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Prior to Dominic’s arrival, his parents, Irish-born John Joseph (Paddy) and Bridget Delia who married in 1884 struggled with finances, to the extent that a Police Court Order was made under the Destitute Persons relief Act of 1881. This determined that John should pay his wife £1 10s. a week for her maintenance (and the children). The case went to Court with John willing to pay 22 shillings, but the judge reduced that amount to 17 shillings, as in reality, John had not, in strict law, left Bridget “without adequate means of support.” All parties agreed to the judgment, which was thus really then classified as one "by consent." Regardless, it illustrates how challenging it was to earn money and support an ever-growing family.
Dominic, known as Leo, was born in the township of Boolcunda, in the Flinders Ranges, SA, near Quorn on the 10th September, 1903. He was the youngest of five sons, Fergus, John Joseph, Martin, Michael and three daughters, including Catherine Margaret and Mary Ellen. Leo attended the local Carrieton School where there was a constant need to raise funds for the school. Having just turned 12, Leo was involved in 1915 with a massive fund-raising drive, with the students leading a procession, followed by decorated vehicles and motor cars, to the racecourse where the National Anthem was sung before a series of sporting events followed. Additionally, a sale of a dressed sheep, a turkey, various bottles of liquour, and a painting were auctioned. A shooting gallery and button bouquets also contributed to the fund raising. Leo was one of two students who carried collection boxes which raised £1. Later, Leo and John Hoare gave a recitation which also raised useful funds. (Coincidentally, John was also later to enlist as SX8467 and be allocated to the same 2/48th battalion.)
That year did not end well for Leo as towards the end of school holidays he was climbing a tree, and fell, sustaining a fractured collarbone and concussion. He was conveyed to Orroroo for medical treatment.
Post school, Leo found employment on the Thurlga Sheep Station out of Port Augusta. He was still a young man in his early 20’s when both his parents died within three years of each other; Bridget aged 59, on the 24th April ’24. Three years later, John died on the 13th January ’27. Both parents now rest in the Hammond Cemetery at Mount Remarkable.
With the outbreak of WWII, 36-year-old Leo, was one of several men from the area who enlisted in Port Augusta. He was allocated the number SX8350, in the 2/48th Battalion. Just days prior, 31-year-old Alf Poyner, a farm labourer in the Chandada area near Streaky Bay, and Harold Bayley, a farmer from Poochera, both enlisted on the 29th June ’40. Alf was allocated the number SX7019 and Harold SX6932 with both also being placed in the 2/48th Battalion.
Initial days for the trio were spent in the cold of the Pavilions, now part of the Royal Adelaide Showgrounds, before they headed to Woodside for preliminary training. Leo returned for pre-embarkation leave, when in October, the local Chandada Hall was the venue for a farewell evening for Private Leo and Corporal Alf, with many people coming from surrounding towns. The Hall was beautifully decorated with Spring blooms, organised by the locals. Several dignitaries gave speeches, praising the gallantry of both men and strongly supporting their actions in enlisting. In honour of their service, each soldier was presented with a wallet, before a typical country supper followed.
Soon after enjoying leave, Leo’s 2/48th Battalion, boarded the Stratheden for the Middle East, on the 7th November 1940 and disembarked on the 17th December. On the voyage over, Leo was hospitalised, and by February the following year was diagnosed with epithelioma, a form of skin cancer on his upper lip. His 2/48th Battalion completed a few months training in Cyrenaica. The next stop was to Tobruk at the start of April 1941 where the dust, flies, heat, minimal water supplies and constant bombardment were quite a challenge to these fresh new enlistees.
By the time the men had arrived in the Middle East, the small country towns of Chandada, Tootla and Inkster had already planned to have living tributes to those ‘who served their country in times of war and who offered their lives to defend the freedom of all Australians.’ They established Trees of Tribute on the 16th August ’40, with the first town to do so being Chandada. Eucalypts were planted at the intersection of the Streaky Bay to Poochera Road and then the road to Inkster. Leo’s was the seventh and Alfred’s the fifth name to be acknowledged with tree plantings undertaken by the children from the Tootla and Inkster Schools as part of the Arbor Day celebrations.
Leo’s condition meant he continued to receive treatment, including extensive hospitalisation in Gaza and was granted leave. However, the decision was made by the Hospital Board for him to return to Australia from Palestine, classified as medically unfit for duty.
So many of the young men wrote home, with their letters being shared in local newspapers, including the West Coast Recorder. Pte John Penna wrote home to his parents at Chickerloo, with news of his visit to Damascus and search for souvenirs. He also ‘breezed over’ some of the encounters and ‘scraps’ in which the soldiers were involved but added “I am having the time of my life, and have made some of the best friends ever, but have also lost quite a few, as you will see by the casualty lists in the papers.” Mention was made of other locals he had seen, adding, without explanation “Leo Reidy has gone home.“
Back in Adelaide, Leo had time convalescing at Wayville before he was eventually discharged in September ’41.
Aged 55 years, Dominic (Leo) died in Port Augusta in 1959 and was buried in the Roman Catholic section 3 of the town’s cemetery.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.