John Leak,
VC (20 October 1972) was an
Australian recipient of the
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
, the highest award for
gallantry
Gallantry may refer to:
* military courage or bravery
* Chivalry
* Warrior ethos
* Knightly Piety Knightly Piety refers to a specific strand of Christian belief espoused by knights during the Middle Ages. The term comes from ''Ritterfrömmigkei ...
in battle that could be awarded at that time to a member of the
Australian armed forces
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the military organisation responsible for the defence of the Commonwealth of Australia and its national interests. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Forc ...
. Leak enlisted in the
Australian Imperial Force in early 1915, and served with the
9th Battalion in the
Gallipoli Campaign during the
First World War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
. Evacuated suffering from
dysentery
Dysentery (UK pronunciation: , US: ), historically known as the bloody flux, is a type of gastroenteritis that results in bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, and a feeling of incomplete defecation. Complications ...
, Leak rejoined his battalion after it had been withdrawn to Egypt. Along with his unit, he transferred to the
Western Front in France and Belgium, where he participated in the
Battle of Pozières
The Battle of Pozières (23 July – 3 September 1916) took place in northern France around the village of Pozières, during the Battle of the Somme. The costly fighting ended with the British in possession of the plateau north and east of the v ...
in July 1916. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for his actions during the battle. The following month he was seriously wounded in the
Battle of Mouquet Farm
The Battle of Mouquet Farm, also known as the Fighting for Mouquet Farm was part of the Battle of the Somme and began during the Battle of Pozières (23 July – 3 September). The fighting began on 23 July with attacks by the British Reserve A ...
.
Leak was evacuated to the United Kingdom, and did not return to his unit until October 1917. Suffering from the effects of his service, Leak was convicted of
desertion
Desertion is the abandonment of a military duty or post without permission (a pass, liberty or leave) and is done with the intention of not returning. This contrasts with unauthorized absence (UA) or absence without leave (AWOL ), which ar ...
by a
court-martial
A court-martial or court martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of memb ...
in November, but his sentence was ultimately suspended, and he returned to the 9th Battalion. In early March 1918 he was
gassed, and did not rejoin to his unit until the
Armistice of 11 November 1918
The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices ...
. He returned to Australia and was discharged in 1919.
After jobs in
Queensland
)
, nickname = Sunshine State
, image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, established_ ...
,
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
,
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
and
Western Australia
Western Australia (commonly abbreviated as WA) is a state of Australia occupying the western percent of the land area of Australia excluding external territories. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Southern Ocean to th ...
over the next twenty years, Leak settled in South Australia in 1937. He was severely affected by his war experiences, and was very reticent to discuss his VC exploits. He did not talk about his service, even to his family, until very late in life. He died in October 1972 and is buried in
Stirling
Stirling (; sco, Stirlin; gd, Sruighlea ) is a city in central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the royal citadel, the medieval old town with its me ...
, South Australia.
Early life
According to his war record, John Leak was born in
Portsmouth
Portsmouth ( ) is a port and city in the ceremonial county of Hampshire in southern England. The city of Portsmouth has been a unitary authority since 1 April 1997 and is administered by Portsmouth City Council.
Portsmouth is the most dens ...
,
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
, around 1892, although there is no record of his birth in that city. He was the son of a miner, James Leak. His parents were originally from
South Wales
South Wales ( cy, De Cymru) is a loosely defined region of Wales bordered by England to the east and mid Wales to the north. Generally considered to include the historic counties of Glamorgan and Monmouthshire, south Wales extends westwards ...
, and apparently migrated to
New South Wales
)
, nickname =
, image_map = New South Wales in Australia.svg
, map_caption = Location of New South Wales in AustraliaCoordinates:
, subdivision_type = Country
, subdivision_name = Australia
, established_title = Before federation
, es ...
