Leonard Emil GIRKE

Badge Number: 20562, Sub Branch: Woodville
20562

GIRKE, Leonard Emil

Service Numbers: 6403, S804
Enlisted: 14 September 1915, at Adelaide
Last Rank: Sergeant
Last Unit: 3rd Field Company Engineers
Born: Adelaide, South Australia, 3 September 1890
Home Town: Adelaide, South Australia
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Labourer
Died: Illness, Australia, 16 June 1945, aged 54 years
Cemetery: Centennial Park Cemetery, South Australia
Memorials: Adelaide WW2 Wall of Remembrance, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Marrabel District Honour Roll
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World War 1 Service

14 Sep 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Sapper, 6403, 3rd Field Company Engineers, at Adelaide
20 Mar 1916: Embarked Sapper, 6403, 3rd Field Company Engineers, HMAT Armadale, Sydney
20 Mar 1916: Involvement Sapper, 6403, 3rd Field Company Engineers, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '5' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Armadale embarkation_ship_number: A26 public_note: ''
29 Aug 1916: Wounded AIF WW1, Sapper, 6403, 3rd Field Company Engineers, SW thigh
11 Nov 1918: Involvement Sapper, 6403

World War 2 Service

3 Aug 1940: Enlisted Keswick, SA
3 Aug 1940: Involvement Sergeant, S804
3 Aug 1940: Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Sergeant, S804
Date unknown: Involvement

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Biography contributed by Modbury High School

Son of Anna Wilhelmine Ernestine and Paul Eduard Emil Girke, Leonard Emil Girke Born in Adelaide, South Australia on the third of September, eighteen ninety. At the time of enlistment, Leonard was 25 years old, weighed 184 Lbs, had a chest measurement of 40 inches, a medium complexion, blue eyes and dark hair. Leonard had Lutheran beliefs. He worked as a labourer. 

Leonard enlisted on the 14th of September, 1915 in Adelaide, South Australia. He later embarked from Australia on the 20th of March 1916. Leonard was not married, he had no children either. He lived in a small town so we can estimate he would have had close family and friends. 

He served in the 3rd Field Company Engineers unit during the First World War. Leonard served about three years and 7 months in the Australian Imperial force. He was wounded in the thigh on 22nd August 1916 during the battle of the Somme. He spent time recovering in England and working before retjoining his unit in France on 1st September 1917.

He left the First World War in October 1919 after a series of injurys. 

Leonard then went on to serve in the Second World War aswell. 

Leonard passed away at the age of 55, 1945. His final resting place being at the Centennial park cemetery in Pasadena, South Australia.

 

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