| Accession Number | P02939.009 |
|---|---|
| Collection type | Photograph |
| Object type | Black & white |
| Physical description | Black & white |
| Conflict |
First World War, 1914-1918 |
| Copyright |
Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain
|
c. 1916. Studio portrait of Private John Leak VC, 9th Battalion. Pte Leak was awarded the ...
Description
c. 1916. Studio portrait of Private John Leak VC, 9th Battalion. Pte Leak was awarded the Victoria Cross for "most conspicuous bravery" on 23 July 1916 at Pozieres. During an enemy attack, Pte Leak ran forward out of a trench under heavy machine gun fire and threw three bombs into the enemy trench. When his party was being driven back by the enemy, he continued to throw bombs and was the last to withdraw at each stage. When reinforcements arrived they were able to recpature the whole trench that had been taken by the enemy. Pte Leak returned to Australia at the end of the war and was discharged on 31 May 1919.