Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Early Life

Richard Leksman was born in 1883 in Ventspils (Windau), Latvia, which is a port city on the Baltic Sea. It is reported that he left Latvia at a very young age, leaving his family behind which there is no trace of. In addition, there are no records of where he left to or any information regarding his life before immigrating to Australia. He was listed as a Russian subject, however, and based on immigration patterns in Australia, the most common reason was due to the Russian Revolution in 1905.

Arriving on the Inverylon on 19/2/1913, he was listed as a deserter in Wallaroo, South Australia. His last name was misspelt as ‘Leiksmen’ and the ship he arrived on was a British merchant ship built in 1904, most likely departing somewhere in the United Kingdom. Furthermore, he was listed as an able seaman of the ship but it is unknown how long he was on the Inverylon for. Leksman worked in the Yorke Peninsula as a navvy for some time in various towns, under the employer Mr. J Timms.

Travelling to Adelaide eventually, still working as a navvy, he lived in Port Adelaide with the Glassbrook/Glazbrook family. At Walker Street, Birkenhead, later 38 Victoria Road, the house seemed to be a boarding place for Russian immigrants based on other soldiers who lived there: Hendrik Adamson (2778), Carl Lyung (1378) and James Kay (1057). The Glassbrook family consisted of James and Mary, with their son James William Glassbrook (1385). 

Life During The War

Almost all the inhabitants of the household fought during the First World War, and Leksman listed the Glassbrooks as his next-of-kin on his enlistment form. Listed as friends, they were probably more like family to him as they enquired about him during the war. In addition, the other Russian immigrants in the house were likely his friends too. He enlisted on the 5/6/1915 at Keswick, South Australia, with Adamson. Sectioned to the 10th Regiment, Leksman embarked on RMS Mongolia from Adelaide on 9/3/1916.

Leksman embarked from Alexandria, Egypt 10/5/1916 sailing on the HT Scotian to Marseilles, France, arriving eight days later on 18/5/16 and separating from Adamson. He travelled to Etaples, to join the Australian Divisional Base Depot for further training. Leksman moved to join the 27th Battalion on the 7/8/1916 and was taken on strength 11/8/1916. He joined the 27th Battalion during the Battle of Mouquet Farm, an area of high ground near the village of Pozieres. The battle involved a series of nine unsuccessful attacks on the Germans by Australian units between 10th August - 5th Sept 1916.

Leksman with the 27th Battalion then moved on foot through France ending up billeted near Steenvorde until 5th October when they took the train to Ypres to provide relief to units stationed there. The 27th Battalion carried out an unsuccessful raid at Ypres and were entrained back to the Somme to provide reinforcement arriving on the 16th October at Dernancourt where they were billeted for further training. In early November the 27th fought at the Battle of Flers during a period of heavy rain which left the battlefield a mud pit. The attacking waves of troops were slowed by the mud and were easy targets for the Germans. The first Fler attack on the 5th November aimed to capture a series of trenches north of Gueudecourt, known as 'The Maze'. The 27th Battalion held an attack at 9 am which lasted an hour. Unfortunately, they were surrounded and had to retreat back to their previous line. The 27th Battalion lost 77 men during this failed attack, 139 were wounded and 75 were reported missing, with Leksman among the missing.

A court of inquiry held 30th July 1917 concluded that Leksman was killed on the 5th November 1916. Like many of the men killed on that day, he has no official grave. His name appears on the memorial located at Villers-Bretonneux, France. 

After Death

After his death, he was honoured by the Glassbrooks in the local newspaper for his service. His friends M and JG Walker from Birkenhead placed a memorial notice in the newspaper.

It was Richard Leksman’s wish if anything happened to him that the Glassbrooks would be the beneficiaries. Mary Glassbrook contacted base records to assist in locating a relative to allocate his medals to. Mary's account of Leksman was that he did not have any family that he knew of or was alive. His medals were not issued to the Glassbrooks because they were not blood-related.

Leksman’s family is still unknown, with his medals not being formally issued which include: the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, and Victory Medal. In Richard Leksman’s name and of all other soldiers, Lest We Forget.