, Australia, well before World WarI, although there is no record of his arrival in Australia. By the outbreak of the war, his parents had died, and Leak was living at
Clermont, Queensland
Clermont is a rural town and locality in the Isaac Region, Queensland, Australia. At the , the locality of Clermont had a population of 2952 people.
Clermont is a major hub for the large coal mines in the region as well as serving agricultural ...
, and working as a
teamster
A teamster is the American term for a truck driver or a person who drives teams of draft animals. Further, the term often refers to a member of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, a labor union in the United States and Canada.
Origi ...
.
World War I
On 28 January 1915, Leak enlisted in
Rockhampton
Rockhampton is a city in the Rockhampton Region of Central Queensland, Australia. The population of Rockhampton in June 2021 was 79,967, Estimated resident population, 30 June 2018. making it the fourth-largest city in the state outside of the ...
as a
private
Private or privates may refer to:
Music
* " In Private", by Dusty Springfield from the 1990 album ''Reputation''
* Private (band), a Denmark-based band
* "Private" (Ryōko Hirosue song), from the 1999 album ''Private'', written and also recorde ...
in the
Australian Imperial Force (AIF) and was assigned to the fifth reinforcement draft for the
9th Battalion,
3rd Brigade,
1st Division. On 16 April, he embarked from
Brisbane
Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...
, Queensland, on board the transport ''
Kyarra
The ''Kyarra'' was a 6,953-ton (7,065 t) steel cargo and passenger luxury liner, built in Scotland in 1903 for the Australian United Steam Navigation Company.
Construction and launch
The ''Kyarra'' was built at Dumbarton by William Denny an ...
''. He joined his battalion on 22 June while it was involved in
trench warfare
Trench warfare is a type of land warfare using occupied lines largely comprising military trenches, in which troops are well-protected from the enemy's small arms fire and are substantially sheltered from artillery. Trench warfare became a ...
defending the
Anzac Cove beachhead on the
Gallipoli Peninsula
The Gallipoli peninsula (; tr, Gelibolu Yarımadası; grc, Χερσόνησος της Καλλίπολης, ) is located in the southern part of East Thrace, the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles ...
in the
Ottoman Empire
The Ottoman Empire, * ; is an archaic version. The definite article forms and were synonymous * and el, Оθωμανική Αυτοκρατορία, Othōmanikē Avtokratoria, label=none * info page on book at Martin Luther University) ...
. This fighting was part of the
Gallipoli Campaign. Six days after Leak's arrival, the 9th Battalion was involved in a two-pronged attack against the Ottoman positions on what were known as "Sniper's Ridge" and "Knife Edge", close to
Lone Pine. The attack was abortive, and resulted in the battalion suffering casualties of 37 killed and 62 wounded. Leak was with his battalion during the fruitless
August Offensive, which was intended as a breakout from the beachhead. On 31 August, Leak reported sick and was evacuated with
gastroenteritis
Gastroenteritis, also known as infectious diarrhea and gastro, is an inflammation of the gastrointestinal tract including the stomach and intestine. Symptoms may include diarrhea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Fever, lack of energy, and dehydra ...
, first via
hospital ship
A hospital ship is a ship designated for primary function as a floating medical treatment facility or hospital. Most are operated by the military forces (mostly navies) of various countries, as they are intended to be used in or near war zones. ...
to
Malta
Malta ( , , ), officially the Republic of Malta ( mt, Repubblika ta' Malta ), is an island country in the Mediterranean Sea. It consists of an archipelago, between Italy and Libya, and is often considered a part of Southern Europe. It lies ...
, where he was hospitalised and diagnosed with
dysentery
Dysentery (UK pronunciation: , US: ), historically known as the bloody flux, is a type of gastroenteritis that results in bloody diarrhea. Other symptoms may include fever, abdominal pain, and a feeling of incomplete defecation. Complications ...
. In late September he was evacuated to the United Kingdom where he was again hospitalised. He did not return to his unit until 23 February 1916, by which time it, along with the rest of the AIF, had been withdrawn back to
Egypt
Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
for re-organisation.
