| Regimental number | 43 |
| Place of birth | Melbourne, Victoria |
| School | Christian Brothers' College, East Melbourne, Victoria |
| Other training | University of Melbourne, Victoria (2nd yr Engineering) |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Occupation | Student |
| Address | 10 Melton Street, Albert Park, Victoria |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 19 |
| Height | 5' 6.75" |
| Weight | 147 lbs |
| Next of kin | Father, J. Basto, Commercial Travellers' Club, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Previous military service | Lieutenant, Melbourne Cadets. Enlisted as Sergeant, University Rifles, Citizen Military Forces. |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Rank on enlistment | Sergeant |
| Unit name | 6th Battalion, A Company |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/23/1 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A20 Hororata on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Sergeant |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 6th Battalion |
| Other details from Roll of Honour Circular | Was platoon sergeant on leaving Egypt; was told he was next on list for commissioning (information from father). |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Gallipoli, Turkey |
| Date of death | |
| Age at death | 20 |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 20 |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | The Lone Pine Memorial (Panel 25), Gallipoli, Turkey The Lone Pine Memorial, situated in the Lone Pine Cemetery at Anzac, is the main Australian Memorial on Gallipoli, and one of four memorials to men of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force. Designed by Sir John Burnet, the principal architect of the Gallipoli cemeteries, it is a thick tapering pylon 14.3 metres high on a square base 12.98 metres wide. It is constructed from limestone mined at Ilgardere in Turkey. The Memorial commemorates the 3268 Australians and 456 New Zealanders who have no known grave and the 960 Australians and 252 New Zealanders who were buried at sea after evacuation through wounds or disease. The names of New Zealanders commemorated are inscribed on stone panels mounted on the south and north sides of the pylon, while those of the Australians are listed on a long wall of panels in front of the pylon and to either side. Names are arranged by unit and rank. The Memorial stands over the centre of the Turkish trenches and tunnels which were the scene of heavy fighting during the August offensive. Most cemeteries on Gallipoli contain relatively few marked graves, and the majority of Australians killed on Gallipoli are commemorated here. |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 45 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Joseph James and Elizabeth BASTO, 'The Commercial Travellers' Club', Melbourne, Victoria |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Gallipoli Embarked Alexandria to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force (Gallipoli Campaign), 5 April 1915. Posted missing in action, Gallipoli, 25 April 1915. Now, 13 June 1915, reported as 'Killed in Action, 25 April 1915'. Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, BASTO Leo Patrick |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
