John LEASK

LEASK, John

Service Number: Officer
Enlisted: Not yet discovered
Last Rank: Lieutenant
Last Unit: 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry
Born: Ellon, Aberdeen, Scotland , 1 February 1865
Home Town: Bundaberg, Bundaberg, Queensland
Schooling: Spring Creek (Clifton) State School & Leichhardt Street Boys State School, Queensland
Occupation: Farmer and Commission Agent
Died: Died of wounds & pneumonia, Pretoria, 20 August 1900, aged 35 years
Cemetery: Church Street Cemetery, Pretoria, South Africa
Grave 256.
Memorials: Anzac Square Boer War Memorial
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Boer War Service

1 Oct 1899: Involvement Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Lieutenant, Officer, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry
1 Mar 1900: Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Lieutenant, Officer, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, Ship- Duke of Portland
22 Jul 1900: Wounded Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Lieutenant, Officer, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, Relief of Mafeking, W.I.A. in Koster River skirmish.
20 Aug 1900: Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Lieutenant, Officer, 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, Died from wounds and disease.

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Biography contributed by Elizabeth Allen

John LEASK was born in Ellon, Aberdeen on 1st February, 1865

His parents were John LEASK & Christina COBBAN

He served for 5 years with the 1st Volunteer Battalion of the Gordon Highlanders

He had migrated to Maryborough (Queensland) in 1888 & later moved to Bundaberg

Biography contributed by Maurice Kissane

John LEASK late of Aberdeen, married Lousia Batstone of Bundburg in Bundaberg on 5th October 1893. He was 28 years old.

Their wedding ceremony was conducted by the Reverent J. McKenzie from the Bundaburg Presbyterian Church.   

Their official wedding notification was published in the Bundaburg Mail on 11 October 1893.

LT John LEASK 3QMI was 35 years old and married for less than seven years when he died on active service.

He contacted pneumonia after being WIA at Koster River on 22 July 1900. John later died in Hospital at Pretoria on 20 August 1900. 

Mum's grandad was in the same action at Koster River in which John was wounded. That was a Boer ambush.

The wounded however were more vulnerable to the compications of contracting disease. For this was an era before antibiotics and modern medicine. 

John was a married man in his mid thirties. He could have avoided active service but he did not. He saw it as his duty to both his Queen and her Empire to serve overseas. His sense of duty ultimately cost him his life.

Lest We Forget.

 

 

 

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