15354
KELTON , Leonard Randolph
| Service Numbers: | 5391, 5301 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Kent Town, South Australia , March 1895 |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Norwood Primary School |
| Occupation: | Hairdresser |
| Died: | South Australia , 14 October 1979, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Norwood Primary School Honour Board, Payneham District Council Roll of Honor |
World War 1 Service
| 11 Apr 1916: | Involvement Private, 5391, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Apr 1916: | Embarked Private, 5391, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Adelaide | |
| 11 Nov 1918: | Involvement Private, 5301, 10th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Adelaide Botanic High School
Leonard Randolph Kelton was born in Kent Town, South Australia, on the 2nd of December 1895. His parents, William Kelton, and Matilda Elizabeth Kelton, lived in North Norwood, South Australia, and were Anglican. Kelton enlisted on the 3rd of February 1916 when he was 21 years old. At that time, he was single and had previously worked as a hairdresser. Leonard was given the service number 5391 and was assigned to the 8th Battalion and the 17th Reinforcement. Kelton had no previously recorded military experience and was ranked as a private.
Leonard stood at 179.8cm, which was above average height for this time, and had brown eyes and dark brown hair.
Kelton embarked from Adelaide on board the HMAT A60 Aeneas two months after his enlistment on the 11th of April 1916, to serve in France with the 8th Battalion. After 9 days of serving with the 8th Battalion, Leonard was moved to the 10th Battalion. After around a month at war, Kelton was sentenced to military prison for 40 days due to ‘drunkenness'. He was arrested alongside an unknown soldier who was sentenced to only 1 week, while Kelton received a sentence of 40 days.
Soon after Leonard's time in prison he returned to the battle front in France, where he was 'wounded in action'. This incident happened in early November 1916; however, this is not Kelton's final injury. Unfortunately, this incident had no specification, resulting in further details of this incident to be unknown. Despite this, it is clear due to this incident Leonard suffered from many ongoing cases of shell shock. Leonard was first admitted to hospital for shell shock on the 18th of November 1916, this was the first of many cases for Leonard.
One week after Leonard was discharged from hospital, he was transferred to England. While in England he contracted venereal disease and was hospitalized for 28 days. After his recovery period and time at the base depot, Leonard returned to the front lines on the 30th July 1917.
In the early days of October 1917 Kelton has his second 'wounded in action' recorded in Belgium, which was most likely to be a gunshot wound. Leonard had many prior injuries on his left leg or foot when he enlisted in the War, he had a previous record of drop foot. Leonard returned to Australia from England due to another gunshot wound on the 12th May 1918.
Leonard returned to Australia in early May of 1918 and was officially discharged of his service on the 14th of October 1918. He was awarded two medals for his duty of service, including the Victory Medal and the British War Medal.
Leonard Randolph Kelton passed away as a private citizen on the 16th of October 1979, at Daw Park Repatriation Hospital in Adelaide, South Australia. Leonard was buried in Centennial Park Cemetery. In honor of Leonard’s service to his country, his name appears on the Norwood Primary School Honor Board and the Payneham District Council Roll of Honor.