2008585 [Accessed 9 Mar. 2021].

Father George Gray Grandison  (b. 1862 - d. March 1944) and
Mother Mary Eliza (Minnie) Grandison (nee Edwards)  (b. 1872 -  d. April 1956),
of Walker Street, Birkenhead, South Australia.

Eldest of 5 Siblings:
Sister     -  Helen Grandison
                 (b. 20/3/1895 Pt Pirie - d. _______)
Brother  -  Clement Hampton Grandison
                 (b. 1900 - d. Nov. 1965)
Sister     -  Jean Gwendoline Grandison
                 (b. 7/5/1912 Birkenhead - d. _______)

Next of kin in service:
Brother:   #1713  George Gladstone Grandison  
                (b. 2/5/1893 Pt Pirie - d.10/8/1918)
                23 years old; single;
                Enlisted 16/3/1915
                Killed in action 10/8/1918

His last known address prior to enlisting was Heath Street, Birkenhead, SA.

Previous service was with the 20th Army Service Corps.

Described on enlisting as 21 years 9 months old; single; 5' 9" tall; 150 lbs; dark complexion;
blue eyes; dark hair; Presbyterian.

10/2/1915        Completed medical in Adelaide - fit for service
                        Commanding Officer appointed Alfred to E Company, Base Depot, Oaklands Camp

15/2/1915        Enlisted in Adelaide

16/3/1915        Transferred to 27th Infantry Battalion

23/3/1916        Promoted to Lance Corporal

31/5/1915        Embarked from Adelaide  on board HMAT A2 Geelong
                        Private with the 27th Infantry Battalion

11/1/1916        Disembarked into Alexandria, Egypt  ex Mudros, Greece

5/2/1916          With 27th Battalion in Tel-El-Kebir, Egypt
21/2/1916        With 27th Battalion in Ismailia, Egypt

15/3/1916        Proceeded to join British Expeditionary Forces (BEF), ex Alexandria, Egypt
21/3/1916        Disembarked into Marseilles, France

23/3/1916        Promoted to Lance Corporal, Morbeque, France

30/7/1916        Shell shocked to hospital - France
                        Admitted to 1st Anzac Rest Station
5/8/1916          Rejoined Battalion from hospital

5/8/1916          Promoted to Temporary Corporal

27/8/1916        Sick with Pyrexia - admitted and transferred to rest station
30/8/1916        Rejoined Battalion 

5/11/1916         Wounded in action in the field, France
5/11/1916         Automatically reverted to Lance Corporal on being evacuated wounded
10/11/1916       Shell wound left arm
                         embarked on HS Carisbrook Castle, Havre, France for England
11/11/1916       Admitted to 3rd London General Hospital
2/12/1916         Admitted to No.2 Convalescent Depot Weymouth, from Southall

11/1/1917         Lance Corporal marched in to No. 4 Convalescent Depot, Weymouth, from Wareham

23/3/1917        Taken on strengh 70th Battalion, from 27th Battalion, Wancham

19/9/1917        Transferred to 27th Battalion, marched out to 69th draft battalion

17/10/1917       Proceeded overseas to France, ex Hurdcott, via Southampton

21/10/1917       Proceeded to join unit

23/10/1917       Taken on strength into 27th Battalion - Belgium

10/8/1918         Promoted to Temporary Corporal - France

25/8/1918         Promoted to Corporal - France

25/8/1918         On English Leave
13/9/1918         Rejoined unit

20/9/1918         Injured accidentally - sprained left ankle
                         admitted to 55 Casualty Clearing Station
27/9/1918         Transferred to Ambulance Train, France
28/9/1918         Admitted to 6th General Hospital, Rouen, France
1/10/1918         Transferred to Base Hospital
3/10/1918         Admitted to Australian Infantry Base Depot, Havre, France

15/10/1918       Proceeded to join unit
16/10/1918       Rejoined 27th Battalion

29/10/1918       Promoted to Sergeant - France

18/1/1919         Marched out from unit 1915 personnel - France
20/1/1919         Marched out to England
 

28/3/1919         Returned to Australia on board Poll Macquarie
21/5/1919         Disembarked into Australia

21/7/1919        Discharged from service

Medals:
WWI 1914-15 Star (5310); British War medal (3545); Victory medal (3504)

married:           Florence May (nee        ), living at Rosewater
                        (b.  1894 - d.18 August 1989  -  95 years old - last lived at Seaton, SA)
 

WWII   -   service # S212151  -   **** VIEW this service number for futher details ****
                Enlisted  28/9/1939 in Adelaide
                Lance Corporal
                Discharged 11/6/1942               

28/8/1948        Leslie died   (last lived at Rosewater)
buried in:         Cemetery: Cheltenham Cemetery
                       Section E; Drive: B; Path 7(29); Site Number: 210S

Service Portrait courtesy by father George Grandison.
On behalf of his grandaughter Robyn.

Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan.   28/10/2014.  Lest we forget.

Fought in WWI - service #82
21/5/1919        Returned to Australia
21/7/1919        Discharged from WW I service

married:          Florence May (nee        ), living at Rosewater
                       (b.  1894 - d.18 August 1989  -  95 years old - last lived at Seaton, SA)

WWII   -   service # S212151
               

28/9/1939       Enlisted in Adelaide
                       Garrison Battalion, 4th Military District

                Lance Corporal
   

11/6/1942        Discharged from service

28/8/1948        Leslie died   (last lived at Rosewater)
buried in:         Cemetery: Cheltenham Cemetery
                        Section E; Drive: B; Path 7(29); Site Number: 210S

On behalf of his grandaughter Robyn.

Sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan.   28/10/2014.  Lest we forget.