Not Forgotten. 4008 Private Leslie Anderson, 32 Battalion AIF, World War 1

Private Leslie Anderson, a farmer, was born in Diapur in Victoria, the son of Margaret Sarah Anderson
and the late Robert Anderson of Dowerin and brother of Joseph Anderson who enlisted in August 1915
and died in France in July 1916. The boys’ father had died in 1900. On 13 April 1916 at the age of 24
Private Anderson enlisted in Perth along with his cousins Clarence and James Anderson and all three
were placed in the 32nd Battalion. Private Leslie Anderson embarked from Fremantle on HMAT A16
Port Melbourne on 28 October 1916, again with Clarence and James Anderson, arriving in England on 28
December. Between 27 February and early March 1917 Private Leslie Anderson was suffering from
mumps in Fovant Military Hospital in Hurdcott, England. Hurdcott Camp near the village of Fovant in
Salisbury was taken over by the A.I.F. and a series of military badges was carved into the chalk hillside.

Private Anderson proceeded to France on 27 March 1917 and was taken on strength with the 32nd
Battalion on 5 April 1917, part of the 8th Brigade. The 8th Brigade joined the newly raised 5th
Australian Division in Egypt, and proceeded to France, destined for the Western Front, in June 1916. The
32nd Battalion fought its first major battle at Fromelles on 19 July 1916 where it lost close to 90 per cent
of its fighting strength. In early 1917, the German Army withdrew to the Hindenburg Line allowing the
British front to be advanced and the 32nd Battalion participated in the follow-up operations. The
battalion subsequently missed the heavy fighting to breach the Hindenburg Line during the second
battle of Bullecourt as the 8th Brigade was deployed to protect the division’s flank. The only large battle
in 1917 in which the 32nd Battalion played a major role was Polygon Wood, fought in the Ypres sector in
Belgium on 26 September.

Between 7 and 28 March 1918 Leslie Anderson was on leave in England. Back in France he was on night
patrol on 14 April 1918 and, according to Pte. Andrews who was there, Leslie Anderson was shot in the
chest above the heart by one of their listening posts. He walked back to the line and was taken to the
Dressing Station. Andrews reported that Leslie Anderson was cheerful and no-one thought he would
die, but Private Anderson was transferred to the 41st Casualty Clearing Station. He died of his wounds
on 16 April 1918 and was buried at Namps-au-Val British Cemetery, 11 miles south west of Amiens.
Mrs. Margaret Anderson requested the following words be placed on his headstone: “He gave his life for
his country; He fought a noble fight”.

Private Anderson was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.