In March 1916, Leak and the rest of his battalion sailed for
France
France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
and the
Western Front. They spent several weeks in a quiet sector of the line near
Armentières
Armentières (; vls, Armentiers) is a commune in the Nord department in the Hauts-de-France region in northern France. It is part of the Métropole Européenne de Lille.
The motto of the town is ''Pauvre mais fière'' (Poor but proud).
Geogra ...
, before deploying south to the
Somme river
The Somme ( , , ) is a river in Picardy, northern France.
The river is in length, from its source in the high ground of the former at Fonsomme near Saint-Quentin, to the Bay of the Somme, in the English Channel. It lies in the geological ...
valley, where they experienced their first fighting in France. On 1July, the
Battle of the Somme
The Battle of the Somme ( French: Bataille de la Somme), also known as the Somme offensive, was a battle of the First World War fought by the armies of the British Empire and French Third Republic against the German Empire. It took place bet ...
commenced. This mainly British offensive involved attacks against German trench systems on either side of the Somme. British troops pushed slowly forward towards
Bapaume
Bapaume (original Dutch name Batpalmen) is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of northern France.
The inhabitants of this commune are known as ''Bapalmois'' or ''Bapalmoises''.
Geography
Bapaume is a farmi ...
until they were just short of the village of
Pozières
Pozières (; ) is a commune in the Somme department in Hauts-de-France in northern France.
Geography
The commune is situated on the D929 road, northeast of Amiens between Albert and Bapaume, on the Pozières ridge.
Southwest of the village on ...
, at which time the Australian 1st Division entered the fray in the
Battle of Pozières
The Battle of Pozières (23 July – 3 September 1916) took place in northern France around the village of Pozières, during the Battle of the Somme. The costly fighting ended with the British in possession of the plateau north and east of the v ...
. The German positions at Pozières were known as the "Old German" (OG) trenchesOG1 and OG2. The Australians launched a preliminary operation on 22 July, but were repulsed. The following day, the division attacked again, this time with the
1st Brigade on the left, and the 3rd Brigade on the right. Leak's battalion was allocated a sector on the far right flank of the divisional attack. The troops captured the first objective, but were held up by a German position where OG1 met "Pozières Trench".
![Victoria Cross MOD 45147516](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/3b/Victoria_Cross_MOD_45147516.jpg)
The 9th Battalion was being held up by a pair of German machine guns. An intense bomb (
hand grenade
A grenade is an explosive weapon typically thrown by hand (also called hand grenade), but can also refer to a shell (explosive projectile) shot from the muzzle of a rifle (as a rifle grenade) or a grenade launcher. A modern hand grenade genera ...
) fight began, during which the heavier
Mills bomb
"Mills bomb" is the popular name for a series of British hand grenades which were designed by William Mills. They were the first modern fragmentation grenades used by the British Army and saw widespread use in the First and Second World Wars. ...
s used by the Australians were outranged by the lighter German
Model 17 grenade
The Model 17 Eierhandgranate (German for "egg hand grenade") is a small defensive and offensive hand grenade which was used by Germany during World War I. The average soldier could throw it 40 meters or farther. It was more portable than the hea ...
s. Leak ran forward and threw three Mills bombs into the machine gun post, then leapt into the post, attacking the garrison with his
bayonet
A bayonet (from French ) is a knife, dagger, sword, or spike-shaped weapon designed to fit on the end of the muzzle of a rifle, musket or similar firearm, allowing it to be used as a spear-like weapon.Brayley, Martin, ''Bayonets: An Illustr ...
. By the time the rest of his
platoon
A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may range ...
got to the post, Leak was wiping blood off his bayonet with his
slouch hat
A slouch hat is a wide-brimmed felt or cloth hat most commonly worn as part of a military uniform, often, although not always, with a chinstrap. It has been worn by military personnel from many different nations including Australia, Ireland, the ...
