MCLEOD, Hector John
| Service Number: | 3273 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 September 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 17th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Rockdale, New South Wales , Australia, July 1895 |
| Home Town: | Hurlstone Park, Canterbury, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Rockdale Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Plumber, NSW Railways |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 20 July 1916 |
| Cemetery: |
Anzac Cemetery, Sailly-sur-la-Lys |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Sep 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3273, 17th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Dec 1915: | Involvement Private, 3273, 17th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '12' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Suevic embarkation_ship_number: A29 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Dec 1915: | Embarked Private, 3273, 17th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Suevic, Sydney |
Help us honour Hector John McLeod's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Stephen Brooks
Hector's older brother 3121 Corporal William Edward McLeod 53rd Battalion was also killed in action 19 July, 1916. Age 29.
Hector was born in Rockdale NSW, and then attended school at Rockdale and Kogarah NSW. He was a plumber working with the NSW Railways, living in Hurlstone Park and 19 years and 7 months when he enlisted in September 1915. He was quite 21 years old when he was killed. He had embarked with the 17th Battalion, 7th reinforcements, and transferred to the 55th Battalion in March 1916. He is buried in Anzac Cemetery Sailly-Sur-La-Lys II. I. 4.
A witness stated he “saw him killed by a shell during the advance; he was only 20 yards away.” Another said “I saw his grave at Sailly two or three days after the battle, there was a cross with his name on it.” He was buried by the Rev.W.M. Holliday of the 56th Battalion.
Biography contributed by John Oakes
Hector McLEOD was born at Rockdale, NSW, in July 1896. He had joined the NSW Goverment Railways and Tramways by 31st December 1914. He is listed as a boy labourer in the Resident Engineer’s Staff for Additional Work, Alexandria (Purely Extra Staff). On his Attestation Paper when he joined the AIF, Hector gave his previous occupation as ‘Plumber’s Assistant’. Hector’s father, when completing the Particulars for the Roll of Honour of Australia, stated that he was a plumber with the NSW Railways.
He joined the AIF on 22nd September 1915 with the rank of Private (Service Number 3273). He was initially assigned to the 7th Reinforcements to the 17th Infantry Battalion. He nominated his father, John McLeod of Hurlstone Park, NSW, as his next of kin.
Hector embarked for Egypt aboard HMAT A29 ‘Suevic’ at Sydney on 20th December 1915. In Egypt he was transferred and taken on strength of the 55th Infantry Battalion at Tel-el-Kebir on 11h March 1916. On 19th June 1916 he embarked at Alexandria for France and the Western Front, arriving at Marseilles on 29th March 1916.
On 20th July 1916 he was reported as being missing in action near Armentières, and it was later confirmed he had been killed in action on this date.
Corporal A A C Commelin (2603) stated:
‘I saw McLeod killed outright by shell in the advance at Fromelles. I was about 20 yards from him.’
His grave is in the Anzac Cemetery, Sailly-sur-la-Lys, Nord Pas de Calais, France. His place of association is Hurlstone Park, NSW. Hector’s brother, N E McLeod of the 56th Infantry Battalion, was killed in action 14 months later.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board.