The AIF Project

Alfred Bernard LEARY

Regimental number3586
Place of birthGeelong, Victoria
SchoolSt Mary's School, Geelong, Victoria
ReligionRoman Catholic
OccupationLabourer
Address80 Corio Street, Geelong, Victoria
Marital statusSingle
Age at embarkation21
Height5' 6"
Weight133 lbs
Next of kinMother, Mrs Margaret Leary, 80 Corio Street, Geelong, Victoria
Previous military serviceNil
Enlistment date24 September 1915
Date of enlistment from Nominal Roll13 July 1915
Rank on enlistmentPrivate
Unit name22nd Battalion, 8th Reinforcement
AWM Embarkation Roll number23/39/2
Embarkation detailsUnit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A19 Afric on 5 January 1916
Rank from Nominal RollPrivate
Unit from Nominal Roll58th Battalion
FateKilled in Action 19 July 1916
Place of death or woundingFleurbaix, France
Age at death22
Age at death from cemetery records22
Place of burialNo known grave
Commemoration detailsV.C. Corner (Panel No 14), Australian Cemetery Memorial, Fromelles, France
Panel number, Roll of Honour,
  Australian War Memorial
166
Miscellaneous information from
  cemetery records
Parents: Timothy and Margaret LEARY, 122 Corio Street, Geelong, Victoria
Other details

War service: Egypt, Western Front

Allotted to, and proceeded to 57th Bn from 6th Training Bn, Zeitoun, 23 February 1916; taken on strength of 57th Bn, Te el Kebir, 23 February 1916.

Transferred to 58th Bn, 15 March 1916; taken on strength of 58th Bn, 15 March 1916.

Deduction of 5/3d from pay for mutilating Government property, Ferry Post, 6 April 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, 19 July 1916, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'.

Note on B.103, 'buried in vicinity of Fleurbaix'.

Statement, 3548 Pte J. HARRISON, B Company, 58th Bn, 2 September 1916: 'Pte. N.L. Selby, VII, B. Co. was with Leary when he was killed at Fleurbaix on July 19th. in the charge ... He told me that he saw Leary fall wounded in the leg. Leary raised himself to feel the wound, and as he did so was shot in the back and rolled over dead. The body had to be left.'

Second statement, 3646 Lance Corporal S.C. SHUTER, 58th Bn (patient, No 8 Stationary Hospital, Boulogne), 16 October 1916: 'On July 19th the 5th Div were making an attack at Froumelles (sic), Pte Selby of B. Coy. afterwards told informant that Leary was next to him crossing No Man's Land that evening. He got a bullet wound in the foot. Informant went with him into a sap where he got his foot dressed. Just as it was finished he got another bullet in the back. He appeared to be in a very bad way and Selby told informant he couldn't have lived long. He had to be left there.'

Third statement, 3495 Pte A. CLARKE, B Company, 58th Bn (patient, Southall Hospital, England), 14 November 1916: 'Leary got a bullet through the leg in "No Man's Land" at Fleurbaix. While he was bandaging himself hewas again hit through the back and killed. Informant saw this, during the charge on July 19th.'

Fourth statement, 3395 Pte J.C. McLAUCHLAN, 58th Bn, 27 June 1917: 'Casualty was killed on the 19th July at Fleurbaix. Shot twice. Once through chest and again in the leg. I saw him die. His body was not buried as far as I know.'

Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal
SourcesNAA: B2455, LEARY Alfred Bernard
Red Cross file 1570513

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