| Regimental number | 186 |
| Place of birth | Campbell Street, Glebe, Sydney, New South Wales |
| School | Glebe Public School, New South Wales |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Fireman |
| Address | 73 St John's Road, Glebe, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 19 |
| Height | 5' 8" |
| Weight | 162 lbs |
| Next of kin | Father, John Hedges, 73 St John's Road, Glebe, Sydney, New South Wales |
| Previous military service | Served in the Royal Australian Naval Reserve. |
| Enlistment date | |
| Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll | |
| Place of enlistment | Liverpool, New South Wales |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 30th Battalion, A Company |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/47/1 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A72 Beltana on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 30th Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Fleurbaix, France (Battle of Fromelles) |
| Age at death | 20 |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 20 |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | V.C. Corner (Panel No 2), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 119 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: John and Cecilia HEDGES, 'Re-No-Le', The Boulevard, Long Bay, New South Wales. Native of Glebe |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Embarked Sydney, 9 November 1915; disembarked Suez, 11 December 1915. Admitted No 15 Field Ambulance, Tel el Kebir, 9 March 1916 (displaced cartilage); transferred to No 2 Australian Stationary Hospital, 9 March 1916; discharged and rejoined unit, 11 March 1916. Found guilty, 13 June 1916, of neglecting to obey an order, 12 June 1916; awarded 3 days' Field Punishment No 2. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916. Killed in action, 20 July 1916. Red Cross File No 1310401 has statement from 1067 Pte S.G. EVANS, 30th Bn (patient, 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital, Harefield, England), 18 December 1916: 'Witness states he was sniped behind the ear, in the morning, he was close to him at the time. It occurred in the trenches at Convent Avenue, near Fromelles, the died the same night. He was taken to the dressing-station and well looked after. GENERAL McKAY and BRIGADIER TIVEY both spoke to him, saying he was "one of the best'[.] Witness knew him well, his initials and his number. [H]e was probably buried in a little Cemetery 2 miles away.' Second statement, 289 Pte S.W. STRIKE, A Company, 30th Bn (patient, Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, England), 5 January 1917: 'Sergt. Coady and Pte. Hedges were both killed at Fromelles on July 20th 1916 when digginig a trench out in the open. They were both shot through the back with snipers' bullets and killed instantly. It was evening when this happened.' Third statement, 1047 Corporal C.B. burgess, 30th Bn (patient, 3rd London General Hospital, Wandsworth, England), 12 December 1916: 'Informant states that on July 19th. 1916 at Fleurbaix Hedges was digging a communication trench between the German Lines and ours, and was shot by machine gun. He laid his head on his arm and died instantly.' Fourth statement, 132 Pte R.O. CASSON, 30th Bn (patient, 3rd Auxiliary hospital, Dartford, England), 17 January 1917: 'I knew him personally, he was one of my mates, he came from Sydney. He was killed by machine gun. He was hit in the shoulder and died instantly. I saw him when they brought him back into our lines. It happened in a charge in No Man's Land. He was buried at Fleurbaix, there was a cross on the grave with name, number etc.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, HEDGES Leonard Jack
Red Cross file 1310401 |
Postal Address:
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Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
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