The Last Post Ceremony commemorating the service of (1716) Private Hector McDonald McLeod, 31st Battalion, 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 (1716) Private Hector McDonald McLeod, 31st Battalion, First World War.

1716 Private Hector McDonald McLeod, 31st Battalion
KIA 20 July 1916
No photograph in collection

Story delivered 9 June 2014

Today we remember and pay tribute to Private Hector McDonald McLeod.

Hector McLeod was a 33-year-old labourer from West Wyalong who enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force on 20 July 1915. He enlisted in Queensland and from there was sent to Egypt with the 2nd reinforcements to the 31st Battalion. There he continued training, and a few months later he was transferred to France to fight on the Western Front.

The first major action for the 31st Battalion was against German positions near the French village of Fromelles. At 4pm on 19 July 1916 the battalion moved into position in the front line, and two hours later the first wave charged over the parapet and headed into no-man’s land, followed by the second, third, and fourth waves.

Lieutenant Colonel Frederick William Toll, commanding the 31st Battalion, moved out with the fourth wave. Moving towards the enemy’s position he found “great devastation had taken place by our gun fire and many of the enemy were dead and dying in their dugouts and emplacements”. Many of Toll’s men, too, were dead or dying in the field.

One of these men was Private Hector McLeod. As he left his trench for no man’s land McLeod was hit by machine-gun fire almost immediately. His good friend Private Cummings saw him fall, but had to carry on and did not see him again. The 31st Battalion, although it made some ground during the operation, was eventually forced back into its own lines by withering German fire.

McLeod remained missing, his body never recovered. There was very little definite news to be had. Sergeant Wilson said in April 1917 that while some said he was killed and others said wounded and missing: “If you have had no news of him by this time I am afraid he has crossed to the great beyond. It is awful to see how many are to be buried when we drive the Hun back … I am sorry I cannot give you any better news.” A court of inquiry four months later found that Hector McDonald McLeod had been killed in action in the fighting around Fromelles on 20 July 1916, exactly one year after he had enlisted in the army. His final resting place remains unknown.

His name is listed on the Roll of Honour on my right, along with more than 60,000 others from the First World War. There is no photograph in the Memorial’s collection to display beside the Pool of Reflection.

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