Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Leonard was the son of Leonard Joseph LUSH & Caroline Elizabeth FOSTER and was born on the 9th of August 1892 in Kingston, SA.

His parents were married on the 11th of September 1889 in the Holy Trinity Church, Kingston, SA.

His father was the son of Henry Joseph Amos LUSH & Margaret Ann SEARLES and was born on the 25th of December 1866 in Encounter Bay, SA.
His mother was the daughter of John FOSTER & Ann RUST and was born on the 11th of January 1870 in Port Victoria, SA.

Leonard was the second child born into the family of 4 children.

His father was a fisherman and the family lived in Kingston.
His father owned his own fishing boat which he named “Starling”

Leonard was only 3 years old when his father died on the 23rd of February 1895 in a boating accident at Robe.
His father had been out fishing for crayfish with Mr W Noble and John McFayden, about 4 miles down the coast on the rocks.
Whilst rounding the obelisk they were too close in whilst crossing the south reef and an unexpected wave took charge of their boat capsizing it and sinking her immediately. They were all thrown out clear of the boat, but had oilskin suits on, which made swimming a difficulty.

Leonard’s father couldn’t swim and soon drowned and Mr Noble swam a good distance, but got exhausted and went down.
Mr McFayden made several attempts to reach the shore, some fifty yards distant, but the backwash prevented him from landing.
He was nearly exhausted when the boat's rudder floated near him, which he caught, and this held him up until Messrs. Winter came along from the same fishing ground in their boat.

They saw him and picked him up and searched about the wreckage. The fatality was witnessed by Misses Hornabrook and Fisher, who gave the alarm to Messrs. Feuerheerdt and Banks.
They proceeded to the wreck, but could not find any trace of Leonard’s father or Mr Noble.
Shortly afterwards the lifeboat came on the scene, but nothing but wreckage was visible.

The rocks were all searched until dark.
The following day the parties went in all directions to look for bodies, but without success.
Their boat was a good sea boat and Leonard’s father was considered a good hand with a boat. The sea was not rough at the time, but no boat should be sailed in the position they sailed into.

After the death of his father his mother purchased a nice little property next to the Criterion Hotel in Robe and started a business.

His mother then remarried to Samuel Alfred THOMPSON on the 20th of October 1903 in Millicent, SA.
Samuel was the son of William THOMPSON & Ann STAFFORD and was born on the 6th of July 1853 in Angas Street, Adelaide.
Samuel was previously married to Catherine MCINTYRE on the 30th of October 1876 in Port MacDonnell and they had 7 children before Catherine died on the 7th of November 1889 in Millicent.
The eldest of these children was only 13 years of age, so Leonard would have gained an additional 7 step siblings.

His mother and Samuel then had another 3 children and Leonard and his siblings attended the Beachport Public School and in 1908 Leonard suffered with Rheumatic Fever.

Leonard joined the Navel Cadets at Largs Bay and on the 24th of June 1911 he was one of the crew who rowed in the winning crew in the Oar Cutter Race.

On Wednesday night the 25th of June 1913 his step father Samuel was loading barley into the steamer Tyrian at Beachport. A sling containing 11 bags of grain was being hoisted from the jetty into the ship, when the fall of the hoisting winch slipped on the barrel, allowing the sling to swing out again.
Samuel, who was placing another sling ready to fill with barley, was caught by the full sling and knocked against the truck. He was severely bruised about the back, but it was unknown at the time if he had suffered any internal injuries but was conveyed home.
The following morning he had taken a turn for the worst and was admitted into the Tyne Hospital in Millicent.

Samuel had arrived from Melbourne the very same day by the steamer after spending several weeks in Melbourne with Leonard’s mother.
Leonard’s mother had become ill with Diphtheria and was still in the Melbourne Hospital when the accident occurred.

Samuel died from his injuries on the 22nd of July 1913 and they buried him in the St Michael and All Angels Churchyard in Millicent.

Leonard later gained employment as a fireman and engine cleaner for the South Australian Railways.

At the age of 22, Leonard enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 13th of April 1915 in Keswick, SA and was allotted the service number 4237 and posted to C Company, Base Infantry at Mitcham Camp. On the 16th of May he was transferred to the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance, 8th Reinforcements.

Leonard embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT P&O Morea on the 26th of August 1915, disembarking in Egypt.
He served as a stretcher bearer at Gallipoli before suffering from Rheumatism and heart troubles.

Leonard embarked from Suez on the 3rd of March 1916 on board HMAT Argyllshire, disembarking in Adelaide on the 31st of March.
He was then admitted into the 7th Australian General Hospital in Keswick and diagnosed with Cardiac Vascular Disease.
Leonard returned to Beachport by train on the 4th of April where the local school children were allowed a little time off to meet him at the Railway Station and he was given a rousing welcome.

