Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Charles Severn HATELY and Jane nee FRY, 17 Gertrude Street, Geelong West, Vic.

“Leonard Hately was born in 1897 in Warracknabeal, being the youngest of 11 children of Charles Severn Hately and Jane Fry.  The family later moved to Camperdown Victoria and following the tragic death of his father, Charles in 1898 from a tree felling accident in nearby Cobden, Jane moved the family to Gertrude Street Geelong West.

Leonard’s occupation was listed as a textile worker, there being many woollen mills in Geelong at the time.

At the time of his enlistment, Leonard was a serving member of the volunteer militia unit, the 9th Australian Garrison Artillery, Australian Military Force, based at the Drill Hall located in Myers Street Geelong.  On 27 August 1915 he returned all equipment previously issued to him. 

He was 18 years & 6 months old when he enlisted and embarked from Sydney on 15 November 1915 on HMAT Orsova.  Leonard returned to Australia on 6 September 1919.

Once in England and stationed in Taunton on 14 February 1916, Leonard was fined 1 day’s pay for being absent without leave.

Leonard left England on 1 September 1916 for France to rejoin his unit and was taken on strength on 1 November 1916.  On 11 July 1917, he was wounded in action suffering a gun shot wounds to both knees and transferred back to England to Lakenham Mil Hospital in Norwich. 

On 6 April 1918, he departed England via Southampton to return to France.  After the Armistice, Leonard was granted 2 weeks leave in England from 30 December 1918, but regretfully was admitted to hospital once again, suffering from scabies, finally discharged on 21 January 1919, only to be readmitted to hospital in Bulford this time suffering from sulphur dermatitis, a skin condition and was released on 8 February 1919.  Next, Leonard fell ill to influenza and again admitted to hospital in Sutton Veny.

Later discharged from hospital but still based in Sutton Veny on 19 March 1919, Leonard was charged with Refusing to Obey an Order of a senior NCO.   Leonard was “admonished by Major Eckersley” that same day.

Whilst still in England and awaiting transport back to Australia, Leonard was granted leave with pay from 5 April to 6 June 1919 to attend Bradford Technical College to expand his knowledge of weaving, being a textile worker at the time of his enlistment.

Upon completion of that training, on 6 June, Leonard was granted a further 2 months leave with pay to 5 August 1919 to remain in Bradford to work at the JH Leighton with a purpose to gain additional experience.  Within a report at the conclusion of this training, it was stated that Gunner Hately “was generally engaged in worsted spinning, took great interest in his work and gained good experience and knowledge in working and management of a small plant.  His conduct has been very satisfactory”.

Returned to Australia via HT Euripides, embarked on 3 September 1919, arriving in Australia on 11 October 1919, finally discharged on 19 December 1919.

Leonard was appointed to the Seige Artillery Brigade, later renamed the 36th Australian Heavy Artillery Group.  For information on this Group, please refer  36th Australian Heavy Artillery Group (/explore/units/270)

Leonard later married Annie Berkinshaw and they had 2 children, Warren born on 13 August 1921 and Audrey (birthdate not recorded), who died in 1934, probably aged 12 years or younger.  Leonard later became a policeman and died on 7 July 1942 aged just 45 years.  He is buried Fawkner Cemetery.” 

Hateley Family History dated 1994, ISBN 0 646 17921 7.

Advice has been received that First Constable Leonard Hately, who had relieved First Constable Bradbury on a number of occasions, passed away on Monday at the age of 45  years. He was very polpular in the Diamond Creek district. First Constable Hately was stationed at Wallan. His only son is serving with the R.A.A.F. in England. 

A full police funeral at Fawkner Crematorium yesterday was given to First-const. Leonard Hateley, 45, of Wallan Wallan, who died at Caulfield Military Hosptial after a long illness.  Const. Hateley, who suffered a recurrence of injuries received in France in the last war, was a patient in Kilmore Hospital for 3 weeks before being transferred to the military hospital. Const. Hateley was a popular member of the force.  He had been stationed at Coburg, Fitzroy and Russell St., were he ws a telephone operaator.  He is survived by his widow, Mrs. Annie Hateley, and a son, LAC Warren B. Hateley, attached to the RAAF in England.  

Services were conducted by Rev. C.C. McMichael of St. Bede's Church of England, Elwood, and First-const. L. Woodford, police association secretary, who is also secretary of the public service section of the R.S.L.  Arrangements were made by Bathurst and Decker.