PEEK, Richard Leslie
| Service Number: | 1987 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 21 June 1915, Enlisted at Melbourne |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 19th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Richmond, Victoria, Australia, 1895 |
| Home Town: | Brighton, Bayside, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farm Labourer |
| Died: | Septic Cholecystitis, Cholangitis & Cholalmia, Borough Isolation Hospital, Weymouth, United Kingdom, 23 December 1917 |
| Cemetery: |
Melcombe Regis Cemetery, Dorset, England Plot 11, Row C, Grave 3125 Headstone inscription reads: He who died will be always a sweet and sacred memory our dear ANZAC Rev.W. Tait Strahan officiated Undertaker was J. Brown of Lower Bond Street, Weymouth, England and the the coffin was made of elm with brass fittings, |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 21 Jun 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1987, 21st Infantry Battalion, Enlisted at Melbourne | |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Aug 1915: | Involvement Private, 1987, 21st Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '13' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Anchises embarkation_ship_number: A68 public_note: '' | |
| 26 Aug 1915: | Embarked Private, 1987, 21st Infantry Battalion, HMAT Anchises, Melbourne | |
| 26 Aug 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 1987, 19th Infantry Battalion, Gunshot wound to the right thigh and evacuated to England. |
Help us honour Richard Leslie Peek's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Carol Foster
Son of Richard and Eliza Peek of 322 New Street, Gardenvale, Victoria; brother of Allan Peek
Prior to enlistment he was employed by Lore, Royle & Thurgood of St Klida for 3 years
Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal
Biography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Died on this date – 23rd December…… Richard Leslie Peek was born at Richmond, Victoria in 1895.
(Note: Place of birth was listed as South Yarra on information provided by his mother for the Roll of Honour. No record of his birth could be found on Victorian Births, Deaths & Marriages website under the name of “Peek” but there is a listing under the name of “Peck”. The birth for “Richard Leslie Peck” was registered in South Yarra. Electoral Rolls from 1906 to 1917 show his parents listed & the family name is Peek.).
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 21st June, 1915 as a 20 year old, single, Farm Labourer from Middle Brighton, Victoria.
Private Richard Leslie Peek, Service number 1987, embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Anchises (A68) on 26th August, 1915 with the 6th Infantry Brigade, 21st Infantry Battalion, 3rd Reinforcements.
On 12th October, 1915 Private Peek was taken on strength of 21st Battalion at Anzac. He disembarked at Alexandria on 1st January, 1916 (?) (after the evacuation of Gallipoli).
He proceeded from Alexandria on 19th March, 1916 to join B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) & disembarked at Marseilles, France on 26th March, 1916. Private Peek was absent from Tattoo Roll Call on 3rd April, 1916 & was awarded 14 days Field Punishment No. 2 from 4th April, 1916.
Private Richard Leslie Peek was wounded in France on 26th August, 1916. He was admitted to 4th Australian Field Ambulance on 26th August, 1916 with G.S.W. (gunshot wounds) to both Legs. Private Peek was transferred & admitted to 9th General Hospital at Rouen, France on 28th August, 1916 with G.S.W Legs. He embarked from Havre, France on 3rd September, 1916 on Hospital Ship Maheno.
On 4th September, 1916 Private Peek was admitted to 2nd Birmingham War Hospital, Northfields, England. The Hospital Admissions form recorded “G.S.W. Both Legs with fracture of left Fibula.” “F.B. removed from Rt Leg. Wound healing.” (F.B. = foreign body).
He was transferred & admitted to 3rd Auxiliary Hospital, Dartford on 7th May, 1917 from 2nd Birmingham War Hospital. He was discharged to furlo on 15th June, 1917 & was to report to Weymouth on 29th June, 1917.
Private Peek was marched in to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth, Dorset on 29th June, 1917.
On 21st July, 1917 Private Peek reported sick to Reception Hospital at Portland from No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth. He was discharged to duty on 8th August, 1917 having recovered from Measles & was marched in to No. 2 Command Depot, Weymouth.
He was A.W.L. (Absent without Leave) from No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth on 25th October, 1917. He returned from A.W.L. on 26th October, 1917.
Private Peek was written up for a Crime on 25th October, 1917 at Birmingham – AWL (Absent without Leave) from 3 pm on 25th October, 1917 till apprehended by Military Police at 12.15 pm on 26th October, 1917. He was awarded 7 days Field Punishment No.2 & was awaiting trial for 3 days. He forfeited a total of 12 days pay.
A Medical Report on an Invalid was completed on Private Richard Leslie Peek on 11th December, 197 at No. 1 Group Monte Video Camo, No. 2 Australian Command Depot, Weymouth. His disability was listed as “G.S.W. Both Legs” which had occurred at Pozieres, France on 25th August, 1916. An operation had been performed on 3 occasions to extract foreign bodies. The Medical Board decided on 14th December, 1917 that Private Peek was temporarily unfit for all services for 6 months.
Private Richard Leslie Peek died at 6.50 am on 23rd December, 1917 at Borough Isolation Hospital, Weymouth, Dorset, England. A Post Mortem examination was completed & the results were that Private Peek died from Cholecystitis (inflammation of Gallbladder), Septic Cholangitis & Cholaemia.
He was buried in Melcombe Regis Cemetery, Weymouth, Dorset, England where 82 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/n---s.html
Click images to start slideshow.