Studio portrait of five of the six Leane brothers, sons of Thomas and Alice Leane of Prospect, ...

Studio portrait of five of the six Leane brothers, sons of Thomas and Alice Leane of Prospect, SA. Left to right: standing: Major Benjamin Bennett Leane (1889-1917), 48th Battalion, Lieutenant Colonel Raymond Lionel Leane MC (1878-1962), 11th Battalion and 373 Warrant Officer 1 Ernest Albert Leane (1869-?), 27th Battalion. Seated: Major Edwin Thomas Leane (1867-1928), AIF Ordnance Service, and Major Allan William Leane (1872-1917), 28th Battalion. The Leane family became famous for their extraordinary wartime service. During the First World War, with the exception of Norman Short Leane, almost every male member of military age offered himself for active service and was accepted. Norman Leane later served in the Second World War. Edwin Thomas Leane's sons, Allan Edwin Leane, Geoffrey Paul Leane and Reuben Ernest Leane, all served in the 48th Battalion. His son Maxwell Leane also served in the RAN. Allan Edwin Leane died of wounds in 1917. Ernest Albert Leane's son Arnold Leane also served in the 27th Battalion and was killed in action in 1916. Raymond Leane was awarded the Military Cross for actions at Gaba Tepe, Gallipoli on 4 May 1915. An action in which he led a successful attack on Turkish defences on 31 July 1915 led to the position becoming named Leane's Trench. On 1 June 1918 Raymond was promoted to Brigadier General. His outstanding war career and later service as a Police Commissioner led to a knighthood in 1944. Major Benjamin Bennett Leane was killed in action on 10 April 1917. Lieutenant Colonel Allan William Leane died of shrapnel wounds received at Delville Wood, France, on 4 January 1917.