| Regimental number | 3164 |
| Place of birth | Kerang, Victoria |
| School | Church of England Grammar School, Bendigo, Victoria |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Clerk |
| Address | 538 Hargreaves Street, Bendigo, Victoria |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 23 |
| Height | 5' 7" |
| Weight | 147 lbs |
| Next of kin | Mother, Mrs J N Leech, 538 Hargreaves Street, Bendigo, Victoria |
| Previous military service | Served as Corporal in the Senior Cadets. |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 23rd Battalion, 7th Reinforcement |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/40/2 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A73 Commonwealth on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Sergeant |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 58th Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 24 |
| Place of burial | Pont-du-Hem Military Cemetery (Plot XI, Row D, Grave No. 4), La Gorque, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 166 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Commemorated in Bendigo Cemetery, Victoria. Parents: Johnston Melmore (d. 16 June 1940, aged 76; bu. Bendigo) and Annie Eliza LEECH (d. 12 April 1949, aged 79; bu. Bendigo), 558 Hargreave Street, Bendigo, Victoria |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Allotted to, and proceeded to 58th Bn from 6th Training Bn, Zeitoun, 23 February 1916; taken on strength of 58th Bn and reverts to the rank of Private, Tel el Kebir, 23 February 1916. Promoted to Sergeant, 3 March 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 17 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916. Posted missing, 19 July 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 1 September 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'. Note, Red Cross File No 1580302: 'No trace Germany. Cert. by Capt. Mills 10.10.19.' Statement, 2087 Pte A.J. STONE, 58th Bn (patient, No 12 General Hospital, Rouen), 24 March 1917: 'At [the] Fromelles front he was killed and after the attack men went out and brought in the papers from his body, and handed them over to the orderly room.' Second statement, 3122 Corporal R. HUMPHRIES, B Company, 58th Bn (escort resting at 51st General Hospital, Etaples), 15 May 1917: 'He was killed in the affair at Fleurbaix on July 19th. the last I saw of him he was lying up against Fritz's barbed wire dead. I saw his body lying there just as we retired. None of us got into the German trench at this point. The body had o be left there.' Third statement, 4772 Pte R.A. DAVENPORT, A Company, 58th Bn (patient, Beaufort War Hospital, Bristol, England), 9 December 916: 'He was killed in a stunt on July 19th 1916, by machine gun fire. I saw him fall but it was impossible to get his body in.' Fourth statement, 4296 Pte R.H. CONINSBY, A Company, 58th Bn, 1 June 1917: 'I saw him killed instantly at Fleurbaix - hit in the head by a bullet. We were attacking about 6-15 p.m. daylight. I was about 20 yards from him. We held the ground. I was hit a little after and do not know any more. I am sure he was killed.' Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Miscellaneous details | Surname incorrectly entered on Embarkation Roll as LEACH. |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, LEECH William
Red Cross file 1580302 |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
