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Carol Galea, of Warwick, still feels a sense of pride but also sadness when she reads about a great-uncle whom she had never met, and only remembers the story passed down from older members of her family.

Here is the story of Carol's great-uncle, Private Arnold Edgar Leabeater of the 56th Battalion AIF, who made the supreme sacrifice in the Battle of the Somme on July 22, 1918.


Arnold Leabeater was born in October 1897 at Parramatta, New South Wales, a son of Alfred and Rhoda Leabeater.

He attended a local primary school for his early education which included compulsory military drill under the 1903 Commonwealth Defence Act for all boys turning 14 years of age.

Arnold was well-known in the district for his ability as a footballer and musician.

It is possible that he later attended the King's School at Parramatta.

His father ran a band and Arnold played the cornet in the group.

Arnold was a member of his father's musical group known as the Cumberland Band, and was also connected with the 20th Infantry Band under Band Master E. Watters. He was employed as a goods carter until his enlistment in the AIF.

Like many young men of this period, young Arnold felt the need to defend the Mother Country England from the evil Hun, as depicted in the local media at the time. The heroic performance of the first Anzac landings at Gallipoli a few months earlier also helped him decide to join up to do his bit for king and country.

On January 4, 1916, Arnold - who had just turned 19 - entered the recruiting office in Liverpool and enlisted in the AIF.

After completing his military training, Arnold was ready for the "big adventure" and, following a march to the Sydney docks with a military band and flag-bearers parading the troops amid a cheering crowd, he and the 16th Reinforcement Group, 4th Battalion - formed on February 14 after the losses at Gallipoli - embarked on the HT Makanini bound for the Middle East.

After a short period of training at Tel-el-Kebir and Alexandria, Arnold's 4th Battalion was absorbed into the 56th battalion as reinforcements for the British Expeditionary Force in France to serve on the Western Front, and set sail aboard HT Ivernia on July 29, 1916.

Arriving at Marseilles shortly after, Arnold was soon into battle in the Somme Valley helping to defend Bullecourt under attack from German forces.

Over the next few months, Arnold fought in the major battle at Polygon Wood and the allied defence of Villiers Bretonneux against the German spring offensive.

Arnold was now witnessing the horrors of the Western Front and was soon hospitalised at a casualty clearing station, and later at the 4th Australian General Hospital suffering from the debilitating condition of "trench feet".

Trench foot was a very painful condition caused by the prolonged standing in the trenches up to the knees in mud, slush and water.

A soldier once described the condition as: "The ball of your foot swells up and gives you no rest even at night." A severe bout of this insidious condition can cause a black and spreading mortification which, if not treated, can cause amputation of the toes, or even feet.

Arnold's Battalion was entrenched at Morlancourt Ridge when an aerial dogfight occurred on April 21, 1918, witnessed by Australian troops, between the legendary German "Red Baron" von Richthofen and Captain A.R. Brown of the Royal Flying Corps.

In this encounter the famous German ace was shot down by Australian ground fire, even though Brown ultimately claimed the victory.

Later evidence showed an Australian by the name of Cedric Popkin of the 24th Machine Gun Company fired the shot that brought down the German.

It is reasonable to assume that Arnold was among the Australian troops that helped bury the Red Baron when his plane was brought down in their sector on that historic day.

Between November 19, 1917, and May 30, 1918, Arnold was in and out of casualty clearing stations and the hospitals at Abbeville, Cayeux and Harve receiving treatment for his feet and other trench-related injuries before he was returned to active service with the 56th Battalion on June 7, 1918.

On July 19, 1918, only four months before the Armistice was signed, Arnold, now a combat veteran at the age of 21, was attached to the British 58th Division as an instructor with their patrol school, when the patrol he was leading came under heavy machine gun fire from the German lines.

Arnold was killed in this encounter and the details of his death are recounted by a report from Corporal A.R. Charlton of 56th Battalion, A Company, 3rd Platoon when he said:

"About 22nd July 1918, on the left of Villers-Bretonneux on the Morlancourt sector, Private Leabeater was coming off night patrol with Lieutenant Sowter of C Company about 3am when he was shot by a sniper and killed outright. I did not see it happen, but Lieutenant Sowter told me how he was killed.

"He had done fine work with the officers on patrol and these two had taken two machine gun posts by themselves and were returning with one of the machine guns.

"He had been knocked over by a patrol flare when out in one of the positions they took.

"He was a mate of mine and he came from Parramatta, near where I live."

Arnold Edgar Leabeater's great adventure had now ended at the tender age of 21, and he now lies at rest in the Ribemont Communal Cemetery Extension, Ribemont, Picardie, France.

The news of his death was conveyed to his parents by the local minister, Reverend S.M. Johnstone, as a pall of sadness descended over the Leabeater household.

However, he will never be forgotten as long as the Anzac legend continues and he will be remembered in this centenary year of the Gallipoli landing by being accorded the honour of having his name projected onto the exterior of the Hall of Memory at the Australian War Memorial in Canberra, from May 25, 2015, until June 30, 2016.
Story Courtesy of Great Niece Carol Galea.

The details provided are taken from the book "Stealth Raiders - a few daring men in 1918" written by Lucas Jordan, published 2017, refer to page 270. Prior to the war he was a carter of Parramatta NSW. He enlisted 4th Jan 1916, aged 19 years. He served with the 56th Infantry Battalion. Unfortunately, he was Killed in Action 22nd July 1918. Rest In Peace Lest We Forget