In the evening a welcome home was given to him by the local Cheer-Up Society in the Institute and he was presented with a handsome shaving set.

Leonard married Edith Olga Prudence RISCHBIETH on the 7th of July 1916 in Mt Gambier.
Edith was the daughter of August Henry RISCHBIETH & Ada Amelia GOLDING and was born in 1898 in Mosman, NSW.

Leonard was discharged, medically unfit, from the AIF on the 4th of September 1916 and granted a War Pension of £2 per fortnight.

They made their home in Wehl Street, Mt Gambier and welcomed their first child; Lionel George, on the 11th of March 1917.
Stewart Frank was then born on the 10th of November 1919 followed by a stillborn child on the 9th of September 1921.

Leonard started a confectioner business in Wehl Street and then became the proprietor of an aerated water plant in Wehl Street.

Sadly Edith died on the 1st of April 1922 at their home in Wehl Street and Leonard buried her in the Lake Terrace Cemetery, Mt Gambier; Section F, Plot 789.

On the 14th of October 1922 his mother then remarried to Charles PETERSON in St Albans Church, Berri, SA.
Charles was Leonard’s uncle; he had married Leonard’s aunt, Ellen Harriet FOSTER in 1891 in Beachport and they had 7 children before Ellen died on the 14th of May 1917 in Port Pirie.

Leonard then married Doris Grace MCFARLANE in 1923 in Mt Gambier.
Doris was the daughter of John MCFARLANE & Florence Ethel Annie MILLHOUSE and was born on the 9th of February 1901 in Mt Gambier.

They then welcomed their first child; Margaret Patricia, on the 22nd of September 1924.

Leonard became a member of the Mt Gambier RSL Sub-Branch, the Masonic Lodge and the Druids' Lodge.
He was also an ardent worker in the interests of the District Trained Nursing Society.

Leonard became unwell on Sunday the 1st of June 1930 and was admitted into the Mt Gambier Hospital.
Unfortunately Leonard died 3 days later on Wednesday the 4th of June 1930 in the Mt Gambier Hospital and was buried 2 days later in the Lake Terrace Cemetery, Mt Gambier; Section M, Plot 158.
The Reverend A. H. Ballinger conducted the burial service.

His son Lionel died on the 9th of September 1932 and was buried with Leonard in the Lake Terrace Cemetery, Mt Gambier; Section M, Plot 158 with Leonard.
He was accidentally shot in the spine, between his shoulder blades, at Ellard’s Creek, near Nelson, in March and had been paralysed and in the Mt Gambier Hospital ever since. His brother Stewart was with him when the accident occurred.

Military 

At the age of 22, Leonard enlisted into the 1st AIF on the 13th of April 1915 in Keswick, SA and was allotted the service number 4237 and posted to C Company, Base Infantry at Mitcham Camp.
He listed his mother, of Beachport, SA, as his next of kin.

On the 16th of May he was transferred to the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance, 8th Reinforcements.

Leonard embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT P&O Morea on the 26th of August 1915, disembarking in Egypt.

On the 19th of October he proceeded from Zeitoun to Gallipoli and was taken on strength with the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance on the 25th and posted to B Section at Shell Green as a stretcher bearer.

Leonard’s duty was to collect the wounded soldiers from the high ground of the front line and take then back to the dressing stations located at Anzac Cove.
On the 5th of December they received orders to take over the dressing station in Victoria Gully.

On the 9th of December, whilst carrying a heavy patient on a stretcher on rough hillside ground Leonard tripped and slipped on the edge of bank. He got a sudden severe pain over his heart, felt giddy and burst into a sweat.
He was transferred to the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station on ANZAC Beach and diagnosed with Rheumatism.

Leonard was evacuated the following day on board the Grantully Castle and admitted into the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Heliopolis.
He spent Christmas 1915 here before being transferred to the 1st Australian General Hospital on the 10th of January 1916.
Leonard was then discharged to Convalescent Depot in Helouan 6 days later and after a few weeks here he was transferred to the 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Heliopolis on the 9th of February.

Leonard embarked from Suez on the 3rd of March 1916 on board HMAT Argyllshire, disembarking in Adelaide on the 31st of March.
He was then admitted into the 7th Australian General Hospital in Keswick and diagnosed with Cardiac Vascular Disease.

Leonard was discharged from hospital on the 15th of April and discharged, medically unfit, from the AIF on the 4th of September 1916 and awarded the 1914/15 Star, British War & Victory Medals.