. The fighting around Pozières continued after this incident, and two days later
the Germans laid down a tremendous artillery barrage on the positions that had been captured from them, described by the official Australian war correspondent,
Charles Bean
Charles Edwin Woodrow Bean (18 November 1879 – 30 August 1968), usually identified as C. E. W. Bean, was Australia's official war correspondent, subsequently its official war historian, who wrote six volumes and edited the remaining six of ...
, as "among the heaviest that occurred either on the Somme or at Verdun". During the fighting and the subsequent deluge of shells, the 9th Battalion had been reduced from a strength of 1,016 men to 623.
On 31 July, Leak was recommended for the award of the
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...
(VC) for his actions at Pozières. At that time, the VC was the highest award for
gallantry
Gallantry may refer to:
* military courage or bravery
* Chivalry
* Warrior ethos
* Knightly Piety Knightly Piety refers to a specific strand of Christian belief espoused by knights during the Middle Ages. The term comes from ''Ritterfrömmigkei ...
in battle that could be awarded to a member of the
Australian armed forces
The Australian Defence Force (ADF) is the military organisation responsible for the defence of the Commonwealth of Australia and its national interests. It consists of the Royal Australian Navy (RAN), Australian Army, Royal Australian Air Forc ...
.
After Pozières, the 9th Battalion was relieved, but it was back in action in mid-August during the
Battle of Mouquet Farm
The Battle of Mouquet Farm, also known as the Fighting for Mouquet Farm was part of the Battle of the Somme and began during the Battle of Pozières (23 July – 3 September). The fighting began on 23 July with attacks by the British Reserve A ...
. During this fighting, the 9th Battalion suffered another 163 casualties. One of those casualties was Leak, who had suffered a serious wound to the back on 21 August, during a German artillery bombardment near the "Gibraltar" blockhouse. While he was in a medical facility in France, his VC was gazetted. The citation read:
![John Leak VC AWM A03589](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/10/John_Leak_VC_AWM_A03589.jpg)
Leak was evacuated to hospital in the United Kingdom on 13 September. On 4November, he was invested with his VC by
King George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936.
Born during the reign of his grandmother Que ...
at
Buckingham Palace
Buckingham Palace () is a London royal residence and the administrative headquarters of the monarch of the United Kingdom. Located in the City of Westminster, the palace is often at the centre of state occasions and royal hospitality. It ...
. While in the UK, he breached military discipline on two occasions. In the first instance, he was charged for entering the
Sergeants' Mess and demanding a drink, and disobeying his
regimental sergeant major
Regimental sergeant major (RSM) is an appointment that may be held by warrant officers class 1 (WO1) in the British Army, the British Royal Marines and in the armies of many other Commonwealth and former Commonwealth nations, including Australi ...
in January 1917. For this he was convicted and underwent fourteen days' detention. On 23 February, he went
absent without leave
Desertion is the abandonment of a military duty or post without permission (a pass, liberty or leave) and is done with the intention of not returning. This contrasts with unauthorized absence (UA) or absence without leave (AWOL ), which a ...
until 2March, and following this conviction was punished with four days' detention and fifteen days' loss of pay.
On 23 March, Leak was transferred from the 9th Battalion to the 69th Battalion. The 69th Battalion was being raised in the United Kingdom as part of the short-lived
16th Brigade,
6th Division, which was being formed using men who were recovering from wounds or illness in the United Kingdom. In June, Leak gave evidence at the trial of an Australian soldier accused of wearing a VC ribbon on his uniform when he was not a recipient of the award. In his evidence, Leak said he had never asked the man about his VC, because "he objected to
eingquestioned himself about his own deed." He went absent without leave again in July, but this time only received a fine. The 69th Battalion was disbanded to provide reinforcements to existing units, and on 11 August Leak was transferred back to the 9th Battalion and marched out to the Overseas Training Depot.
