Leslie James Godfrey

Personal Information
Date of Birth	unknown
Place of Birth	Springvale, Victoria
Death	3 Aug 1919
Place of Death	New South Wales
Age at Enlistment	21 years, 10 months
Description	none available
Occupation	brickmaker
Religion	Church of England
Address	NOK Ashfield, New South Wales
Next of Kin	Mother Mrs Elizabeth Godfrey
Military Information
Reg Number	1472
Date of Enlistment	19 Nov 1914
Rank	Driver
Unit/Formation	16th Battalion, 2nd reinforcements, transferred to 4th Machine Gun Battalion / 4th Division
Date of Embarkation	22 Feb 1915 - ? Mar 1915
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A46 Clan McGillivray
Date of Return	7 Feb 1919 - 21 Mar 1919
Ship Returned On	SS Lancashire
Fate	Wounded in Action 16 Jul 1915 at Anzac Cove
Monument	Armadale (Armadale panel)
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

War Service

Received only basic training in Australia before being shipped to Egypt, where he would have had only one more month of training before landing at Anzac Cove on 2 May 1915.

He joined the 16th Battalion and fought in the offensive and counter offensive that followed. On July 5th the battalion was shipped to Imbros Island aboard the El Kalura for a break. This boat returned them to Anzac Cove in the early evening of the 10 July 1915, where they then moved up to Reserve Gully. It was here that Leslie was to fall victim of a Turkish artillery shell which caused a 'slight' wound to the back of his neck.

Evacuated to Military Hospital in Malta on the Italian HS Sicilia on 16 Jul 1915, he returned to Egypt on the HMHS Karoa on 12 Aug 1915.

Back on the Gallipoli Peninsula, he rejoined the 16th Battalion on 8 Oct 1915. He was again hospitalised locally for a time before again rejoining the battalion on 14 Nov 1915.

While in Egypt following the evacuation, Les had a couple of brushes with the law, and soon after arrival in France he was again in hospital, resulting in a reassessment of Corps and unit that he was posted to. Travelled to France from Alexandria on HMT Canada, arriving in Marseilles on 9 Jun 1916.

On 9 Mar 1916 he was classified as a driver, and posted to the 4th Machine Gun Company. He took a couple more unauthorised leave breaks, each resulting in imprisonment, and has several more trips to hospital, including one that required him to travel to England aboard the HS Stad Antwerpen on 22 Sep 1917 and being admitted to hospital in Aldershot.

Soon after his health improved, he again absconded and was declared an illegal absentee by a Court of Inquiry. When caught he was awarded 60 days detention, but only required to serve 20 of them before being sent back to France where he rejoined his unit on 8 Apr 1918.

He appears to have spent the rest of the war without blemish, before being sent back to Australian in Feb 1919.

Discharged at 5th Military District 20 May 1919

"L.J. Godfrey enlisted in October, 1914, as driver, and sailed 22nd February, 1915, with the 16th Battalion. Fought through the Gallipoli campaign, landing and evacuation; was wounded 5th August, 1915. Now driver in the 4th Machine Gun Section, France.

Post War

He was probably in New South Wales from the 1920s to 1960s, working as a machinist or a fitter. In 1924, at 283 Belmont street, Alexandrea, Sydney when he applied for assistance from the War Service Homes Commission. March 1937 in Sydney seeking another set of medals, but in Mar 1967 he wrote from Mandurah seeking his Anzac Commemoration Medal. 1968 Electoral Roll lists him at 34 Cooper street, Mandurah; and in 1972 at 44 Symmons street, Bunbury - no occupation or partner for either entry implying single and retired.