| Regimental number | 1429 |
| Place of birth | Northcote, Victoria |
| School | Northcote and Preston State Schools, Victoria |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Labourer |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 20 |
| Height | 5' 10.25" |
| Weight | 154 lbs |
| Next of kin | Mother, Mrs E P Turner, 13 Ferguson Street, Abbotsford, Victoria |
| Previous military service | Served for 2 years 9 months in the 55th Infantry, Citizen Military Forces, Collingwood, Victoria. |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 5th Battalion, 2nd Reinforcement |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/22/2 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A46 Clan Macgillivray on |
| Regimental number from Nominal Roll | 1284 |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Corporal |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 59th Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Fleurbaix, France (Battle of Fromelles) |
| Age at death | 22 |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 22 |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | V.c. Corner (Panel No 15), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 169 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: John Henry and Emma Phoebe TURNER, 13 Ferguson Street, Abbotsford, Victoria. Native of Northcote, Victoria |
| Family/military connections | Cousin: 2139 Sergeant Nathaniel BARCLAY DCM, 59th Bn, returned to Australia, 21 December 1917. |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Gallipoli, Western Front Embarked Alexandria to join the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, Gallipoli, 5 April 1915. Wounded in action, 20 May 1915 (gun shot wound, right thigh: serious), and admitted to No 1 Australian Casualty Clearing Station; transferred by Hospital Ship to Malta, and admitted to Military Hospital, Valetta, 24 May 1915; transferred to England, 20 June 1915, and admitted to Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, 27 June 1915. Disembarked Alexandria from England, and rejoined unit, 14 January 1916. Found guilty, Serapeum, 8 February 1916, of disobedience of orders: awarded 7 days' Field Punishment No 2. Transferred to 57th Bn, and taken on strength, 17 February 1916. Transferred to 59th Bn, 15 March 1916. Promoted Corporal, Hog's Back, 10 May 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 18 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 29 June 1916. Posted missing, 19 July 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 29 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 19 July 1916'. Handwritten note on Form B103: 'Presume Buried In No Man's Land approx 5J90 43 to 5K02.5.1 Sheet Hazebrouck 5A'. Statement, Red Cross File No 2800307, 2790 Pte L. BRETHERTON, 59th Bn, 8 April 1919: 'We were in [the] same stunt at Armentieres on 19.7.16. Turner being a bombing Cpl. he was the 1st man to reach the German lines and was killed by sniper's bullet in head. The Germans got his body.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | NAAB2455 file 1921464 Red Cross file 2800307 |
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