Soldier profiles

Name : BENCE, LESLIE ALLAN
Service Number : VX18195
Date of Birth : 17/09/1920
Place of Birth : WARRNAMBOOL, VIC
Known as :
Occupation on Enlistment : LABOURER
Date of Enlistment : 28/05/1940
Locality on Enlistment : NULLAWARRE, VIC
Place of Enlistment : CAULFIELD, VIC
Next of Kin : BENCE, ANNIE
Rank (at time of discharge / death) : PRIVATE
Service : ARMY
Final Posting : 2/2 PIONEER BATTALION (M G)
Position / Platoon / Company (as 2/2 Pioneer) (date / details) :
Unit Transfers / Promotions (date / details) :
Theatres of War : SYRIA
Actions :
Wounded (date / details) : 10/07/1941 GUNSHOT WOUND BOTH HEELS (SYRIA)
Discharged : 03/08/1942
Date Died : 03/01/2006
Age at Death : 85
Community Roll of Honour : N/A
Buried Location / Memorial (P.O.W., D.O.W., K.I.A.) : CENTENNIAL PARK CEMETERY, PASADENA, SOUTH AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA.
K.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
D.O.W. (date / details) : N/A
M.I.A. (date / details) : N/A
P.O.W. (location/s) : NO
Died P.O.W. (date / details) : N/A
P.O.W. Camps (details) : N/A
Recovered P.O.W. (location/s) : N/A
Honours and Gallantry : None for display
Applicable Australian War Memorial circulars : NO
References found (entries & photos) : National Archives of Australia (Barcode 6209272 [DIGITISED]), WW2 Nominal Roll

Background : Married 27/06/1942. Last abode at Goolwa, South Australia (from 23/07/1980). Cremated 12/01/2006.

Service & personal summary At enlistment : single. No previous military experience. At discharge : height 5 feet 4 inches, blue eyes, medium complexion, dark brown hair. Marks / scars : gunshot wounds both heels, scar upper lip. Full time war service : A.I.F. 28/05/1940 to 03/08/1942 which included 798 days active service (414 days overseas). Operational service : Middle East area (embarked from Australia 08/04/1941, disembarked in Australia 24/05/1942). War badge no. 6529. Discharge certificate no. 28068.

Service record
28/05/1940 Taken on strength Recruit Reception Depot Caulfield, Victoria.
30/05/1940 Posted to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion Puckapunyal, Seymour, Victoria.
24/09/1940 Admitted Puckapunyal 4 Australian General Hospital, Seymour, Victoria with Upper Respiratory Tract Infection (U.R.T.I.).
28/09/1940 Discharged to duty.
09/12/1940 Admitted Puckapunyal 4 Australian General Hospital, Seymour, Victoria with gastritis.
13/12/1940 Discharged fit to unit.
08/04/1941 Embarked Sydney, New South Wales on H.M.S. Queen Mary (H.M.T. N.N.).
03/05/1941 Disembarked Middle East.
12/06/1941 Marched in Pioneer Training Battalion from 2/2 Pioneer Battalion.
12/06/1941 Transferred to Pioneer Training Battalion Australian Imperial Forces from 2/2 Pioneer Battalion.
27/06/1941 Marched out to 2/2 Pioneer Battalion from Pioneer Training Battalion.
28/06/1941 Taken on strength 2/2 Pioneer Battalion from Pioneer Training Battalion.
08/07/1941 Wounded in action.
10/07/1941 Wounded in action gunshot wound both heels Middle East.
11/07/1941 Gunshot wound both feet authorisation needed from 1 Australian General Hospital.
11/07/1941 Evacuated to 1 Australian General Hospital with gunshot wound both feet and transferred to X list.
19/12/1941 Evacuated from 1 Australian General Hospital with gunshot wound both feet to 1 Australian Convalescent Depot.
19/01/1942 Discharged 1 Australian Convalescent Depot and marched out to Pioneer Training Battalion Australian Imperial Forces.
19/01/1942 Marched in ex 1 Australian Convalescent Depot.
05/03/1942 Marched out to 1 Australian Depot Battalion.
05/03/1942 Marched in 1 Australian Depot Battalion.
08/03/1942 Medical classification - Temporarily unfit for service for a period greater than 6 months.
03/04/1942 Embarked Middle East on S.S. Felix Roussel (as medically unfit).
24/05/1942 Disembarked Adelaide, South Australia.
24/05/1942 Embarked Adelaide, South Australia on H.M.T. Duntroon.
26/05/1942 Disembarked Melbourne, Victoria. Reason for return gunshot wound both feet. Disposal leave and report to Reception Camp Caulfield, Victoria 10/06/1942.
28/05/1942 Marched in ex H.M.T. Duntroon.
11/06/1942 Evacuated to 115 Australian General Hospital, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria.
11/06/1942 Admitted to 115 Australian General Hospital, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria (gunshot wound both feet).
30/06/1942 Discharged to General Details Depot Caulfield, Victoria from 115 Australian General Hospital, Heidelberg, Melbourne, Victoria.
03/08/1942 Discharged as medically unfit for service not occasioned by his own default.