Leslie Raymond Poad

Leslie Raymond Poad

Personal Information
Date of Birth	2 Dec 1904
Place of Birth	Mount Morgan, Western Australia
Death	2 Dec 1996, aged 92
Place of Death	Kelmscott, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	37 years, 3 months
Description	5'5" (1.65m) tall ; 140lbs 63.503 kg ; fair complexion ; brown eyes ; brown hair
Occupation	Farmer
Religion	Methodist
Address	Seventh road, Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Wife , Mrs. Florence Mary Poad
Military Information
Reg Number	W67635
Date of Enlistment	22 Mar 1942
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	2nd (Fremantle) VDC Battalion
Post War Details
Fate	Remained in Australia

Leslie Raymond Poad

Plaque Information
Date of Birth	02 December 1904
Age at Death	92 years
Transcription	In Loving Memory of Leslie Raymond Poad Born 02/12/1904 Died 02/12/1996 Aged 92 Years

Early Life

Leslie Poad's parents were Edwin Poad and Margaret Anne Poad (nee Crowl) who married 1893 in Victoria, after Edwin Poad had come to Australia from Cornwall in 1892. Leslie was born in Mt Morgan, a gold mining area west of Laverton. Sometime later, his parents moved to Dardanup. In his teens and early adulthood, Leslie was a farmer with the family; in the 1931 electoral roll, he is listed as a farmer, with the family living at 'Stenelees', a property close to Dardanup. Leslie Raymond Poad (1904-1996) moved to the district from Dardanup in the mid-1930s.

Marriage

Les Poad's first wife was Florence Mary Poad (1912-2003). The couple married in 1935. Their sons were Barry Poad (1936-1990), Keith Poad (1939-1947), Alan Poad (1944-2018) and Ronald. The children were educated at Westfield State School. Leslie Poad's second marriage was to Shirley Igglesden (nee Allen).

Property

The Poad family lived on Seventh Road (a former portion of which is now known as Poad Street). Leslie Poad first bought 276 acres in 1934, a dairy farm which formerly belonged to L.W. Wells. He married Florence Mary Smith in 1935, and by 1942 the young couple were living on 110 acres on Seventh Road, according to rates books from the time. Mr. Poad resided in the Kelmscott hills during the 1980s.

Community Contribution

Les Poad was Captain of the North-West Armadale Bush Fire Brigade which was established in 1953. The unit operated from Poad's property. His interest in fire prevention first appears in the records of the Armadale-Kelmscott Road Board in 1938. Leslie's son Barry Poad was a well-respected Rotarian and community figure who had a local park, Barry Poad Reserve, named in his honour.

World War II Service

Enlistment is dated from when VDC units were taken over by the Army. On 22 Mar 1942 Leslie enlisted in the Volunteer Defence Corps and was allocated to the 2nd (Fremantle) VDC Battalion. He was discharged on 7 Feb 1944 at his own request.