S371
LEANE, Ernest Albert
| Service Number: | 373 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 25 January 1915, Oaklands, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Warrant Officer Class 1 |
| Last Unit: | Army Ordnance Corps AIF |
| Born: | Adelaide, South Australia, 1869 |
| Home Town: | North Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Clerk/Accountant |
| Died: | Natural causes, Adelaide, South Australia, 15 October 1936 |
| Cemetery: |
Walkerville Wesleyan Cemetery, S.A. |
| Memorials: | Adelaide Grand Masonic Lodge WW1 Honour Board (2), Adelaide Officers of S.A. Post, Telegraph and Telephone Department Great War Roll of Honor, Keswick Prospect Highbury Street Methodist Sunday School Old Scholars Roll of Honour, Keswick Prospect Methodist Sunday School Honour Board WW1, North Adelaide Public School Roll of Honor, Prospect Methodist Sunday School Honour Roll, Prospect Roll of Honour G-Z WWI Board |
World War 1 Service
| 25 Jan 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 373, Oaklands, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 May 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 373, 27th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: '' | |
| 31 May 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 373, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Geelong, Adelaide | |
| 4 Sep 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 373, 27th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 5 May 1920: | Discharged AIF WW1, Warrant Officer Class 1, 373, Army Ordnance Corps AIF |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Adelaide Botanic High School
Ernest Albert Leane (1869-1936) was born on 1st October 1869 in Adelaide, South Australia to Thomas John Leane and Alice Ann Short. He grew up at 158 O’Connell Street with his father, Thomas John Leane, along with six brothers and four sisters, working as a clerk. On 23rd June 1894 at Kent Town, South Australia, he married Martha May Boswell. In the following years, they had eleven children and remained in 158 O’Connell Street, Ernest Leane listed his wife as his next of kin. As per his later Attestation Papers, he stated his religious denomination as the Church of England.
He was 45 years and 2 months when he enlisted for the Australian Imperial Force, which was on 25th January 1915 in Oaklands, South Australia. His standing height was 5 feet and 8 inches, with a chest measurement of 34 inches, and a weight of 145 pounds. His papers described him as having a dark complexion, brown eyes, and dark hair. He had a 6/6 vision and a birth mark on his left arm. His application was accepted, allowing him to leave his role as a clerk to join WWI efforts, place into initial role of private since he had no prior military service.
5 of Leane’s brothers served in WW1. Sir Raymond Lionel Leane, Sir Edwin Thomas Leane, Allan William Leane, Benjamin Bennett Leane. Another brother served in WW2, Norman Short Leane.
Ernest Leane’s sons Arnold Harry and William Ernest Raymond also served in WW1. Tragically Arnold Harry was killed in action 5th November 1916.
Ernest Leane embarked from Adelaide, South Australia, on board HMAT A2 Geelong on 31st May 1915. He arrived at Egypt on 25th July 1915 to participate in training, where he was part of the 27th Battalion. He was deployed to Gallipoli on 12th September 1915, 6 days later he had a slight wound on his thumb that turned septic, and he was admitted to the 13th Casualty Clearing Station on 18th September 1915. Leane was evacuated from the Anzac Cove abroad the H.S. Meena the following day on 19th September 1915. He was also diagnosed with rheumatism according to his Medical Case Sheet. He was relocated to St. David’s Hospital in Malta on 23rd September 1915. He was discharged 15th November 1915 and embarked to Mudros before being moved to Alexandria 4th December 1915.
However, Leane was admitted to No. 2 Australian General Hospital, Ghezireh, on 13th December 1915 with influenza. He was transferred to the Mena House Hospital in Cairo on 30th December 1915 before being transferred again to the Convalescent Depot in Helovan on the 6th of January 1916. He was discharged from the depot to duty on 10th February 1916. He joined the Pay Corps in Egypt, carrying out temporary clerk duties.
Ernest Leane embarked overseas from Alexandria to England 11th May 1916.
He later was admitted to 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Bulford, on 2nd July 1916, suffering from an infection. After he was discharged on 3rd August 1916, he joined the Army Pay Corps (A.A.P.C.) in London on 13th August 1916, where he received the nominal rank Extra Regimental Corporal.
In August 1918 he was appointed an Extra Regimental Sergeant. He later transferred to the Australian Army Ordnance Corps (A.A.O.C.), 2nd division, on 13th August 1917, where he was temporarily promoted to Extra Regimental Sergeant until 26th September 1917, in which he returned to his Pay Corps duties. He was promoted to Temporary Corporal 1st September 1916.
Leane was promoted to a Sergeant on 28th December 1918. A few months following that, he was appointed again to Extra Regimental Sergeant in London on 27th May 1919.
On 17th March 1920, Ernest Leane left England for return to Australia, arriving in Adelaide on 23rd April 1920, and officially being discharged from the A.I.F on the 5th of May 1920.
Despite having eleven children with his wife, Ernest Leane ended up separating with her sometime after the war. He later married another woman named Alice Garrett in 1934, giving birth to a son on 31st March 1924, who sadly passed away the following day.
Ernest Albert Leane went on to live to the age of 67 and passed away due to natural causes on 16th October 1936 in South Australia. He is buried at the Walkerville Wesleyan Cemetery.
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