Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Leonard was my Great Grandfather (Grandmothers Father). He was born on 26/11/1893, the eldest son of Albert Joseph and Ethel May Wood, (nee Boote) in the town of Stanley, Tasmania.
Leonard enlisted for service 20/8/1914, 12th Battalion and embarked from Hobart on the HMAT Geelong 20/10/1914.
He was wounded at Gallipoli 25 -28/4/1915, and sent to Alexandria, then England, 15/5/1915.
Leonard returned to Australia on 8/10/1915.
He met and married my Great Grandmother Linda, November 1916.
Leonard then tried to re-enlist in December 1916 but was refused active service due to wounds received. Why did he re-enlist? Was he wanting to do more for his Country? Did he want to join his younger brother? Berty, his brother enlisted 4/3/1916 at the age of 18 and was killed in action 13/10/1917 on the Western Front.
Leonard was on the recruitment committee in 1940, when his father died and was then Sgt L A Wood.
He lived his later life at Westbury, Tasmania, had eight children and passed away in 1981.

I was lucky to know my Great Grandfather and while I did know the importance of every Anzac Day as a young child and that both he and many relatives had fought in both World Wars, I never realised he was an Anzac who was part of the original landing. He never really talked about the war, all my information was found 90 odd years later in the National Archives. I will be sharing the story with my family and am so proud of Leonard Alfred Wood.

Sue