Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal

"CAPT. L. D. HEMING.

Capt. Leslie Duncan. Heming, who is reported to have been killed in action, was a son of the late Mr. Thomas Heming, who prior to leaving England for South Australia, was a Lifeguardsman. The deceased officer, who was in his 25th year, was educated at the Grange Public School and Muirden College. After leaving the latter establishment he was employed in the office of the Locomotive Superintendent at the Railway Workshops, Islington, until he enlisted in the 16th Battalion. He had always taken a keen interest in military matters, and before the war held the rank of company commander in the 78th Regiment. When the late Major Oldham vacated the position of area officer at St. Peters to join the 10th Battalion, Capt. Heming was appointed to the vacancy, and later was made a lieutenant in the 2nd Contingent, 16th Battalion. After the contingent had been some time in Egypt he was promoted to a captaincy. He was wounded in the hand early in the Gallipoli Peninsula campaign, and was sent to the Alexandria Hospital for a month. He returned to the peninsula after Major Baker was wounded, and took command of the latter officer's company. His mother and married sisters reside in Adelaide. His brother, Lieut. H. R. Heming, has charge of a platoon in A Company of the 10th. Battalion, and another brother, Capt. George T. Heming, is Area Officer at Glenelg. —Major Baker's Appreciation.— Major Baker, when seen by a reporter of The Register, said:—

"The news of the death of Capt. Heming has come as a great shock to me, as he was a man of the most lovable disposition, and was a great favourite. He was placed in command of D Company very soon after I was invalided, home wounded. He was one of 10 officers who left South Australia with the 16th Battalion, and was the last to remain at the front, the other, nine, including myself, having been either killed or wounded. There are now only three of us left, the other two being Capt. J. K. Langsford and Lieut. A. P. Finlay, both of whom are in hospital in England. During the time that we were training in Australia and Egypt he was my right-hand man, and, when I was away from the company on other duties, he carried out the training in a most capable and efficient manner, which led to his early promotion after reaching the front. From the very start he earned the esteem of his brother officers, and was looked up to by the men, who showed that they had implicit confidence in him, and were prepared to follow him anywhere. He was wounded in the hand early in the first week of the campaign, but recovered quickly, and returned to active service. I deeply deplore his death." - from the Adelaide Register 25 Aug 1915 (nla.gov.au)

Captain Leslie Duncan HEMING, M.I.D.

21st April 1890 – 8th August 1915

Leslie Duncan Heming was born 21 April 1890 in Kooringa, Burra to Thomas and Grace (nee VERCOE) HEMING. He was one of 6 children.

His father, prior to leaving England for Australia had served as a life-guardsman in H.M. Household Cavalry, and in 1908 acquired the licence of the Selbourne Hotel, Pirie Street, Adelaide, but following his death, the licence on 14 December 1909 was transferred to his mother, who relinquished same on 1 March 1911.  

Leslies older brother, Thomas George HEMING enlisted as a Trooper of the 6th South Australian Imperial Bushmen and fought with them in the Boer War.

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Leslie had two brothers who joined the AIF:-

Lt Colonel Thomas George HEMING who was born at Pt. Adelaide on 25 January 1883
as stated above he enlisted as a Trooper of the 6th South Australian Imperial Bushmen and fought with them in the Boer War. He married Effe Hilda Hayward RALPH of Henley Beach and prior to enlisting in WW1 was a Clerk.  He was a member of the local Commonwealth Military Forces (home guard).  At the outbreak of World War 1 he was at Glenelg and was promoted to the Officer in Charge of the 78th Battalion.  Thomas enlisted for service in the 1st AIF on 3rd January 1916. He was a Major with the 43rd Infantry Battalion when on the 9th of June 1916 they embarked. By Armistice Day, 11th November 1918, Thomas was still serving with the 43rd as a Major. He was a driving force in establishing the RSL at WAIKERIE where he had taken up a soldier settlement block. He was first president of the RSL.  At the outbreak of World War 2, Thomas was one of the first to enlist for home service and was allocated number s150.  He was re-enlisted at Waikerie as a Major in the 2nd AIF. He was 53 years old. That service was completed on the 12th April 1941 and he was discharged. Not to be deterred Thomas re-enlisted again as a private (S75034) at Waikerie and was almost immediately promoted to Lt Colonel, with the Volunteer Defence Corps and served until the completion of the war. On the 14th June, 1963, at age 80, Thomas HEMING died. He had served 8 years in uniform during time of war and over 30 years in uniform in peace time.

