GILSON, Leslie Victor
| Service Number: | 82 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 29 April 1915, Place of Enlistment Newcastle, New South Wales. |
| Last Rank: | Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 35th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Morpeth, New South Wales, Australia, 30 September 1890 |
| Home Town: | Hamilton, Newcastle, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Killed in Action, France, 22 August 1918, aged 27 years |
| Cemetery: |
Bray Military Cemetery Bray Military Cemetery, Bray-sur-Somme, Picardie, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Casino and District Memorial Hospital WW1 Roll of Honour, Glen Oak Memorial Gates |
World War 1 Service
| 29 Apr 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 82, 35th Infantry Battalion, Place of Enlistment Newcastle, New South Wales. | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 May 1916: | Involvement Private, 82, 35th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Benalla embarkation_ship_number: A24 public_note: '' | |
| 1 May 1916: | Embarked Private, 82, 35th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Benalla, Sydney | |
| 20 Nov 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 35th Infantry Battalion | |
| 7 Jun 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Corporal, 35th Infantry Battalion, The Battle of Amiens, Shell Wound and Shock | |
| 22 Aug 1918: | Involvement Corporal, 82, 35th Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 82 awm_unit: 35th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Corporal awm_died_date: 1918-08-22 |
Leslie Victor Gilson
He was with the 35th Battalion on the 21st of November 1916 when it proceeded across from England to France as part of the 9th Brigade’s deployment to the Western-Front, the 9th Brigade soon moving into the front line near the village of Armentieres. The area around Armentieres and Houplines was known as a ‘Nursery Sector’ where untested Units could gain experience in a quiet piece of the front. However the 9th Brigade was not in France to have a rest, and so with an aggressive patrolling schedule combined with a series of hard hitting Trench-Raids the 9th Brigade soon dominated their piece of No-Man’s-Land.
On the 20th of November 1916 he was promoted to the rank of Corporal.
On the 25th of November he reported sick and was admitted to hospital with a contusion to a finger. He rejoined the Battalion on the 11th of December.
He was with the 35th Battalion for the successful attack on the Messines / Wytschaete Ridge on the 7th of June 1917, which commenced at 3:10 a.m. with the detonation of 19 huge ‘mines’ that had been dug under key strategic German positions. It was during this attack on the 7th of June when he was WOUNDED-IN-ACTION, most likely by a shell explosion, suffering contusions and cuts to his face, and suffering shell-shock. He was admitted to the 12th Field-Ambulance and was then transferred to the 12th General Hospital at Rouen. He rejoined the 35th Battalion on the 21st of August 1917.
On the 28th of September 1917 he reported sick and was admitted to hospital, suffering a fever of unknown origin (i.e. Trench-Fever). He rejoined the Battalion on the 7th of November 1917.
He was granted Leave in the UK for the period 2nd of March to the 16th of March 1918.
In late March of 1918 the 9th Brigade was rushed south to ‘the Somme’ in response to a huge new German Offensive (Operation Michael), and used as a mobile formation being thrown in to strengthen the line wherever needed. He was with the Battalion for the “1st Battle of Villers-Bretonneux” on the 4th of April 1918, when the 9th Brigade successfully stopped the German advance toward Amiens and then successfully defended the village for over two weeks until the Brigade was relieved.
He was with the 35th for the start of the ‘’August 1918 Offensive’’ and for the attack toward ‘Bray-sur-Somme’ on the 22nd of August. It was during the attack on the 22nd that he was KILLED-IN-ACTION.
Courtesy of The Harrower Collection.
Submitted 10 May 2022 by Lynette Turner
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