John Leak
Private, 9th Battalion *. Australian Imperial Force
- Register No.
- 726 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Private all Privates →
- Unit
- 9th Battalion *. Australian Imperial Force (register: 9th Battalion, AIF) all AIF VCs →
- Date of action
- 23 July 1916 on this day → all of 1916 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 9th September, 1916 on this day → all of 1916 →
- Born
- in 1892 at Portsmouth in Hampshire
- Died
- 20th October 1972 at Adelaide, Australia
- Memorial / grave
- at Stirling Cemetery, Adelaide and on the Australian War Memorial, in Canberra, Australia
Digest of citation
Private Leak was a member of a party which finally captured an enemy strong point. On the 23rd July, 1916 at Posieres, France, during one assault, the enemy's bombs were outranging our own, Private Leak, under extremely heavy fire, ran forward and threw bombs into the enemy's bombing post, and then jumping into the post killed three of them. Later, overwhelming numbers of the enemy were driving his party back, Private Leak was always the last to leave at each stage and he continued throwing bombs. His gallant action had been such, that when the reinforcements arrived, the whole trench was recaptured
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
LEAK, John. (reg No. 726).
Private. 9th Battalion *. Australian Imperial Force.
London Gazetted on 9th September, 1916.
Born in 1892 at Portsmouth in Hampshire.
Died on 20th October 1972 at Adelaide, Australia.
Memorials on grave at Stirling Cemetery, Adelaide and on the Australian War Memorial, in Canberra, Australia.
Digest of Citation reads: Private Leak was a member of a party which finally captured an enemy strong point. On the 23rd July, 1916 at Posieres, France, during one assault, the enemy's bombs were outranging our own, Private Leak, under extremely heavy fire, ran forward and threw bombs into the enemy's bombing post, and then jumping into the post killed three of them. Later, overwhelming numbers of the enemy were driving his party back, Private Leak was always the last to leave at each stage and he continued throwing bombs. His gallant action had been such, that when the reinforcements arrived, the whole trench was recaptured.
*Queensland.
Additional information:. Private Leak was a teamster, in Queensland, before joining the Army.
For Reg No. 727 see Martin- Leake following Reg No. 841)
Additional information
Private Leak was a teamster, in Queensland, before joining the Army. For Reg No. 727 see Martin- Leake following Reg No. 841)
*Queensland.
Visit the grave or memorial
Alf recorded the memorial as: at Stirling Cemetery, Adelaide and on the Australian War Memorial, in Canberra, Australia
Map links open a search for the place name Alf recorded; please check opening times and exact locations before travelling. Many VC graves have since been restored by the Victoria Cross Trust.
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