And

Major Hector Roy HEMING, who was born 28 October 1888 in Adelaide.  Hector was already a member of the Commonwealth Military Forces and completing a course for the forces when war broke out. He was one of the first South Australian Officers to offer his services for overseas and was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the 10th Battalion at Morphettville on 19 August 1914 and posted to original E Company.  He embarked with the original Battalion on 20 October 1914 and was promoted to rank of Lieutenant on 1 February 1915. He was noted for being the tallest Officer in the original Battalion. He landed at Gallipoli with his battalion on 25th April 1915, later that day he had the unique experience of being the only surviving Officer of his company – the first and second Officers in Command being killed, one Platoon Commander killed, and two other Platoon Commanders wounded and forced to evacuate. He served at Gallipoli and through the European campaign. In October 1918, exhausted and suffering from enteric fever his service with the AIF ended back in Adelaide at the rank of Captain.

Returning to civil life he decided to settle on the land and obtained an irrigation perpetual lease of 16 ½ acres in the Waikerie irrigation area, taking possession of same on 24 May 1919.   On 1 September 1924 he increased his holding by securing an additional lease of 35 ½ acres situated in the same area.

On 15th April 1942, Hector travelled to Barmera and enlisted with the 2nd AIF. He was given the rank of Major and served until the war and hostilities had ended being discharged on 9th February 1946.

Hector was heavily involved with the RSL at town, area and state levels. He worked as a government inspector. By 1971 Hector had moved to Kensington Park in Adelaide. Hector died on the 17th September 1971 in his 82nd year. Hector was cremated the next day at a private service at the Centennial Park cemetery in Pasadena, Adelaide.

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Leslie was educated at the Grange Public School and at Muirden College.

In January 1906 while Leslie was with a group in a 14-foot canoe, the craft capsized. Fortunately, all on board could swim. When the boat righted itself, they were all able to cling to the craft. A number of people on Henley Beach saw what happened and a Mr Caust, inspired by heroism, began to swim out to a dinghy, raise the anchor and row out to rescue the stranded people.

Unfortunately, the fairly heavy seas caused him to struggle and soon he disappeared. Meantime, Leslie’s brother Hector struck out for the dingy, but was unable to release it from its moorings and he returned to the beach. Ultimately, a boat brought all ashore after they had hung onto the canoe for three-quarters of an hour. Mr Caust’s body was recovered a few days later. Hector was recognised for his heroism.

After leaving college he was employed in the office of the Locomotive Superintendent at the Railway Workshops at Islington as a clerk.

MILITARY SERVICE

Leslie had always taken a keen interest in military matters, and before the war held the rank of Company Commander in the 78th Regiment. When Major Oldham (the previous Officer in Charge) vacated the position of area officer at St. Peters to join the 10th Battalion, Capt. Leslie Heming was appointed to the vacancy and apparently did a very fine job.

WAR DECLARED

 War was declared on 4 August 1914, and Prime Minister Joseph Cook immediately pledged Australia’s support. Leslie enlisted on the 23rd September 1914. At the time he was described as 24 years old, 6’ tall, 173 pounds and single and was residing with his mother and brother Hector at 15 McKinnon Parade, North Adelaide.

He was appointed a 2nd Lieutenant in the 10th Battalion at Morphettville on 19 August 1914 and Leslie was made a Lieutenant in the 2nd Contingent, 16th Battalion shortly after he enlisted. He sailed from Melbourne, Victoria, on board Troopship A40 Ceramic on 22 December 1914 as a temporary Captain.

