John Leak

He stormed a bombing post and covered his comrades' retreat.

John Leak enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force at Rockhampton, Queensland, on 28 January 1915. He had worked as a labourer and teamster. His account of his birthplace and age changed between surviving records, but his military career is documented from enlistment. He joined the 9th Battalion, served at Gallipoli in 1915 and was evacuated through illness before reaching France in April 1916.

At Pozières on 23 July 1916, his party was fighting for a German strongpoint when enemy grenades began outranging the Australians' bombs. Leak climbed out of the trench, ran forward under close machine-gun fire and threw three grenades into the enemy bombing post. He then entered it and bayoneted three defenders. When superior numbers later forced his party back, he repeatedly remained behind the others, continuing to throw bombs while they withdrew. His action disrupted the defenders and helped make the eventual capture of the position possible.

Wounded in August, he was evacuated to Britain, where King George V presented his Victoria Cross in November. His subsequent service included further illness, gassing and serious disciplinary difficulties. A life sentence imposed after a 1917 desertion conviction was suspended so that he could return to duty and was remitted in December 1918. He returned to Australia and was discharged in 1919.

Leak worked in several states after the war, including in farming, firewood supply and motor repairs. He married Ada Victoria Bood-Smith in Western Australia in 1927 and raised a large family. He later retired to South Australia, where he continued to suffer respiratory illness. He died at Redwood Park, Crafers, on 20 October 1972 and was buried beside Ada in Stirling District Cemetery. His wartime bravery and the difficulties of his later service form parts of the same demanding experience.

Official Victoria Cross citation

For most conspicuous bravery. He was one of a party which finally captured an enemy strong point. At one assault, when the enemy's bombs were outranging ours, Private Leak jumped out of the trench, ran forward under heavy machine-gun fire at close range, and threw three bombs into the enemy's bombing post. He then jumped into the post and bayonetted three unwounded enemy bombers. Later, when the enemy in overwhelming numbers was driving his party back, he was always the last to withdraw at each stage, and kept on throwing bombs. His courage and energy had such an effect on the enemy that, on the arrival of reinforcements, the whole trench was recaptured.