31305
LEHMANN, Cecil Oliver
| Service Number: | 319 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 24 August 1914, Morphettville, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Staff Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | Recruit Reception and General Details Depot (S.A.) |
| Born: | Laura, South Australia, 1895 |
| Home Town: | Laura, Northern Areas, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Laura Public School, South Australia |
| Occupation: | Baker/Farrier |
| Died: | Springbank, South Australia, 18 November 1955, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
AIF Cemetery, West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Laura Methodist Church Roll of Honour, Laura Public School Roll of Honour, Laura RSL Members WW1 Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 24 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 319, Morphettville, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 22 Oct 1914: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 319, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Port Lincoln embarkation_ship_number: A17 public_note: '' | |
| 22 Oct 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 319, 3rd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Port Lincoln, Adelaide | |
| 9 May 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Trooper, 319, 3rd Light Horse Brigade Train, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 28 Mar 1918: | Transferred AIF WW1, Sergeant, Dunsterforce | |
| 29 Mar 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Sergeant, 319 |
World War 2 Service
| 1 Jan 1940: | Promoted Staff Sergeant, Recruit Reception and General Details Depot (S.A.), Not fully confirmed? |
|---|
Dunsterforce
Cecil "Digs" Lehmann, signed up in the 11 th Light Horse early in WW1 ( Service number 316). He embarked for Egypt and then to Gallipoli, from where he was evacuated firstly to Crete and then Egypt.
Although his civilian occupation is shown as "Baker"' he was a consummate horseman and grew up on his father's farm in Laura SA from where the familly operated a business carting farm produce to and from SA grain ports. His skills as a farrier and blacksmith were developed on the job in mid northern SA from an early age.
In Eygpt after Gallipoli, he initially trained recruits and then proceeded with the Light Horse throughout the Middle East (or Mesopotamia as it was then) on various campaigns (records incomplete).
Promoted to Sgt. he served on with " Dunsterforce" in a precursor to the modern United Nations type involvement in little known operations in what is now Iran and Iraq, and was not discharged until 1921.
"Digs" was my Grandfather and although he spoke very seldom of his war time experiences I can vividly remember his sadness about the fate of the brave Whalers. Which he loved.
I think he was involved with the setting up of war horse memorial on Nth Terrace in Adelaide.
Submitted 19 December 2017 by Peter Lehman
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