Leonard George Morgan
From Our Contribution
 | |
| Personal Information | |
|---|---|
| Date of Birth | c1896 |
| Place of Birth | Armadale, Western Australia |
| Death | 25 Sep 1959, aged 63 |
| Place of Death | Maylands, Western Australia |
| Age at Enlistment | 19 years, 5 months |
| Description |
5' 5½" (1.66m) tall ; 115 lbs 52.163 kg ; fair complexion ; blue eyes ; dark brown hair |
| Occupation | Railway porter |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Address | Seventh road, Armadale, Western Australia |
| Next of Kin | Father , Mr William Reid Morgan |
| Military Information | |
| Reg Number | 2677 |
| Date of Enlistment | 12 Mar 1916 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit/Formation | 51st Battalion, 6th Reinforcment / 13th Brigade, 4th Division |
| Date of Embarkation | 13 Oct 1916 ‒ 2 Dec 1916 |
| Ship Embarked On | HMAT A23 Suffolk |
| Date of Return | 22 Jan 1920 ‒ 28 Feb 1920 |
| Ship Returned On | SS Friedrichsruhe |
| Fate |
Wounded in Action 26 Aug 1917 in Ypres salient Returned to Australia |
| Monument |
Armadale War Memorial (West Armadale panel) Armadale and Districts Roll of Honour |
| Medals |
British War Medal Victory Medal |
Pre War
War Service
Soon after enlisting he spent two months at Signals school, before being assigned to the 6th reinforcement draft for the 51st Battalion.
On arrival in the UK, he spent Christmas in England before heading for France on the HMT Princess Victoria out of Folkestone on 28 Dec 1916.
Taken on strength by the 51st Battalion on 28 Jan 1917 which was then in reserve trenches at Flers preparatory to spending time in the front line at that location. His unit carried out an attack near Longatte to the east of Bullecourt on 2 Apr 1917 and then had a supporting role during 1st Bullecourt. They were then rested west of Bapaume.
On 15 Jun 1917 in Belgium Leonard sought help from the 13th Field Ambulance for synovitis of the right knee. Admitted to the 24th General Hospital from 28 Jun to 9 Jul 1917, he was then released to the 6th Convalescent Depot in Étaples for a week and then the 5th Convalescent Depot in Cayeux before being released back to duty on 30 Jul 1917. He rejoined the battalion on 25 Aug 1917.
The 51st Battalion spent a few days during July in the front line, and again in August, this time in the Wulverghen and Kemmel Sectors. The day after Leonard rejoined the battalion (26 Aug 1917) he was caught by artillery fire while part of a working party. Ten men from his unit were killed and another 24 wounded. Leonard's wounds were described as a gun shot wound to the left of his Back - mild.
Leonard was evacuated via the 4th Field Ambulance; the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station, and the 18th General Hospital in Camiers, and transported on 30 Aug 1917 to the UK aboard HMHS St David before being admitted to the County of Middlesex War Hospital in Napsbury on 31 Aug 1917. On 8 Sep 1917 he was transferred to the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital until 11 Sep 1917 when he was released to duty. The rest of the year was spent in a variety of command depots and training units until 5 Jan 1918 when he spent time in the 4th Division Signal School at Codford in England before returning to France on 1 Apr 1918, and the battalion on 8 Apr 1918. Suffering pyrexia, he was admitted to hospital on 29 May 1918, and was discharged on 31 May 1918.
Leonard was transferred to the 4th Division Signal School on 30 Sep 1918 and did not rejoin his battalion until 6 Nov 1918 by which time it had been withdrawn from the line.
In Dec 1918 Leonard was ill with influenza, having been seen by the 13th Field Ambulance and the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station on 4 Dec 1918 before being admitted to the 9th General Hospital in Rouen on 6 Dec 1918. With recovery under way, he was transferred to the Australian Convalescent Depot at Le Havre until 4 Jan 1919 when he rejoined the 51st Battalion.
On 12 Mar 1919 Leonard was transferred to the Australian Pay Corps in England until he returned to Australia. On 6 Jun 1919 he was charged with being AWOL from 9:30am on 4 Jun until 8:45am on 5 Jun 1919, and forfeited 3 day's pay on being found guilty. An entry in his B 103 refers to him being remanded on 23 Oct 1919 at Warwick Square for a District Court Martial. Discharged 5th Military District 7 May 1920.
His name had appeared in the 1917 Feb-Mar edition of The Drill of the Foot-Hills, no details were given.
Post War
In 1933 Leonard married Evelyn A Fowler in Perth. Evelyn died on 6 Feb 1983, aged 83.
Electoral Roll entries- 1921 - 22 farm hand at Burekup; 1922 railway employee, Stephen street, Bunbury ; 1925 - 1931 Ocean drive, Bunbury; 1936 - 1937 at 13 Eighth avenue, Bassendean; 1943 at 133 First avenue, Bassendean, labourer; 1949 - 1959 clerk at 71 Crawford road, Maylands.
Evelyn remains there until after 1963 when she moved to Flat 228, Westlea (437), Stirling Hwy, Claremont until her death.
Notes