SMITH, Leonard John
| Service Number: | 5070 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 15th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | St James, London, England, 14 December 1894 |
| Home Town: | Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Bootmaker's apprentice |
| Died: | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 14 December 1989, aged 95 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Pinnaroo Lawn Cemetery & Crematorium, QLD |
| Memorials: | Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 4 May 1916: | Involvement Private, 5070, 25th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Seang Choon embarkation_ship_number: A49 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 4 May 1916: | Embarked Private, 5070, 25th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Seang Choon, Brisbane | |
| 23 Oct 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 15th Infantry Battalion | |
| 1 Feb 1917: | Imprisoned 'The Winter Offensive' - Flers/Gueudecourt winter of 1916/17 |
Help us honour Leonard John Smith's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Leonard John Smith was born in London and came to Brisbane, Queensland, with his mother during 1901, his father having died when he was 5 years of age. His twin brother, Bertram Robert Smith, also made the trip to Australia.
According to his service file he enlisted at sea, aboard a transport, during June 1916. He joined the 15th Battalion at the front in October 1916.
On 1 February 1917, the 15th Battalion staged a raid, near Gueudecourt, when they attacked a section of the German front line known as Stormy Trench. In the face of relentless German shelling and bombing of the captured trenches, and a strong German counter attack at 4.30 a.m. the Battalion was forced to retire at 5 a.m. The Battalion lost over 20 men as prisoners of war, and Leonard Smith was one of these, wounded in both legs and the left elbow by bomb fragments. He was first treated in German field hospital at Cambrai, France.
He was later reported to be at Reserve Lazarett III, Johannistal, Stettin, Germany. He arrived back in England on Christmas Day 1918 and was returned to Australia during June 1919.
Leonard John Smith married in 1935 and lived in Brisbane until he was 95 years of age.
Leonard John Smith’s twin brother, 5414 Private Bertram Robert Smith 25th Battalion AIF, also returned to Australia during 1919.
Biography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Leonard John Smith was born in London and came to Brisbane, Queensland, with his mother during 1901, his father having died when he was 5 years of age. His twin brother, Bertram Robert Smith, also made the trip to Australia.
According to his service file he enlisted at sea, aboard a transport, during June 1916. He joined the 15th Battalion at the front in October 1916.
On 1 February 1917, the 15th Battalion staged a raid, near Gueudecourt, when they attacked a section of the German front line known as Stormy Trench. In the face of relentless German shelling and bombing of the captured trenches, and a strong German counter attack at 4.30 a.m. the Battalion was forced to retire at 5 a.m. The Battalion lost over 20 men as prisoners of war, and Leonard Smith was one of these, wounded in both legs and the left elbow by bomb fragments. He was first treated in German field hospital at Cambrai, France.
He was later reported to be at Reserve Lazarett III, Johannistal, Stettin, Germany. He arrived back in England on Christmas Day 1918 and was returned to Australia during June 1919.
Leonard John Smith married in 1935 and lived in Brisbane until he was 95 years of age.
Leonard John Smith’s twin brother, 5414 Private Bertram Robert Smith 25th Battalion AIF, also returned to Australia during 1919.