The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (5072) Private Leslie George Cairns, 59th Battalion (Infantry), 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 Gerard Pratt, the story for this day was on (5072) Private Leslie George Cairns, 59th Battalion (Infantry), First World War.

5072 Private Leslie George Cairns, 59th Battalion
DOD 20 September 1917
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 17 October 2013

Today, we remember and pay tribute to Private Leslie George Cairns.

Leslie Cairns was the son of George and Martha Cairns of Eaglehawk, Victoria. He worked as a miner in several of the mines around Bendigo. He was well-known in the district, with a wide circle of friends, and a keen sportsman, playing football and shooting competitively.

Cairns enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force in January 1916 and was sent to Egypt with the 16th reinforcements to the 6th Battalion. While in Suez he became ill with pleurisy and spent 10 weeks in hospital. On recovering he was transferred to the 59th Battalion, with whom he went to England and continued his training on Salisbury Plain.

However, Cairns's health would again decline; he had an attack of appendicitis before again coming down with pleurisy. His condition declined to the point where he had to be operated on to drain the pus from his lungs, and he remained seriously ill for a number of months. A medical board found that his illness was a result of natural causes, but that it had been aggravated by active service, and he was sent home.

His transport ship arrived in Port Melbourne in April 1917, and from there he was taken immediately to the Caulfield Military Hospital. He never left. Leslie Cairns died there on 20 September 1917. His death was later certified as being due to his war service. He was buried in Eaglehawk Civil Cemetery, Bendigo, with a large service attended by returned and current soldiers as well as family and friends. One month later, his father died and was buried in the same grave as his son.

Leslie Cairns's name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 60,000 others from the First World War.

This is but one of the many stories of courage and sacrifice told here at the Australian War Memorial. We now remember Private Leslie George Cairns, and all those Australians who have given their lives in the service of our nation.