Leonard Albert (Len) WHITE

Leonard Albert (Len) WHITE Update Details

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WHITE, Leonard Albert

Service Numbers:	2870, 2227
Enlisted:	8 June 1915, Place of Enlistment, Brisbane, Queensland ,Australia
Last Rank:	Lance Corporal
Last Unit:	49th Infantry Battalion
Born:	Stanthorpe, Queensland, Australia , 2 May 1875
Home Town:	Cairns, Cairns, Queensland
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Miner
Died:	Killed in Action, Belgium, 12 October 1917, aged 42 years
Cemetery:	White House Cemetery, Belgium White House Cemetery, St Jean-les-Ypres, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium
Memorials:	Atherton War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Cairns Cenotaph

World War 1 Service

8 Jun 1915:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 2870, 25th Infantry Battalion, Place of Enlistment, Brisbane, Queensland ,Australia
18 Sep 1915:	Involvement Private, 2227, 25th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Armadale embarkation_ship_number: A26 public_note: ''
18 Sep 1915:	Embarked Private, 2227, 25th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Armadale, Brisbane
2 Nov 1915:	Involvement Private, 2870, 28th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Ulysses embarkation_ship_number: A38 public_note: ''
2 Nov 1915:	Embarked Private, 2870, 28th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ulysses, Fremantle
12 Oct 1917:	Involvement Lance Corporal, 2870, 49th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 2870 awm_unit: 49th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Lance Corporal awm_died_date: 1917-10-12

Albert Leonard White

At the time of his enlistment, Len was a 40-year-old miner. He was 5 feet, 7 ¾ inches tall with brown hair, blue eyes and a clear complexion. He gave his next of kin as his mother Mrs M. White of Minnie Street, Cairns. Len belonged to the Church of England.

Len served in the Middle East and on the Western Front. He died at Pashendale 12 October 1917 and is buried in White House Street, St Jean Cemetery, Ypres in Belguim, plot 3, row Q, grave 13.

Len made no mention on his enlistment form of his wife Mary Cecilia Black whom he married 26 August 1902 in Cooktown. According to Mary she and Len had been living apart for the past 5 years due to “family troubles”. This led to a dispute over who should receive Len’s war gratuity and his medals. His brother Arthur received the medals but was ordered to return them so they could be given to Len’s estranged wife Mary. The war gratuity was also paid to Mary. To confuse matters even further, Len left two wills; the first will left everything to his brother Alfred John White of Helen Street Cooktown, the second will left everything to his brother-in-law Percy Shadford of “Lillydale” Kilara via Cairns. Story Courtesy of the Cairns District Family Society.

Virtual
War Memorial
Australia