Upson, Leonard David

2257 Private Leonard David Upson - 3rd Australian Division Supply Column/Motor Transport Company

Leonard David Upson was born in Plaistow London England on the 9th November 1897 to Leonard and Kate Upson. The family came out to Western Australia while Leonard was still young and took up residence at Victoria Road East Fremantle (now Staton Road).

Leonard completed his schooling locally and also began to serve in the 86A Cadets of the Citizens Military Forces.

After leaving school Leonard took up employment as a clerk in Fremantle.

On the 15th December 1915 aged 18, Leonard enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 2 & 1/2 inches tall;

Weight - 119lbs;

Chest Measurement - 31-35 inches tall;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Blue;

Hair - Fair.

After his successful enlistment, Leo was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was allotted to No.40 Depot. He was taken through the basics of infantry work but two days later was transferred to the 15th Reinforcements to the 10th Light Horse Regiment.

He trained with this group in WA for the next several weeks but on the 1st April 1916 was assigned to embark from Fremantle aboard the transport ship Ulysses. This ship set sail for the Middle East where Leo and the light horse reinforcements were disembarked.

Upon arriving Leo was sent into the 3rd Light Horse Training Regiment. It appears that Leo never joined the 10th Light Horse Regiment as he was transferred as a Driver into the Australian Army Service Corps. He served with the AASC in Egypt for the next few months.

On the 14th September 1916 Leo left Egypt and embarked for England, where upon arrival he was sent into the AASC training depot camp at Rollestone on the Salisbury Plains.

On the 25th November 1916 Leo left Southampton and proceeded to France, where he was sent into the AASC training depot in Etaples. In 1917 Leo was allotted to the 3rd Division Supply Column.

The 3rd Division Supply Column was an AIF unit responsible for the supply and logistics of the 3rd Australian Division during World War I. Initially known as the 26th Army Service Corps Company, it provided mechanical and horse-drawn transport for the division's ammunition, equipment, and supplies on the Western Front. 

Leo served with the 3rd Division supply column from November 1916 to July 1917 when he was evacuated ill. It would have been a busy time for Leo as in June 1917 the 3rd Australian Division took part in the attack at Messines in Belgium.

After a short stint in hospital lasting only a few days he returned to his unit. On the 3rd August 1917 Leo was granted a fortnight's leave to England.

After returning two weeks later Leo served with his unit through the Third Battle of Ypres from Septemner to November 1917. It would have been a busy time keeping the division supplied with many of the roads and avenues being under German artillery fire.

Leo survived unscathed and was again granted a period of leave to England in February 1918. After returning from leave Leo found that his unit had undergone a name change. From being the 3rd Australian Division Supply Column, it was now called the 3rd Australian Division Motor Transport Company.

Through 1918 Leo was kept busy with keeping the 3rd Division supplied through the constant actions they were involved in.

In September 1918 Leo was transferred to the 4th Division Motor Transport Company and served with this unit till war's end.

After the Armistice in November 1918, Leo remained with his unit as they remained in France and then Belgium.

In April 1919 Leo returned to England to await being assigned a transport ship home. On the 1st June 1919 Leo boarded the transport ship Somali and set sail for Australia, reaching Fremantle on the 8th July 1919.

Leo was discharged from the AIF on the 30th August 1919.

After the war, Leo worked in the country and then for Wyndham Meat Works and Elder Smith's Fremantle. 

In 1930 in Cottesloe Leo married Sybil Eleanor Bailey and a daughter Winifred was born in 1933 and they lived in Zenobia Street Palmyra.

He later retired to Mandurah to live.

Leonard Upson died in Mandurah on the 6th June 1974 aged 76. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery