Private John Leak

Service number	2053, 2053A
Birth Date	1892
Birth Place	United Kingdom: England, Hampshire, Portsmouth
Death Date	1972-10-20
Death Place	Australia: South Australia, Adelaide, Redwood Park
Final Rank	Private
Service	Australian Imperial Force
Unit	9th Australian Infantry Battalion
Places	Portsmouth Redwood Park
Conflicts/Operations	First World War, 1914-1918 First World War, 1914-1918
Gazettes	Biographical information They dared mightily. in 1963 Published in London Gazette in 1916-09-09 Published in Commonwealth Gazette in 1916-12-14

Description

English-born John Leak (1892-1972) came to Australia as a boy and in January 1915 enlisted in the AIF. He served on Gallipoli and next year accompanied his unit to France, in time to be thrown into the bloody fighting at Pozières. In a battle notorious for its scale and intensity, Leak's solo attack with bombs and bayonet on a German post stood out. In a further action on 21 August he was wounded.

Few came out of Pozières without physical or mental scars and this brave soldier was no exception, yet he served on only to be severely gassed in March 1918. After a few jobs, Leak became a garage proprietor in Western Australia, before retiring to South Australia, where he died.

Collection items

Rolls

Honours and Awards (Recommendation):

Unit

9th Australian Infantry Battalion

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Private
Honours and Awards:

Unit

9th Australian Infantry Battalion

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Private
First World War Embarkation Roll:

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Private
First World War Nominal Roll:

Unit

9th Australian Infantry Battalion

Conflict

First World War, 1914-1918

Rank

Private

Timeline

Date of birth	1892
Date and unit at enlistment (ORs)	28 January 1915	9 Battalion
Date of enlistment	28 January 1915
Date of embarkation	16 April 1915
Date of honour or award	23 July 1916	Awarded Victoria Cross for action at Pozieres, France whilst serving with 9 Battalion, 3 Brigade, 1 Division as a Private
Date of recommendation honour or award	31 July 1916
Date wounded	21 August 1916	Wounded at Mouquet Farm.
Date wounded	07 March 1918	Gassed
Date returned to Australia	09 February 1919
Date of discharge	31 May 1919
Date of death	20 October 1972