Number Private 3497

Battalion 59th Infantry Battalion

Place of Birth Leongatha or Northcote

Next of Kin His mother, Mrs. Rosalie Walker,
widow, of Leongatha. He was a single man

Date and place of enlistment Melbourne 10/7/1915

Physical details on enlistment Age 22 years and 4 months,
5'4", 9 stone 6 pounds, grey eyes and dark brown hair

Religion Presbyterian

Occupation groom

Date and place of death

He was missing in action on 19/7/1916 at Fleurbaix during the
Battle of Fromelles and declared to have been killed in action on that date at a Court of Enquiry held on 29/8/1917

Location of grave or memorial

He is believed to have been buried in No man's land and has his name on the VC Corner Memorial Fromelles France

Relationship to Woorayl Shire

He lived in Leongatha before he enlisted. His brother attended Leongatha High School

Military History

Attended Loch State School
10/7/15 He enlisted in Melbourne
11/10/15 He embarked Melbourne on HMAT Nestor
He started in the 11th reinforcement 8th Battalion then changed to the 59th
26/2/16 He was appointed to the 59th Battalion in Tel el Kebir
11/3/16 He was in the 59th
18/6/16 He embarked Alexandria on the Kinfaune Castle
29/6/16 He disembarked in Marseilles
19/7/16 He was missing in action at Fleurbaix (Fromelle)
29/8/17 A Court of Enquiry declared him to be dead and buried in No mans land
12/11/16 His mother Rosalie wrote asking for his effects, as she believed him to have been killed
Signaler Harry Trotman of the 57th Battalion and from Leongatha thought he saw him killed
Leslie Walker had a tattoo done in Egypt. It was two clasped hands across a horseshoe with the words good luck on it His mother wrote about this as a way of perhaps identifying him
Joseph Marshall of the Rechabites wrote asking for information on Leslie Walker
The Red Cross files have letters from Mrs. Nichols of Devon. She sent a photo of Leslie to the Red Cross as she was a friend of Mrs. Walker. They ask if Leslie and Jack Edney may be prisoners of war. They were both actually killed at Fromelle on 19/7/16.
He was the grandson of the late Rec A J Hope, chaplain to the troops in India
He is remembered on the Tatura Honour Roll as well as the Woorayl Shire Honour Roll