Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Corporal Richard Legh Winser
Service No:1789
2/10 Battalion 2 A.I.F.
World War II 1939-1945
Date of Birth: April 9th, 1919
Place of Birth: Adelaide
Enlisted: March 1st, 1940
Place of Enlistment: Gawler, SA
Age: 20 Years
Occupation: Student of Roseworthy
Next of Kin: Cyril Legh Winser of Blackwood

Prior to joining the 2 A.I.F. Corporal Winser had completed one year with the 6th Calvary Mobile Vet Section of the 9/23rd Light Horse gaining the rank of Corporal. Part way into a 3-month camp at the Gawler Racecourse Cpl Winser joined the 2 A.I.F. The date was the 1st of March 1940. On the 19th of April he was allotted to the 2/10 battalion training at Wayville and Woodside. Just 16 days later Cpl Winser embarked for the Middle East via Sydney and was diverted to the UK enroute. On the 18th of June 1940 he disembarked in Scotland. The 18th brigade was to bolster defence forces in the UK following the Fall of France.
June 1940 AWL for 24 hours in London – automatic forfeiture of 1 days’ pay
17 Nov 1940 Left Scotland for the Middle East
31 Dec 1940 Arrived in Egypt
April-August Siege at Tobruk as a Rat of Tobruk
September 1941 Training – Palestine
January 1942 Part of force garrisoning Syria
11 February 1942 Sails for Australia
29 March 1942 Arrived in Australia – Adelaide
6 August 1942 Left Brisbane
14 August 1942 Arrived at Milne Bay, New Guinea
27 August 1942 Battle of Milne Bay
Sept-Oct 1942 Hospitalised for malaria & tropical typhus, New Guinea
Oct 1942 Returned to Australia – hospitalised
11 February 1943 AWL loss of one day’s pay
9 August 1943 Departed Townsville for New Guinea
17 June 1941 Arrived Port Moresby; New Guinea
Jan-Feb1944 Deployed to mountains to secure Shaggy Ridge
May 1944 Battalion returns to Australia
July 1944 Hospitalised for malaria
10 January 1945 Discharged

After the war Richard ‘Dick’ Winser met and married Sue Dean, Dick and Sue had two children, Susan and Legh whilst living at Koorine. They built a new home on ‘Oakcroft’ and had a further three children Janet, Margaret and Peter. Dick and Sue successfully farmed this properly for nearly 50 years and became well known for their South Down Shep Stud.
Dick was an extremely popular member of the community, he was a foundation member of the Lower South East Legacy looking after war widows and their children in Kalangadoo, Nangwarry, Tarpeena, Tantanoola and Glencoe. He and his very good mate Charlie Miller were very involved in sending children to fun days at Port MacDonald and camps in Adelaide and Gawler. Dicks commitment to the RSL was outstanding, he was president of the Kalangadoo RSL Sub Branch and was made a life member. Dick always travelled to Adelaide to attend ANZAC day marches.
Dick was involved in many sporting clubs within Kalangadoo including foundation member of the Bowls Club, the Kalangadoo Racing Club along with his friend Frank Mules and the Kalangadoo Eaters whose main activity was eating and drinking whilst raising funds for worthwhile causes. Dick was involved with the school and the senior citizens.
Dick was a very active member of St Albans Anglican Church, Kalangadoo, often saying his faith was a comfort to him during the war.
A much loved and respected man, Dick untimely death due to a bee sting at the age of 72 years was a great loss to his family and the community of Kalangadoo.