William Leslie O'Leary aka John Williams

First Name: 
William
Middle Name: 
Leslie
Last Name: 
O'Leary
Date of Birth: 
Friday, August 12, 1898
Mother's Name: 
Ann O'Leary nee Haddin
Father's Name: 
John O'Leary
Date Enlisted: 
Wednesday, January 31, 1917
Rank at Enlistment: 
Private
Rank at Discharge: 
Private
Unit: 
17th Battalion
Service: 
Infantry
Awards: 
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Date of Death: 
Saturday, April 22, 1944
Place of Death: 
Lakemba, N.S.W.
Details: 

William O'Leary (Service No 6878) was born in Dapto, N.S.W.

William enlisted in Wollongong using the name John Williams and stated his as 21.  In fact William was 18 years old and did not have parental permission to enlist.  He nominated his father, 'John Williams' (actually John O'Leary), or Robertson, N.S.W., as his next of kin.

He embarked from Sydney on HMAT A72 Beltana with 17th Battalion, 20th Reinforcements on 16th June 1917 and arrived in England on 25th August 1917.

William spent the rest of 1917 and early 1918 in trouble with the Army and finally made it to France on 6th May 1918. Shortly after his arrival, on 14th May 1918, William was wounded in action and admitted to hospital for treatment of a gun shot wound to the head.  He was back with his unit on 28th July 1918.

William saw service on the Western Front and was at the battle for Mont St Quentin. He was wounded a second time near the end on 3rd October 1918 at Montbrehain and evacuated to hospital in England for treatment of a gun shot wound to his left hand.

While being treated he advised the Army of his true name and this may have been due to the Army receiving a letter from his mother about his real name and age.

His wound was serious and he was returned to Australia in January 1919.  He received further treatment in Australia and was finally discharged medically unfit on 29th August 1920.

On 11th October 1920 he married Alice Twaddell in Wollongong, N.S.W. and they had 3 children.

William died at his home in Lakemba after a long illness in 1944 while his 2 sons were serving in the Army and Air Force in World War 2.

He is buried in Rookwood Cemetery.

Sources: 
NAA: B2455, O'LEARY WILLIAM LESLIE