LEYSHON, William John
| Service Number: | NX70131 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 13 March 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 51 AUST COMP A/A REGT SIGS |
| Born: | Treherbert, Wales, 5 December 1918 |
| Home Town: | Helensburgh, Wollongong, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Helensburgh Public School, Canterbury Boys High School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Teacher |
| Died: | Kiama, New South Wales, Australia, 22 July 2007, aged 88 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 13 Mar 1941: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Sergeant, NX70131 | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Sep 1941: | Embarked Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), NX70131, Arrived in the Middle East (Suez) on 23rd of September, 1941 based at the General Signals reinforcement Camp at Nuseirat (between El Arish and Gaza). On December 4th, 1941 he was one of six chosen to join 4 Australian Special Wireless Section. His account reads: “Captain Jack Ryan took us north on the back of a one-ton truck to Sarafand. There we were sworn to secrecy and joined for special training with No.2 Company, Royal Corps of Signals which was then the Middle East main Interception Intelligence Unit of the British Army. Our training in speed morse and enemy (German and Italian) signals systems was intensive through December and January,1942 until we moved south to Kilo 89 (just north of Gaza) where we joined the rest of 4 Australian. Special Wireless Section.” All Australian troops were ordered back to Australia in March, 1942 due to the threat posed by Japan. 4 Aust. Spec. Wireless Section came back on the liner Orcades and arrived in Adelaide on March, 14th, 1942. | |
| 18 May 1942: | Transferred Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Australian Army Corps , Joined No 5 Wireless Section which comprised most of No 4 Special Wireless Section was formed in Melbourne in April, 1942. They were then transferred to Bonegilla in Victoria. This was known as the Australian Special Wireless Group (ASWG). | |
| 1 Sep 1942: | Embarked Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Lance Corporal, NX70131, Embarked for New Guinea on September 1st, 1942 as part of 55 Special Wireless Section which was the first ‘Signet’ Unit into the new Guinea Campaign. 55 Wireless Section arrived in Port Moresby at the height of the Japanese advance. | |
| 10 Sep 1943: | Transferred Sergeant, 51 AUST COMP A/A REGT SIGS, Transferred to 51 Special Wireless Section at Broome, D/F Detachment. The task was to establish listening posts to listen to Japanese air traffic as planes moved down through SE Asia. His notes say: ‘ We kept watch mainly on the movement of Japanese aircraft moving from Singapore down the East Indies archipelago to reinforce the fighting in New Guinea.’ The task of Type ‘D’ Sections was also to take countermeasures against suspicious wireless transmissions. | |
| 3 May 1946: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Sergeant, NX70131 |
Memorial Arch Kiama
Towards the end of his life William (Bill) Leyshon and his wife Joan, mum and dad, moved from the family home at Taylor Street, Kiama, to the Bluehaven Retirement Village on the hill at the end of the main street.
From their balcony there was a clear view of the Memorial Arch at the entrance of Hindmarsh Park.
This poem captures some of his wartime experiences and laments the loss to ‘development’ of the sight of ‘my arch’.
Memorial Arch Kiama
My arch has gone now,
New building blocked.
With morning cup, looking
Down on park and Arch.
Memories would rise again.
Our first Moresby night.
While others cowered,
Shortie and I stood watching
Three black bomber shadows
Droning among the stars.
Then, woump, woump, woump.
Their bombs exploding.
Jack shook a futile fist.
“You rotten bastards.”
And Al - Nambucca -
On a spur off The Track,
Dropping trees for a clearing
For our temporary camp.
I still feel the grip
On The Pup’s left arm,
Scalpel an forceps gouging
To get the fragment out.
No painkiller there.
Two stitches and a bandage.
Doug smiled at the M.O.
And said “Thank you, sir.”
He was only eighteen.
They have all gone now,
And so has my Arch.
I have but a short time,
And, then,
Who will remember them?
William (Bill) Leyshon
NX70131
Submitted 23 April 2023 by Glyn Leyshon
A Reflection Fifty Years On
William (Bill) Leyshon was a prolific poet and his body of work included a number of poems about his wartime experience.
This poem was written on 29/04/1998, four days after ANZAC Day, with memories still fresh from ‘fifty ANZAC Days’.
ANZAC Day 1998
Here in their old cigar-box
Lie my five medals of war.
Dulled by time, their ribbons frayed,
From fifty Anzac Days.
There was a night
When under Moresby stars,
I watched Jack’s shining eyes,
As three, droning shadows
Dumped loads of bombs,Upon the quivering earth.
There was a dawn,
With bright eyes twinkling
Jack grasped my hand.
Then on the DC3 flew out
To the then disputed strip at Wau.
Then Peace, and at St Marys
I stood by Jack
When he was wed,
And all was sparkling eyes,
And smiling lips.
Now death has dulled Jack’s eyes,
And Time my crammed brain crumbles.
But for a few brief moments
I am young again,
Beyond Koitaki, heading for ‘The Track’.
I joke with Doug, and Al, and Jack,
All keen of eye, and with no doubts.
Here in their old cigar-box
Lie two stars, and three round ‘gongs’.
I’ll buy new ribbons, shine
The medals bright - Tomorrow.
William (Bill) Leyshon
NX70131
The following two were written during the war and have a different mood.
ANZAC Day 1942
They sailed away
And gave to us “Lone Pine”.
A heritage to keep,
Remember!
Now we today
Here stand in battle-line,
Like those before - who sleep
Forever.
William (Bill) Leyshon
NX70131
God Send The Dawn
I hunger for the simple things
That I have known before.
The horror that this struggle brings,
These foreign fields and sights of war;
This acting of a murder’s role.
This thirsting for the chance to slay,
Have graven sorrow on my soul.
I shall go back to my home some day.
To rest in the sun of that sleepy land.
To be soothed by the sound of the surging sea
And thrill to the touch of the toilworn hand
That rocked my cradle and slaved for me.
When that day has come, I shall be reborn;
Until then, it is night. God, send the dawn!
William (Bill) Leyshon
NX70131
11.2.44
Submitted 23 April 2023 by Glyn Leyshon