Virtual War Memorial | Charles (Charlie) LEONARDER

Charles (Charlie) LEONARDER Update Details

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LEONARDER, Charles

Service Number:	NX33079
Enlisted:	20 June 1940
Last Rank:	Sapper
Last Unit:	2nd/12th Field Company / Squadron RAE
Born:	North Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 28 August 1918
Home Town:	North Sydney, North Sydney, New South Wales
Schooling:	North Sydney Technical School, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation:	Mechanic/Seaman for Sydney Ferries
Died:	Killed in Action while a hospital patient., Singapore island, 15 February 1942, aged 23 years
Cemetery:	Kranji War Cemetery Coll. Grave 24. A. 1-14.
Memorials:	Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour

World War 2 Service

3 Sep 1939:	Involvement Sapper, NX33079
20 Jun 1940:	Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, NX33079
29 Jul 1941:	Embarked Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Sapper, NX33079, 2nd/12th Field Company / Squadron RAE, Uncle Charlie leaves Australia from Wharf 11 at Woolloomooloo, Sydney. On the ship Johan Van Oldenbarnevelt. The ship's codename is "HMT FF" and is also know as Troopship 32. It is part of the Australian Transport convoy called US11B. The ship travels to Fremantle, WA and arrive on 6 August 1941. The men enjoy shore leave from 1400 hours to 2350 hours. Then on 8 August 1941 the ship joins the 27th Brigade Transport to travel to Singapore Harbour arriving on 15 August 1941. According to the Company's War Diary, the Company disembarks to their camp on 16 August 1941. Charles' war record states that he did not disembark at Singapore until 23 August 1941.
17 Jan 1942:	Wounded Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Sapper, NX33079, 2nd/12th Field Company / Squadron RAE, Malaya/Singapore, On 17 January 1942, according to his Service and Casualty Form – Changi Copy, Uncle Charlie burns his face and left hand. In Sapper Leslie Ernest Cragg's (NX65934) personal war diary Les writes about his mate Charlie: "my mate Charlie had his face badly burnt when the truck caught fire while he was doing repairs on a hot engine." Although Les does not give this Charlie a surname, the injury tallies with family stories about Uncle Charlie burning his face. Uncle Charlie is in 3 Section, the 2/12 Field Company RAE's war diaries have 3 Section working on the roads around the Segamat area in Malaya when the accident occurs. This is where Les Cragg is according to his personal diary. Uncle Charlie is moved through all the Army Casualty Clearing Stations and Hospitals and finally is sent to the Cathay Building in Singapore city as the Japanese advance. On the afternoon of Sunday, 15 February 1942, a shell from a Japanese 9-inch naval gun fires from Johor Bahru, Malaya, hitting the Cathay building, in Singapore city, killing approximately 16 to 20 men. Uncle Charlie is one of them. He is sheltering in the Casualty Clearing Station/Hospital in the building. Also the family receives a letter from Captain Leonard England Bourne (NX71105), 2IC of 2/12 Field Company RAE, who confirms Uncle Charlie is in the Cathay Building when he dies and he is in 3 Section under the supervision of Lieutenant Allen Innes Watson (NX35037). Bourne states that Uncle Charlie is a driver. Bourne writes that Acting Corporal Sapper Charles Leonard Mansfield (NX33264) was next to Uncle Charlie when Uncle Charlie dies in the Cathay building. Bourne also states that there are 7 members of the Company killed during the fighting and Uncle Charlie was the last member of the Company to die. Bourne goes on to say another 60 men from the Company die under Japanese rule.

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