MCLEOD, William Angus
| Service Number: | 28971 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 June 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Gunner |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Division Medium and Heavy Trench Mortar Batteries, AIF |
| Born: | Sandhills, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia , 28 March 1893 |
| Home Town: | Sandhills Lake, Gannawarra, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Hooker-on |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 29 October 1917, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: |
Ypres Reservoir Cemetery Plot I, Row I, Grave No. 56 |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Newcastle (Gardner Memorial) War Memorial, Newcastle East Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Jun 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Gunner, 28971, 2nd Division Medium and Heavy Trench Mortar Batteries, AIF | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Oct 1916: | Involvement Gunner, 28971, Medium Trench Mortar Batteries, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '4' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Borda embarkation_ship_number: A30 public_note: '' | |
| 17 Oct 1916: | Embarked Gunner, 28971, Medium Trench Mortar Batteries, HMAT Borda, Sydney | |
| 3 May 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Gunner, 28971, 2nd Division Medium and Heavy Trench Mortar Batteries, AIF, Bullecourt (Second), SW right arm | |
| 29 Oct 1917: | Involvement Gunner, 28971, 2nd Division Medium and Heavy Trench Mortar Batteries, AIF, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 28971 awm_unit: 2nd Australian Division Trench Mortars awm_rank: Gunner awm_died_date: 1917-10-29 |
Help us honour William Angus McLeod's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
Awaiting memorialisation at Sandgate Cemetery, not forgotten.
104 years ago today, on the 29th October 1917, Gunner William Angus McLeod, (also known as Scotchy), 2nd Australian Division Trench Mortar Battery (Reg No-28971), hooker-on of cranes from 4 Pilot Terrace, Sandhills, Newcastle, New South Wales, was Killed in Action at the 2nd Battle of Passchendaele during the Passchendaele Campaign, age 24.
Born at Sandhills, Newcastle, New South Wales on the 28th March 1893 to Kenneth (died 1948) and Emily Jane (died 1936) McLeod of Hooker Avenue, Cooks Hill, New South Wales, Scotchy enlisted May 1916 with the Medium Trench Mortar Batteries at Newcastle, N.S.W.
Admitted to hospital 2.6.1917 (impetigo).
Mr. McLeod is resting at Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, Belgium. Plot I Row I Grave 56. Many thanks to Eddy Lin for the photos of headstone.
Scotchy’s name has been inscribed on the Gardner Memorial (photos, unveiled on the 16th September 1916, 15 names originally inscribed of the Fallen, 73 names now inscribed), St. Phillip's Presbyterian Church (Newcastle) Roll of Honour, Newcastle East Public School Roll of Honour, Newcastle Protestant Alliance, Friendly Society of Australia, Lodge No-7 Roll of Honor and the NSW Govt Railways and Tramways Roll of Honour, 1914-1919.
There is no memorial inscription on the family headstone plaque to tell us of the supreme sacrifice of their son William, and being unable to erect a memorial cross, I have placed poppies in remembrance of his service for God, King & Country during The Great War.
Many thanks to Mr. McLeod's Great Nephew Jeff Andy Robinson for the photos and family history.
Lest We Forget.
Biography contributed by John Oakes
William Angus McLEOD was born at Sandhills, Newcastle, NSW, on 28th March 1893. His parents were Kenneth and Emily Jane McLeod.He worked in the Traffic Branch of the Railways. On 17th May 1916 he was granted leave to join the Expeditionary Forces.
William’s date of service with the AIF starts on 17th May 1916. When he joined, he was given the rank of Gunner (Service Number 28971) in the 3rd Reinforcements to the Medium Trench Mortar Batterys. He embarked for England aboard HMAT A30 ‘Borda’ at Sydney on 17th October 1916 and disembarked at Plymouth, England, on 9th January 1917. After further training in England he left for France on 15th March 1917. He spent his first week there at the Australian Gunnery Base Depot at Etaples before being transferred to the 2nd Australian Division Trench Mortars on 23rd March 1917. The next day he was taken on strength and posted to X2/A Battery.
On 3rd May 1917 William was wounded in action at Bullecourt when he was shot in the right arm. He was in hospital or convalescing until 1st June 1917 when he returned to duty at the Australian Gunnery Base Depot at Etaples. However, the next day he reported sick with impetigo and he was off duty once more. On 2nd July 1917 he again returned to duty at the Australian Gunnery Base Depot at Etaples. He left there for the 2nd Australian Field Artillery on 12th July 1917 and reached this unit five days later. On 9th September 1917 he returned to the 2nd Australian Division Trench Mortars and the next day was once again taken on strength of X2/A Battery.
On 29th October 1917 he was killed in action in Belgium, near Ypres.
The deposition quoting Gunner John McKenzie (28972) reads:
‘Informant states they both belonged to the X2/A Trench Mortar Battery. On 29.10.17 the Battery was just outside Dickiebusch in action. At about 4pm while they were standing to in the line a shell came over and burst some distance away and McLeod got a bit of shrapnel. He was rendered unconscious and died within about half an hour. Informant was with him when he was hit and at the death. He also saw him buried soon afterwards on the spot where he had fallen. A Church of England Chaplain read the burial service over him.’
William’s grave is in Ypres Reservoir Cemetery, Ypres, Flanders, Belgium. His place of association is Newcastle, NSW.
After his death his mother was awarded a pension of £2 per fortnight with effect from 17th January 1918.
- based on the Australian War Memorial Honour Roll and notes for the Great Sydney Central Staion Honour Board.
Click images to start slideshow.