STEPHENS, Leonard Ralph
| Service Number: | 15 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 18 August 1914, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 10th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Mount Torrens, South Australia, 31 August 1894 |
| Home Town: | Birdwood (formerly Blumberg), Adelaide Hills, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Butter maker/Vigneron |
| Died: | Natural causes, Adelaide, South Australia, 16 May 1925, aged 30 years |
| Cemetery: |
Hindmarsh Cemetery, S.A. Lower W19 |
| Memorials: | Adelaide A.W.Sandford & Co. Ltd., Birdwood Blumberg Roll of Honor, Birdwood WW1 & WW2 Soldier's Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 18 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 15, Adelaide, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 20 Oct 1914: | Involvement AIF WW1, Corporal, 15, 1st Divisional Signal Company, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '6' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Karroo embarkation_ship_number: A10 public_note: '' | |
| 20 Oct 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Corporal, 15, 1st Divisional Signal Company, HMAT Karroo, Melbourne | |
| 4 Dec 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Sergeant, 15, 1st Divisional Signal Company, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 1 Aug 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 10th Infantry Battalion | |
| 27 Nov 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 10th Infantry Battalion | |
| 5 Apr 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 10th Infantry Battalion |
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"STEPHENS.— On the 16th May, at the Adelaide Hospital, Leonard Ralph (late Lieut. M.C., 10th Batt. A.I.F.), beloved husband of Clarice Marguerite Stephens, of Reynella, and brother of Gerald, Vic, Guy. and Clem Stephens, and Mrs. C. B. Suanders, son of Mr. and Mrs. B. W. Stephens, of Birdwood." - from the Adelaide Advertiser 18 May 1925 (nla.gov.au)
Biography contributed by St Ignatius' College
Leonard Ralph Stephens was born on the 31st of August 1894, in Blumberg, (now known as Birdwood,) in the Adelaide Hills, South Australia. Stephens was a natural born Australian and worked as a Buttermaker before the war and had a middle school education. Stephens had a large family, with his next of kin being both his mother and father, Bernard West Stephens, and Jessie Louisa Stephens. He also had four siblings, Victor Bernard Stephens, Clementine Stephens, Guy Stephens, and Gerald Stephens. His brother Victor also enlisted in the A.I.F.
Leonard enlisted for the Australian Infantry Force on the 18th of August 1914, at 19 years and 11 months. He was placed in the 10th Infantry Battalion. Stephens soon embarked for Egypt – for extended training at Mena camp, aboard the ship, HMATT Karoo, on the 20th of October 1914, from Melbourne with the 1st Divisional Signal Company. Prior to embarkation he was promoted to Corporal and in December was promoted to Sergeant.
In October 1915 Leonard was admitted to hospital in Alexandria with a contusion of the testicle. After convalescing he embarked to Gallipoli 11th November 1915 serving with the 1st Divisional Signal Company. After the evacuation of Gallipoli, he returned to Alexandria 7th January 1916. He moved to the Western Front disembarking at Marseille 28th March 1916. On 29th July 1916 he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant and transferred to the 10th Battalion 1st August 1916. However, 4 days later he was attached to the 1st Division Signal Company.Stephens achieved the role of Lieutenant on the 27th of November later that year.
Stephens was admitted to the 3rd Field Ambulance with Scabies in May of 1917, After his illness had cured, the Lieutenant was sent on leave to Paris for a week before returning to the 10th Battalion in Ribemont, France on the 16th of June.
The following month he proceeded on leave to England from 14th – 27th July before returning to the 10th Battalion on the 27th of July 1917. The following month he attended 2nd Army Control School for 3 days and then rejoined the 10th Battalion
During 1918 Stephens took leave in February in England and attended 2nd Army Training School again in Jnue for a couple of weeks. He was sent to the 2nd Amry Rest Camp in July fort 2 weeks and then rejoined the 10th Battalion in early August. He was then sent to Training Camp in England for the remainder of the war.
Leonard Ralph Stephens returned to Australia on the 1st of February 1919. Stephen’s admirable leadership was rewarded on the 4th of February 1919 when he received a Military Cross for ‘Conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty’ during his time with his Battalion.
Leonard married Clarice Marguerite after the war, and they had two children. Leonard passed away on the 16th of May 1925 because of natural causes and was buried at Hindmarsh Cemetery in Adelaide.
Reference list
Adfa.edu.au. (2024). Details. [online] Available at: https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=287250 [Accessed 18 Feb. 2025].
Awm.gov.au. (2025). Leonard Ralph Stephens. [online] Available at: https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1538683 [Accessed 18 Feb. 2025].
Birtwistlewiki.com.au. (2022). HMAT A10 Karoo - Our Contribution. [online] Available at: https://birtwistlewiki.com.au/wiki/HMAT_A10_Karoo [Accessed 20 Mar. 2025].
Findagrave.com. (2021). Hindmarsh Cemetery in Hindmarsh, South Australia - Find a Grave Cemetery. [online] Available at: https://www.findagrave.com/cemetery/2358141/hindmarsh-cemetery [Accessed 23 Mar. 2025].
Memories.net. (2018). Memories. [online] Available at: https://app.memories.net/memorials/leonardralph-stephens-58953 [Accessed 19 Mar. 2025].
SRG76_1_4643.pdf. (n.d.). Lieutenant L.R Stephens 10th Infantry Battalion. [online] Available at: https://images.slsa.sa.gov.au/sarcib/SRG76_1_4643.pdf [Accessed 18 Feb. 2025]. A pdf of physical letter.
Terrace, V. (2025). View digital copy. [online] Naa.gov.au. Available at: https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=1924119 [Accessed 18 Feb. 2025].
Transkribus.org. (2025). Cursive Handwriting to Text - Transkribus AI Software. [online] Available at: https://www.transkribus.org/cursive-converter [Accessed 18 Feb. 2025].
Vwma.org.au. (2017). 10th Infantry Battalion. [online] Available at: https://vwma.org.au/explore/units/1.
Vwma.org.au. (2025a). Edgar Henry ABBOTT. [online] Available at: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/326233 [Accessed 24 Mar. 2025].
Vwma.org.au. (2025b). Leonard Ralph STEPHENS MC. [online] Available at: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/363711 [Accessed 18 Feb. 2025].
Vwma.org.au. (2025c). Victor Bernard STEPHENS. [online] Available at: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/260497 [Accessed 24 Mar. 2025].
www.thegazette.co.uk. (n.d.). Military Cross (MC) | The Gazette. [online] Available at: https
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