Leonard Fredrick Slocombe: Sunday 25th February 1917
Leonard enlisted 1 July 1915 and embarked on HMAT A69 Warilda 5 October 1915. His attestation paper describes him as single, a shop assistant, 5’7½” tall, weighing 133 lb, chest size 34/35”, fair complexion, hazel eyes, brown hair with clear skin and denomination Church of England. He became Gunner 3112 with 11th Batt. Australian Field Artillery.
He served with the AIF in Egypt and France. And fought at Boursres, Fleurbaix, Armentieres, Ypres, Flers and Delville Wood. He was evacuated sick 13 November 1916, hospitalised 30 December 1916 with diarrhoea and Pyrexia rejoined his unit 7 January 1917 and on 31 January 1917 evacuated with a wound to his right leg. By 4 February this had been diagnosed as a fractured femur and he was described as dangerously ill with a compound fracture, gunshot wound to the right thigh. He died at 7 pm 25 February at no 11 stationery Hospital Rouen. He had been promoted to temp bombardier but reverted on evacuation as wounded. He is buried at St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen.
He had arranged to pay 3/- regularly into his Queensland Govt Savings a/c. He was obviously planning for a future. His effects were listed as 3 notebooks, postcard, linen bag and correspondence and these arrived with his parents Charles and Frances Agnes Ellen at 44 Endlesham Rd on 5 April 1917.
Leonard was born at Clapham in summer 1897. He was registered Leonard Fredrick but baptised on 23 August as Leonard Charles Marr at All Saints, Clapham Park. At the time the family lived at 39 Thornbury Road and his father was a clerk. He had a brother Reginald; two years older. By 1901 his father was a civil servant, 2nd division. Leonard attended Clapham Cottage School. He left England under the auspice of New South Wales government on the “Ballarat” in 1914, arriving in Australia age 17, and went to a farm school at Wollombai near Lismore. After leaving home he went to Lismore for his health and was employed there at the ‘Stores’.