Bourne, Leonard Alfred
17987 Private Leonard Alfred Bourne - 9th Field Ambulance
Leonard Alfred Bourne was born on the 30th April 1876 in Moonta South Australia to Walter and Maria Bourne. He was one of four siblings, with Christopher (1871), Walter (1874) and Arthur (1881).
He had his early years and was educated in South Australia. He did a printing apprenticeship with a company called Wilkinson's in Moonta. This was of six years duration. He also spent three years of militia service with the Adelaide Rifles.
Leonard moved to Western Australia in the 1890's and was married on the 26th February 1902 in Geraldton WA to Alma Olds. A son Victor born in 1903, a daughter Ada in 1904, followed by Leonard in 1905, Norma in 1907, Harold in 1909, Cecil in 1911, Doreen in 1915 and Alfred in 1920.
The family lived at Mt Magnet in the 1900's where Leonard worked as a Printer. In 1910 the family then moved to Meekatharra where he continued his work as a printer.
Prior to the Great War the family moved to Thompson Road in North Fremantle. He then continued his Printing work in the Fremantle area.
On the 1st March 1916 Leonard enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was found to be fit for enlistment with the medical officer recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 6 inches;
Weight - 125lbs;
Chest Measurement - 34-37 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Dark Brown.
Upon his successful enlistment, Leonard was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was initially assigned to No.50 Training Depot. After a few weeks he was assigned to the Australian Army Medical Corps. He was assigned work in the military bases around WA and then was sent to New South Wales for further training.
On the 1st August 1917 Leonard left Sydney aboard the transport ship HMAT Medic and then set sail for England. The ship set sail via North America and the men were disembarked in Halifax Canada. On the 21st September 1917 they then re-embarked aboard the transport ship SS Orita and set sail for England, reaching Liverpool on the 3rd October 1917.
The men were then disembarked and sent to the Australian Army Medical Corps Depot at Parkhouse Camp on the Salisbury Plains. Leonard had a few months of medical training In England and on the 6th January 1918 was sent to France. He then went to the Australian Base Depot Camp at Rouelles. Leonard would be assigned on medical corps duties at the base depot camp for the next few months.
On the 24th April 1918 he was transferred to 3rd Australian Division Headquarters. He was then assigned to the 9th Field Ambulance. While the 9th Field Ambulance was mainly assigned to the 9th Brigade of the 3rd Division, it assisted in the evacuation of any other casualties. When he joined them the 9th Field Ambulance were based around the village of Querrieu near Villers-Bretonneux. As much of this area was under German artillery fire and gas attack and German night bombing by the Gotha planes, Leonard was kept busy in treating and evacuating casualties. Leonard remained with the 9th Field Ambulance in and around the Somme river and Villers Bretonneux through May, June and July 1918.
On August 8th 1918 the large Amiens offensive commenced when the Australians, Canadians and British attached and broke the British line. For the next several weeks Leonard was busy working in evacuating casualties from the 3rd Divisions actions around the Somme River up through Bray, Suzanne and Clery.
On the 18th September 1918 Leonard's health broke down and he was sent to the base depot camp and then returned to England. His health was assessed and it was advised that he be returned to England. However he was kept on light duties at the Base Depot at Rouelles. He was still there when the Armistice was announced.
On the 26th November 1918 Leonard was returned to England, where upon arrival he was sent to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth. He would now wait to be assigned a berth on a troopship home.
On the 18th January 1919 Leonard boarded the troopship Margha and set sail for Australia, reaching Fremantle on the 23rd February 1919. Leonard was discharged from the AIF on the 19th March 1919.
He then returned home to Thompson Road North Fremantle and resumed his work as a Printer. Sadley is wife Alma Lillian Bourne died in Fremantle on the 15th December 1922. She was buried in Fremantle Cemetery.
In 1925 Leonard had moved to the Northam/Merriden district where he was working as a journalist for the Westralian Worker.
Leonard re-married in 1928 to Agnes Sambell and they soon moved to Victoria Park where he resumed his work as a printer.
In 1937 he found employment in Toodyay as a journalist but during World War Two returned to Victoria Park where he took up his printer career.
Leonard Bourne died on the 7th April 1944 aged 68. He was buried at Karrakatta Cemetery plot Wesleyan EA 0772.
The Westralian Worker published an obituary for Leonard in their 14th April 1944 edition.