Leak returned to the Western Front in October, after his battalion had fought in the Battles of
Broodseinde and
Passchendaele in Belgium. By this stage, Leak was clearly affected by
combat-related trauma and was not coping with the effects of the relentless shell-fire, and went absent without leave from his unit as it deployed forward into the front line to relieve Canadian troops on 1November. He was arrested five days later, was
court-martial
A court-martial or court martial (plural ''courts-martial'' or ''courts martial'', as "martial" is a postpositive adjective) is a military court or a trial conducted in such a court. A court-martial is empowered to determine the guilt of memb ...
led on 23 November, and found guilty of desertion from the line between 1and 6November. During his trial, Leak said he was unable to stand artillery fire. His sentence was
life imprisonment
Life imprisonment is any sentence of imprisonment for a crime under which convicted people are to remain in prison for the rest of their natural lives or indefinitely until pardoned, paroled, or otherwise commuted to a fixed term. Crimes for ...
, but this was commuted to two years
hard labour. Ultimately, the sentence was suspended, and Leak returned to his unit on 23 December. Leak continued to serve on the Western Front with his battalion until 7March 1918, when he was
gassed during a lengthy bombardment of his unit's positions near
Hollebeke Hollebeke is a Flemish village in the Belgian province of West Vlaanderen, now part of Ypres city.
History
In World War I, it was the site of allied heroism (like other neighbouring parts of Ypres, such as Klein Zillebeke) that won Khudadad Khan t ...
. Medically evacuated to the United Kingdom once again, he did not return to his unit before the
Armistice of 11 November 1918
The Armistice of 11 November 1918 was the armistice signed at Le Francport near Compiègne that ended fighting on land, sea, and air in World War I between the Entente and their last remaining opponent, Germany. Previous armistices ...
.
On 30 December 1918, after his court-martial sentence was finally remitted, Leak married Beatrice May Chapman in
Cardiff
Cardiff (; cy, Caerdydd ) is the capital and largest city of Wales. It forms a principal area, officially known as the City and County of Cardiff ( cy, Dinas a Sir Caerdydd, links=no), and the city is the eleventh-largest in the United Kingd ...
, Wales. On 9February 1919, Leak and Beatrice sailed for Australia aboard the , arriving in Queensland on 26 March. On 10 April, he attended a reception in his honour at Rockhampton, but declined to speak, then returned to Clermont by train. He was discharged from the AIF on 31 May. In addition to his VC, he received the
1914–15 Star
The 1914–15 Star is a campaign medal of the British Empire which was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces who served in any theatre of the First World War against the Central European Powers during 1914 and 1915. The me ...
,
British War Medal
The British War Medal is a campaign medal of the United Kingdom which was awarded to officers and men of British and Imperial forces for service in the First World War. Two versions of the medal were produced. About 6.5 million were struck in si ...
and
Victory Medal.
Later life and legacy
For a short time, Leak was involved in a firewood business with a couple of other returned servicemen, then spent time working in regional New South Wales. Next, he moved to remote mid-north
South Australia
South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a state in the southern central part of Australia. It covers some of the most arid parts of the country. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories ...
where he found work
boring wells. At some point he and his wife separated; it is unknown what happened to her. On 12 January 1927, he married Ada Victoria Bood-Smith; the couple were devoted to one another. In 1932, they moved to
Esperance, Western Australia
Esperance is a town in the Goldfields–Esperance region of Western Australia, on the Southern Ocean coastline approximately east-southeast of the state capital, Perth. The urban population of Esperance was 12,145 at June 2018. Its major in ...
, where Leak worked in a garage. In 1937, Leak was awarded the
King George VI Coronation Medal
The King George VI Coronation Medal was a commemorative medal, instituted to celebrate the coronation of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.
Issue
This medal was awarded as a personal souvenir of King George VI's coronation. It was awarded to th ...
. In the same year, the Leak family moved back to South Australia, and settled near
Crafers
The town of Crafers is in the Adelaide Hills to the south-east of Adelaide, South Australia, considered to be an outer suburb of Adelaide.
