24/214 L/Corporal William Frederick Leslie
'D' Company 2nd Battalion
3rd New Zealand Rifle Brigade
4th February 1918
Born in Auckland New Zealand on 05/07/1897.
His parents were Charles Leslie(11/02/1863- 06/05/1930) and Jessie Charleston Quinlan(1873-1945).
They were married on 23/01/1893.
William had 6 brothers, James Quinlan(1893-04/10/1917, Thomas Bernson(18/05/1896-30/04/1989),
Charles(born in 1898),
Douglas Grey(born in 1900),
Robert Mowatt(born in 1904),
John William Lawrence(1910-18/01/2001).
He also had 3 sisters, Jessica(born in 1902),
Grace Ann(born in 1904) and
Margaret Kate(07/03/1908-03/04/1980).
Prior to the war William was living in Kaihu, Dargaville ,Auckland, New Zealand and working as a bushman.
William enlisted at Trentham Military Camp near Wellington New Zealand on 29/05/1915.
He left New Zealand on 09/10/1915,spending just over a month at sea before disembarking in Egypt on 18/11/1915.
He was appointed a cook on 21/11/1915.
On 04/01/1916, William was transferred from A Company to D Company.
3 months later on 06/04 /1916 he was on his way to the Western Front, embarking at Alexandria, Egypt and for the duration of the voyage(06/04-12/04) he ceased to be employed as a cook.
Promotion to Lance Corporal was given to him on 23/01/1917.
The 24/06/1917 saw William detach from his unit to attend cookery school, before returning to them on 02/11/1917.
He was killed in action on 04/02/1918.
He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the 1914-1918 British War and Allied Victory medals.
His brother James, was Private (11059),1st Battalion Wellington Regiment N.Z.E F.,
died of gunshot wounds to his abdomen on 04/10/1917 and is buried in Nine Elms British Cemetery, Poperinghe, Belgium. Grave Reference III.D.4.
His headstone incorrectly states Williams age as being 30. This probably arose from this attestation paper, on which his date of birth has a smudge in it and does appear to show his year of birth as 1887.
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