GILDEA, Leo Augustine
| Service Number: | 5595 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 April 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 28th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Alexandria New South Wales, 17 May 1887 |
| Home Town: | North Fremantle, Fremantle, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Railway Car Builder |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Apr 1916: | Enlisted Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 28th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 26 Sep 1916: | Involvement Private, 5595, 28th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Surada embarkation_ship_number: A52 public_note: '' | |
| 26 Sep 1916: | Embarked Private, 5595, 28th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Surada, Fremantle | |
| 23 Oct 1917: | Wounded Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 5595, 28th Infantry Battalion, 1st occasion, wounded (shell wound head) in action. | |
| 8 Aug 1918: | Wounded Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 5595, 28th Infantry Battalion, 2nd occasion, (Gun shot wound head) in action | |
| 29 Mar 1919: | Discharged Australian Army (Post WW2), Private, 5595, 28th Infantry Battalion, Discharged as Medically unfit |
Help us honour Leo Augustine Gildea's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Glenunga International High School
Gildea, Leo Augustine was born on the 17th of May 1887, he was born in Alexandria New South Wales, Australia. His next of kin was his mother, Margaret Gildea. Leo Augustine was 30 years old when he embarked from Fremantle Western Australia, on board HMAT A52 Surada on the 26th of September 1916. Before joining the army he was a railway car builder and a Roman Catholic. Leo Augustine was in the 28th battalion, 15th reinforcement. He was transferred a lot to a lot of hospitals in different countries from Australia, France, Belgium and England.
As a courageous soldier he was wounded in action twice. Leo Augustine’s 1st occurrence happened on the 23rd of October 1917, he survived a shell wound on the head when a shell exploded causing bits of metal flying around hitting Gildea. He was admitted to the 3rd Canadian Field Ambulance in Belgium then he was transferred to Etaples (commune in France), to Wimereux and then back to Etaples. He was discharged on the 3rd of April 1918 and was back on duty. His 2nd occurrence was when he suffered from a gunshot wound on his neck and face, he was transferred to several hospitals from Boulogne to England and to Oxford. He was then transferred and reported to the Queen’s hospital and he returned back home to Australia in 1918 on the 10th of December and, was honourably discharged from the Australian Army on the 29th of March 1919 when his battalion was disbanded.
Gildea, Leo Augustine earned 2 medals in the course of his military life, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.