History
Crafers was named after David Crafer, who arrived in Adelaide in 1838 and moved to the area. ...
. They had eight children in total, although their first died within a year of her birth; the last was born in 1946.
Leak struggled his whole life with his war experiences, and was reluctant to talk about them for many years. One of his sons observed that "World War One destroyed him." He did not attend reunions or
Anzac Day
, image = Dawn service gnangarra 03.jpg
, caption = Anzac Day Dawn Service at Kings Park, Western Australia, 25 April 2009, 94th anniversary.
, observedby = Australia Christmas Island Cocos (Keeling) Islands Cook Islands New ...
marches, and faded into obscurity. Later in life he shared some of his experiences with his children, remembering dead comrades and also those he had killed. He stored his VC in a box in his bedroom and it largely stayed there. In later life, Leak suffered from
bronchitis
Bronchitis is inflammation of the bronchi (large and medium-sized airways) in the lungs that causes coughing. Bronchitis usually begins as an infection in the nose, ears, throat, or sinuses. The infection then makes its way down to the bronchi. ...
and
emphysema
Emphysema, or pulmonary emphysema, is a lower respiratory tract disease, characterised by air-filled spaces ( pneumatoses) in the lungs, that can vary in size and may be very large. The spaces are caused by the breakdown of the walls of the alve ...
caused by his gassing in 1918. In 1953, Leak was awarded the
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
The Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal (french: link=no, Médaille du couronnement de la Reine Élizabeth II) is a commemorative medal instituted to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II on 2 June 1953.
Award
This medal was awarded a ...
. In 1964, Ada died suddenly. Two years later, a fake VC with Leak's name engraved on it surfaced in
Melbourne
Melbourne ( ; Boonwurrung/Woiwurrung: ''Narrm'' or ''Naarm'') is the capital and most populous city of the Australian state of Victoria, and the second-most populous city in both Australia and Oceania. Its name generally refers to a met ...
, Victoria; the dealer was fined for being in possession of a forged VC.
On 20 October 1972, Leak died at
Redwood Park and was buried alongside Ada in the
Stirling
Stirling (; sco, Stirlin; gd, Sruighlea ) is a city in central Scotland, northeast of Glasgow and north-west of Edinburgh. The market town, surrounded by rich farmland, grew up connecting the royal citadel, the medieval old town with its me ...
cemetery.
A street in
Gallipoli Barracks
Enoggera Barracks (also known as Gallipoli Barracks) is an Australian Army base in the northwestern Brisbane suburb of Enoggera in Queensland, Australia. It was officially established in the early 20th century when the area was used for field ...
in
Enoggera, Queensland
Enoggera is a north-western suburb in the City of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is home to the Gallipoli Barracks.
Geography
Enoggera is by road north-west of the Brisbane GPO. The west of the suburb is dominated by Enoggera Hill () ...
, is named after him. The
John Leak monument was unveiled in Rockhampton on 20 April 2012 to honour Leak, who enlisted in the city. In 2015, while delivering the
Ode of Remembrance
"For the Fallen" is a poem written by Laurence Binyon. It was first published in ''The Times'' in September 1914.
Over time, the third and fourth stanzas of the poem (usually now just the fourth) have been claimed as a tribute to all casualti ...
, Leak's grandson Peter Townsend said his family always travel to Rockhampton for the
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day owing to the tradition of wearing a remembrance poppy) is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth member states since the end of the First World War to honour armed forces members who have died in t ...
service, which is held annually at his grandfather's memorial. As of 2018, Leak's medals were in private hands.
Footnotes
References
Books
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
News
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
Websites
*
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leak, John
1890s births
1972 deaths
Military personnel from Portsmouth
Australian Army soldiers
Australian Battle of the Somme recipients of the Victoria Cross
Australian World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross
People who were court-martialed
Australian people of Welsh descent
Burials in South Australia
20th-century Australian people
English emigrants to Australia