The Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross

The Victoria Cross
Awarded to Men of Portsmouth
- Private John Leak VC -


 
Portrait
Portrait of Private John Leak
 

Location of Grave:
Stirling District Cemetery, Adelaide
 
JOHN LEAK V.C.
PRIVATE
9TH BATTALION, (QUEENSLAND), 3RD BRIGADE, 1ST DIVISION, AUSTRALIAN INFANTRY
MEDAL WON: 23 JULY 1916 POZIERES, FRANCE.
GAZETTED: 9TH SEPTEMBER 1916.
BORN: PORTSMOUTH, 1892.
DIED: 20 OCT 1972 - REDWOOD PARK, CRAFTERS, ADELAIDE, AUSTRALIA AGED 80
 
Details of the Award
For most conspicuous bravery. He was one of a party which finally captured an enemy strong point. At one assault, when the enemy's bombs were outranging ours, Private Leak jumped out of the trench, ran forward under heavy machine-gun fire at close range, and threw three bombs into the enemy's bombing post. He then jumped into the post and bayoneted three unwounded enemy bombers. Later, when the enemy in overwhelming numbers was driving his party back, he was always the last to withdraw at each stage, and kept on throwing bombs. His courage and energy had such an effect on the enemy that, on the arrival of reinforcements, the whole trench was recaptured.
 
Further Information
Although born in Portsmouth John Leak moved to Australia at an early age. He joined the Australian Army in 1915 and served in Gallipoli before being posted to France. In August 1916 he was wounded at Mouquet Farm and on 7th April 1918 was severely gassed at Hollebeke, Belgium. After the war he returned to Australia where he became a mechanic and later a garage owner.

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