Sapper Reuben Leonard

SAPPER REUBEN LEONARD

4019 – Tunnelling Company Details

Reuben Leonard was born in Walker, Northumberland, England about 1857 the son of Thomas and Mary Ann Leonard. In 1861 the family was made up of Thomas (41) Mary Ann (37), Thomas (16), Margaret (11), William (9) Prudence (6), Reuben (3) and Sarah Ann (1).

In 1871 the family had moved to Cockerton, Harrowgate Hill in Durham and residing there were Thomas (50), Mary Ann (48), William (18), Reuben (13) who was a scholar and Sarah Ann (11). By 1881 everyone had left home leaving Thomas (61) and Mary Ann (58) and Reuben (23) who worked as a Puddler residing at 9 Vine Street, Stockton-on-Tees, Newcastle, England. In 1901 Reuben (43) was a boarder with the Pope family at 329 Cannon Street, Middleborough, Yorkshire where he worked as an Ironworker. Later he came to Victoria.

On March 11, 1916 at the recruiting depot in Melbourne, Vic Reuben applied to enlist for active service abroad and passed the medical examination. Forgetting a quite a few birthdays to give his age as forty-four and a half years of age the miner completed Attestation Forms. Personal information taken shows he was 162cms (5ft 3½ins) tall, weighed 53kgs (117lbs) with a chest expansion of 87-89cms (34-35ins). Complexion was fresh with grey eyes and scanty dark grey hair. Distinctive marks were two vaccination scars and a tattoo on his right arm, a scar on his abdomen and part of his little finger was missing on his right hand. Church of England was his religion. Next-of-kin was his wife Mrs Isabella Leonard, of 72 Abbottsford Street, North Melbourne, Vic and allotted two-fifths of his pay to support his wife and family. Swearing in took place the same day.

He entered Broadmeadows camp, Melbourne the same day for basic training and was assigned to the No. 5 Tunnelling Company in the rank of Sapper with the regimental number 4019.

The No. 5 Company was recruited from Victoria, South Aust. & Tasmania and made up of Headquarters and 2 Sections (8 officers & 173 men) (3 M.D.). 1 Section from Tasmania (3 officers & 76 O.Rs); also 1st Reinforcements for No. 5 Company (17 men from Vic. & 8 men Tas.)

Early in May 1916 No. 4 company recruits embarked from Brisbane, Qld aboard HMAT A69 Warilda for Sydney, NSW. Six officers and 152 other ranks together with the 1st Reinforcements of fifteen other ranks made up the two sections. At Rosebery Park, Sydney, NSW they joined their Headquarters and two sections (8 officers & 153 O.Rs.) plus 1st Reinforcements consisting of one officer and seventeen other ranks for final training.

The 7713-ton transport Warilda sailed from Sydney, NSW on May 22, 1916 and collected in Melbourne, Vic the No. 5 company departing on May 25, 1916 for Adelaide, S.A. to collect one Section of 3 officers & 76 O.Rs with 1st Reinforcements of 8 O.Rs.

Docking at Fremantle, W.A. on June 1, 1916 added No. 6 Company recruited from W.A. of 14 officers and 325 O.Rs along with 1st Reinforcements of 1 Officer & 32 O.Rs, set forth on their voyage the same day.

Durban, South Africa was reached on June 16, 1916 and Cape Town on June 21, 1916 while St Vincent completed the African ports of call on July 7, 1916. Discipline was fairly good except at intermediate ports where Away without Leave caused concern. The fifty-eight day voyage experienced remarkable pleasant weather terminating at Plymouth, England on July 18, 1916. Four, Five and Six Companies comprising of 1064 officers and other ranks were detrained to Amesbury and Tidworth to begin training for the front at Perham Down’s camp.

The Reinforcements proceeded to France on August 28, 1916 arriving at the 2nd Aust General Base Depot the next day. Sapper Leonard was attached on October 12 to the 1st Anzac Entrenching Battalion which was an advanced section of the Base Depot that organised works near the lines and through duties, usually of ten days duration, would accustom the reinforcements to war conditions before being assigned to a company in the field.

He was attached on October 26, 1916 to the 1st Canadian Tunnelling Company but the next day entered the 13th Field Ambulance suffering Myalgia (muscular pain). Later that day was moved to the 41st Divisional Rest Station but on October 30 transferred to the 13th General Hospital at Wimereux with Rheumatism.

Relocated from the field to the No. 1 Command Depot at Boulogne on November 3, 1916 noted as ‘unfit to Base Details’ re-entered the 13th General Hospital in Boulogne with Debility. He returned to England on the hospital ship St David and admitted to the Reading War Hospital diagnosed with age and debility.

On November 22, 1916 he was transferred to the 2nd Aust Auxiliary Hospital in Southall remaining until the end of November. While in Ward D, bed 9 his medical report stated on arrival:

Disease:Rheumatism

Ypres, October 22 Left knee and leg. Back quite good.

Now:still some pain in leg.

Recommended:Weymouth

He was discharged to the No. 2 C.D. at Weymouth where he remained until he embarked from Plymouth on board the H.T. Beltana on March 17, 1917 for discharge due to overage and rheumatism. The ship docked in Melbourne, Vic (3rd M.D.) on May 12, 1917.

Military Discharge was issued in Melbourne (3rd M.D.) on June 26, 1917 as medically unfit.

In 1919 his address was 1 Brett Street, Brunswick, Vic and he was a labourer.

For serving his country Sapper Reuben Leonard, Tunnelling Company Details was issued with the British War Medal (45456) and the Victory Medal (44684).

A receipt for the War Medal was dated Mary 25, 1921 and he sent with the following note to collect the Victory Medal on June 22, 1922:

A Statement of Service dated August 4, 1924 was sent to the Repatriation Commission.

His address in 1924 was still 1 Brett Street, Brunswick, Vic.

In 1931 their residence was 13 Park Street, Kelvin Grove, Brisbane, Qld and a Statement of Service went to the Brisbane Section of the Repatriation Commission on February 23, 1932.

On August 21, 1939 Reuben Leonard passed away in Brisbane aged 72 years and the following appeared in The Courier-Mail on Tuesday August 22, 1939:

A Statement of Service was forwarded to the Repatriation Commission in Brisbane on November 2, 1939

His grave is located in Portion 10 of the Toowong Cemetery, Brisbane in grave no. 56 in Section 77 and marked as a Commonwealth War grave.