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William Alfred Leaver MC MM

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William Alfred Leaver MC MM
Leaver William Alfred.jpg
Australian Fighting Sons of the Empire p.204
Leaver family.jpg
Charles (Jnr), Charles (Snr), William Leaver
Personal Information
Date of Birth Sep 1895
Place of Birth Cobar, New South Wales
Age at Enlistment 19 years
Occupation Teacher
Religion Church of England
Address 62 Cargill street, Victoria Park, Western Australia
Next of Kin Mother , Mrs Mabel Leaver
Military Information
Reg Number 467
Date of Enlistment 8 Mar 1915
Rank Lieutenant
Unit/Formation 28th Battalion, C Company
Date of Embarkation 29 Jun 1915
Ship Embarked On HMAT A11 Ascanius
Date of Return 1919
Ship Returned On HMAT A30 Borda Served as paymaster during voyage
Fate WIA 1917
Returned to Australia
Monument Gosnells Road Board Honour Roll
Victoria Park Honour Roll
Medals Military Cross
Military Medal
1914-15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal



Pre War

Educated in Adelaide before the family moved to Western Australia.

War Service

Enlisted in WA as a private and allocated to C Company of the 28th Battalion, then being raised in Perth. Sailed with them to Egypt in June 1915 and on to Gallipoli where he served for a short time until he suffered with a poisoned hand requiring his evacuation.

Following being awarded the Military Medal he was commissioned 2nd lieutenant on 27 Dec 1916, and later promoted to Lieutenant on 27 May 1917. Soon after he was seriously wounded requiring evacuation to England for treatment. Following his recovery he was sent home to Australia serving as the Paymaster on HMAT A30 Borda in 1919.

Both his father 5363 Sapper Charles Henry Leaver, and his brother 5425 Private Charles Henry Leaver served in France and returned to Australia.

Award Comment

Military Medal

"During the attack on German positions north of Flers, on morning of 5th November, 1916, displayed great courage and endurance, both during and after the action. He displayed utter disregard for personal safety, going out after two enemy snipers who were causing casualties amongst our men, and accounted for them. This was done under heavy shell fire."[1]

Military Cross

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He organised a bombing attack at a critical time and succeeded in gaining a lot of the enemy's trench. he set a fine example to his men. He was subsequently wounded."[2]

Post War

Notes

Best match for W Lever on Gosnells Road Board Honour Roll. Connection to Gosnells not yet proven, however, as a teacher he may well have taught in District. He is included on the Victoria Park Memorial.


William's full records are amalgamated with his service as SP6343 (Russia 1919?) and are therefore not on the Australian Archives site.

  1. Commonwealth Gazette No 103, dated 29 Jun 1917
  2. Commonwealth Gazette No 133, dated 21 August 1917.

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