GALLIPOLI

After the contingent had been some time in Egypt the 16th Bn landed at Gallipoli in the evening of 25 April 1915. Much of the battalion occupied the position that became known as Pope's Hill. They remained there until the evening of 30 April, when they were relieved and went behind the lines and spent time digging in to protect themselves from Turkish snipers.  

Wounded & promotion.

On 30th April 1915, before they were relieved of their position, Leslie was shot and was evacuated from the Peninsula to be admitted to hospital in Alexandria suffering a gunshot wound to his left hand. On the 1st of May 1915 Leslie was promoted to full Captain to take the position of another Captain who had fallen a casualty. 

 
On the 2nd of May 1915, whilst Leslie was in hospital, the battalion was ordered to advance to a position that was later called the Bloody Angle. After the unsuccessful attack the 16th Bn dead lay thickly across the ground. The 16th Btn suffered very high casualties at the Bloody Angle. Entering the action with 17 officers and 620 men, they lost eight officers and 330 men. The battalion's dead from this attack remained unburied until after the war.

On 24th of May 1915, Leslie was back in the trenches with the 16th. Leslie was in command of D Company and was one of 10 officers who left South Australia with the 16th Battalion. He was the last to remain at the front on Gallipoli, the other nine, including Major Baker having been either killed or wounded.

On the night of the 6-7 August, he was part of a large contingent commanded by Major General Herbert Cox, with the goal of capturing three main objectives – Chunuk Bair, Hill Q and Hill 971 – before daylight on the morning of 7 August.

The force was severely hindered because of the rough terrain and over the following few days, many men lost their lives. Those left injured or trapped on the slopes were picked off mercilessly by Turkish snipers. After this there were no further attempts to capture Hill 971.

Private T. Gibson was in these charges at Hill 971, writing to his parents, Mr and Mrs J. Gibson, Fitzgerald Street, Geraldton, dated August 9th he said:-

'Well, before you receive this letter you will have been informed by the military authorities that I have been wounded, also Jlnner (Feathers)

As luck will have it we are both together in the same hospital, and I am dictating this letter to him as my arm is still stiff. Now don't worry as it is only a flesh wound, which will be better in a fortnight, when I hope to be back among the boys.

Well, I suppose you want to know how and where I was. hit. Our Brigade moved off at 9,36 on Friday night (July 6th), to make an attack on a new position, which was to be taken by the bayonet only. The movement was a great success, and I was in three bayonet charges.

I have been thanking my lucky stars that I got out of it alive. I don't know how I did it, but I got back somehow, or rather crawled back. I could not walk or run as I was afraid of getting sniped.

One of our captains (later identified by Gibson as being Heming) was lying with wounds in his leg and thigh, and as I was passing, he called me to bandage him. While doing so, a machine gun was turned on us and swept the ridge.

The Captain was hit again, in the head this time, fatally, and fell back dead as also were two privates alongside us. The same machine gun caught me in the right forearm.

I laid down flat while the bullets were hitting all round me for about ten minutes, and then crawled away to the gully where I got bandaged and helped a wounded Ghurka down to the base."

On the 8th of August 1915, Captain Leslie Heming was killed with most of his men (and hundreds of other Australians) in the action at Hill 971.

The drive at ‘Northern Anzac’, was another futile charge, similar to that at the “Bloody Angle” trying to take the highest point at the battlefield. Leslie was aged 25. The battalion's dead from this attack also remained unburied until after the war.

Leslies body was not located after the war and he is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial. 

After Leslies death only Major Baker, Capt. J. K. Langsford and Lieut. A. P. Finlay were still alive of the original 10 SA Officers who had embarked, and all were in hospital in England.

Lieutenant Colonel Pope, on the day of Leslie Heming’s death, wrote the following recommendation, ‘Captain Heming, who was wounded whilst leading his company and was subsequently shot dead whilst a field dressing was being applied. He did excellent work yesterday morning during the process of seizing our present position and organising lines of trenches. He spared no fatigue in that work and was consequently very tired this morning.’

