Leslie Leonard DUNKLEY

DUNKLEY, Leslie Leonard

Service Number: 6498
Enlisted: 22 August 1916, Enlisted at Adelaide
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 10th Infantry Battalion
Born: Greenock, South Australia, Australia, 15 January 1885
Home Town: Greenock, Light, South Australia
Schooling: Kapunda, Primary School, South Australia
Occupation: Traveller
Died: Killed in Action, France, 24 July 1918, aged 33 years
Cemetery: La Kreule Military Cemetery, Hazebrouck
Plot 11, Row F, Grave 10
Memorials: Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Freeling Boer War, Boxer Rebellion and WW1 Memorial Panel, Freeling War Memorial, Greenock WW1 Honor Roll , Greenock War Memorial Cairn
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World War 1 Service

22 Aug 1916: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 6498, Enlisted at Adelaide
23 Oct 1916: Involvement Private, 6498, 10th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '10' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Melbourne embarkation_ship_number: A16 public_note: ''
23 Oct 1916: Embarked Private, 6498, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Port Melbourne, Adelaide
20 Sep 1917: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 6498, Shell wound to the head and invalided to England on 26 September 1917
24 Jul 1918: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 6498, 10th Infantry Battalion, Killed in Action near Hazebrouck in France

Leslie Leonard Dunkley

Name: Leslie Leonard Dunkley
Service Number: 6498
Place of Birth: Kapunda
Date of Birth: 15 January 1885
Place of Enlistment: Adelaide
Date of Enlistment: 22 August 1916
Age at Enlistment: 30 years 2 months
Next of Kin: Mother- Sophia Dunkley / Greenock
Occupation: Commercial Traveller
Religion: Church of England
Rank: Private 10th Battalion
Les was the eldest son of George and Sophia Dunkley of Greenock. They were
storekeepers on the site of the present Greenock General Store. Upon leaving
school he worked in his parents’ store for nine years delivering goods to local
households prior to working for Messrs. Drummond Bros as a driver mainly on
Yorke Peninsula and the lower north of South Australia.
He was granted a farewell social in Greenock in October 1916 organised by
the Greenock Lodge[ of which he was a member] and residents of Greenock,
where he was presented with a wrist watch by the Lodge and speeches were
made wishing him well and safe return to our shores.1
Leslie’s unit, the 21st Reinforcements / 10th Battalion sailed from Melbourne
on HMAT A 16 Port Melbourne on 21 October 1916. Shortly after arriving in
34
England to undertake further training he was admitted with mumps to
Parkhouse Hospital for three weeks.
Leslie was sent to France on 19 April 1917. He was wounded in action,
sustaining shrapnel wounds to the head, scalp and nose in Belgium on 20
September, necessitating his evacuation to England where he was admitted to
hospital in Birmingham for two weeks of treatment. Army Base Records in
Melbourne notified his mother of Leslie’s condition on 10 October.
On 8 February 1918 he rejoined his unit in France. Leslie was killed in action in
France on 24 July and was buried at La Kreule British Cemetery due north of
Hazebrouck, Northern France. He was 33 years old.
Dunkley’s death notice appeared in The Advertiser Friday, July 25 1919: “In
loving memory of my dear brother Private L.L. Dunkley, killed in action in
France, 24th July 1918.”- inserted by his sister Ruby. His parents Mr. and Mrs.
Geo. Dunkley also inserted a death notice the same day as Ruby.
Two photos of his grave-site were sent to Leslie’s mother Sophia, being next
of kin on 1 May 1919. However, Leslie’s Memorial Scroll, Memorial Plaque and
British War medal were sent to his father in November 1924, displaying once
again the Army’s policy of ignoring the mother as next of kin in respect of a
soldier’s campaign medals.
The Register of Thursday 12 September 1918 stated: “Killed in action in France
24th July, No. 6498 Private Leslie L. Dunkley, 10th Battalion, eldest beloved son
of Mr. and Mrs G. Dunkley of Greenock, aged 33 years. Inserted by his
sorrowing parents, sisters and brothers. Deeply mourned.”
Les is commemorated by Les Dunkley road near Shea-Oak Log in the Barossa
Valley.
1 Geoff Saegenschnitter Greenock Community Newsletter Spring 2014.

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Biography contributed by Carol Foster

Son of George Dunkley and Sophia Louise Lienert of Greenock, SA; brother of Edgar Wilfred Dunkley, Herbert George Dunkley, Ruby Louisa Dunkley and  Mavis Myrtle Dunkley

3 March 1917 - to hospital with Mumps

Medals: British War Medal. Victory Medal