LENEHAN, John Robert
| Service Number: | 4398 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 August 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 54th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Paddington, New South Wales, Australia, 1885 |
| Home Town: | Rushcutters Bay, City of Sydney, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 19 July 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, V.C. Corner Australian Cemetery Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Aug 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4398 | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Dec 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4398, 1st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Dec 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 4398, 1st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Sydney | |
| 19 Jul 1916: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 4398, 54th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix), --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4398 awm_unit: 54th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1916-07-19 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Warren Melling
Private John Robert Lenehan found himself declared a deserter after a fellow soldier stated seeing and talking to him in a train station in London a couple of months after the battle at Fromelles.
This led to numerous courts of enquiry and a mountain of evidence being created to get to the bottom of the accusations.
Initially, he was declared wounded in action, and missing, however after the accusations came to hand and the initial enquiries were made he was declared illegally absent or a deserter.
Evidence indicated however to the contrary. His identity disc and paybook had been found, but not passed on until some time after that fact at Bullecourt due to it being misplaced which had added to the confusion.
Further courts of enquiry also found him to be illegally absent which resulted in his being Discharged as a consequence of desertion.
His mother Mary however believed "he has to be dead" as she states in correspondence that they were very close and he would have made contact at some stage, and thus far had not many years later.
Because her son had been discharged for desertion her Commonwealth pension was cancelled and Private Lenehan's medals were also cancelled as per standard procedures.
Mary Lenehan requested one last investigation into the affair and thankfully it was granted. After collecting more evidence, and assessing the statements already made the Court of Enquiry declared 4398 Private John Robert Lenehan of the 54 Infantry Battalion AIF had been killed with some 1200+ others on the 19th July 1916 at Fromelles in France.
Like many things during the First World War though we will never really know the exact truth of what happened on that fateful day in July 1916, or if that chance meeting at Waterloo Station ever happened.
Lest We Forget.
Click images to start slideshow.