BRAVERY RECOGNISED.

On the 28th of January 1916, Leslie was given the posthumous honour of being officially recognised for his bravery and leadership on the battlefield in the early days of the campaign.  Captain Leslie Duncan Heming was posthumously Mentioned in Despatches in the Government Gazette 44, on 6 April 1916.

Leslies property was gathered and sent home to Australia to his mother. One trunk was locked and left unopened, but the other was itemised before being sent. It contained normal expected items, but it also listed sheet music, a Masons apron, his sword and scabbard, a revolver and a helmet.

Until 1916 helmets were only available to Australian soldiers if they were privately purchased. Some also wore chest armour, also privately purchased.  It is surmised that Leslie didn’t wear his helmet as his men did not have the same protection available and he was leading them by example.

The Register (Adelaide) printed a report of interview with Major Baker, (who was Leslies commanding officer), who had recently returned to Australia for six months’ leave. He said:

“The news of the death of Captain Heming has come as a great shock to me, as he was a man of the most lovable disposition, and a great favourite. He was placed in command of D Company very soon after I was invalided home wounded.

He was one of 10 officers who left South Australia with the 16th Battalion and was the last to remain at the front, the other nine, including myself, having been killed or wounded. There are only three left, the other two being Captain John Kingsley Langsford and Lieutenant A P Finlay both of whom are in hospital in England.

During the time that we were training in Australia and Egypt he was my right-hand man, and when I was away from the company on other duties, he carried out the training in a most capable and efficient manner, which led to his early promotion after reaching the front.

From the very start he earned the esteem of his brother officers, and was looked up to by the men, who showed that they had implicit confidence in him, and were prepared to follow him anywhere. He was wounded in the hand early in the first week of the campaign, but recovered quickly, and returned to active service.

I deeply deplore his death.”

A memorial plaque was made and presented to the Heming family by the Commonwealth. Memorial Plaques were issued after the First World War to the next-of-kin of all British Empire service personnel who were killed as a result of the war.    

The plaques about 4.72 inches in diameter, were cast in bronze, and came to be known as the "Dead Man’s Penny", because of the similarity in appearance to the much smaller penny coin which itself had a diameter of only 1.215 inches. 1,355,000 plaques were issued, which used a total of 450 tons of bronze, and continued to be issued into the 1930s to commemorate people who died as a consequence of the war.

The plaques design includes an image of Britannia holding a trident and standing with a lion. The designer's initials, E.CR.P., appear above the front paw. In her outstretched left hand Britannia holds an olive wreath above the ansate tablet bearing the deceased's name cast in raised letters. Below the name tablet, to the right of the lion, is an oak spray with acorns. The name does not include the rank since there was to be no distinction between sacrifices made by different individuals. Two dolphins swim around Britannia, symbolizing Britain's sea power, and at the bottom a second lion is tearing apart the German eagle. The reverse is blank, making it a plaquette rather than a table medal. Around the picture the legend reads (in capitals) "He died for freedom and honour", or for the approximately 600 plaques issued to commemorate women, "She died for freedom and honour"

Leslie HEMINGS ‘dead mans penny’ is on display at the Maryborough Military and Colonial Museum.

Captain Leslie Duncan HEMING is commemorated on Panel 50 of The Lone Pine Memorial at GALLIPOLI. He is also commemorated o the Roll of Honour at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra.

He is remembered and honoured at the Adelaide Railway Station Honour Board for the South Australian Railways, the Adelaide National War Memorial and the Kilburn War Memorial.

He is commemorated on the large Islington Workshops Honour Board at KILBURN.

Leslie is also commemorated on the “Lone Pine clock” at the WAIKERIE RSL, which was donated in his memory by his brothers Thomas and Hector in 1923. The clock is still in use in the Waikerie RSL Museum.

LEST WE FORGET