The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of Lieutenant Leo William Hall Anderson, 8th Light Horse Regiment, AIF, First World War.

The Last Post Ceremony is presented in the Commemorative area of the Australian War Memorial each day. The ceremony commemorates more than 102,000 Australians who have given their lives in war and other operations and whose names are recorded on the Roll of Honour. At each ceremony the story behind one of the names on the Roll of Honour is told. Hosted by Richard Cruise, the story for this day was on Lieutenant Leo William Hall Anderson, 8th Light Horse Regiment, AIF, First World War.

Lieutenant Leo William Hall Anderson, 8th Light Horse Regiment, AIF
KIA 7 August 1915

Today we remember and pay tribute to Lieutenant Leo William Hall Anderson.

Leo Anderson was born on 18 June 1895 in Launching Place, Victoria, the son of William and Lucy Anderson. His brother Noel was born two years later, after the family had returned to William’s home town of Ballarat.

In a terrible blow for the family, on 3 February 1899 William died suddenly at the age of 32. Lucy would later re-marry, but remained in Ballarat.

Leo went on to attend Ballarat Agricultural High School, and towards the end of his term there, applied for and was accepted into the Royal Military College, Duntroon. He entered RMC on 7 March 1912 and became a member of Third Class.

A little over a year into his training, Anderson was part of the Guard of Honour for the naming ceremony of Canberra which took place on 12 March 1913.

On 2 November 1914, months after the outbreak of the First World War, Anderson graduated early and was commissioned with the rank of lieutenant. The following day, he was posted to the 8th Light Horse Regiment, which was training at Broadmeadows Camp in Victoria.

He embarked with his unit from Melbourne aboard the transport ship
Star of Victoria on 25 February 1915, bound for Egypt. The 8th Light Horse arrived in Egypt after the bulk of the AIF had sailed for Lemnos in preparation for the landing at Gallipoli.

The 8th Light Horse Regiment underwent an intense training regime over the following weeks.

Following the landings at Gallipoli and the need to reinforce the infantry battalions, it was decided to send the light horse regiments to Gallipoli. On 16 May, the 8th Light Horse Regiment embarked from Alexandria bound for Gallipoli. Around 4 pm on 21 May, the men of the 8th Light Horse were ferried from their ships to the beach. In the ensuing days, the regiment would move up to Walker’s Ridge and into front line positions opposite the Nek. They spent the following months rotating between front line duty, supports, and rear areas.

With the Gallipoli Campaign deadlocked, it was decided to launch a new offensive to capture the Sari Bair Range. On 5 August, the 8th Light Horse Regiment took over the front line trenches at Russell’s Top in preparation. The men were keen to do well, but knew their enemy were waiting.

Anderson was amongst the first wave of men to go over the top on 7 August. When commanding officer Colonel Alexander White blew his whistle to attack around 4.30 am, the Australians of the 8th Light Horse rose as one and were met by a withering hail of Ottoman rifle and machine-gun fire.

Anderson was likely shot very early on. He was brought back into the trench and evacuated to No. 1 Australian Casualty Clearing Station, which, due to the high amount of casualties, was a scene of chaos.

Sadly his wound proved to be mortal and he died a short time later. The Reverend Edward Makeham, chaplain for the 3rd Light Horse Brigade officiated at Anderson’s burial in the Ari Burnu Cemetery later that afternoon.

Lieutenant Colonel Leslie Maygar VC wrote of Anderson that “this officer shewed excellent qualities, ability and promise and by his early death the Service and the Commonwealth suffered a great loss.”

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, among almost 62,000 Australians who died while serving in the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of service and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Lieutenant Leo William Hall Anderson, who gave his life for us, for our freedoms, and in the hope of a better world.

Michael Kelly
Historian, Military History Section