Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Died of Wounds in Sheffield Base Hospital age 23

2nd Bn.Australian Pioneers

Son of Henry and Mary Skidmore of 24, Rose St., Ivanhoe, Victoria, Australia.

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK

Died on this date – 21st November..... Leslie Skidmore was born at Clifton Hill, Melbourne, Victoria in 1892. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 1st February, 1915 & was discharged due to being medically unfit on 5th February, 1915.

Leslie Skidmore re-enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 18th May, 1915 as a 23 year old Clerk from Ivanhoe, Victoria.

Private Leslie Skidmore embarked from Melbourne, Victoria on HMAT Demosthenes (A64) on 16th July, 1915 with the 6th Infantry Brigade, 24th Infantry Battalion, 2nd Reinforcements. He joined 24th Battalion at Gallipoli on 29th September, 1915.

Private Leslie Skidmore was wounded at Gallipoli on 1st December, 1915. He was admitted to Hospital Ship Oxfordshire on 2nd December, 1915 with GSW (gunshot wound/s) to left arm then admitted to Overseas Base on 3rd January, 1916.

Private Leslie Skidmore was transferred to 2nd Pioneer Battalion on 15th March, 1916. He proceeded to join B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) from Alexandria on 19th March, 1916. He disembarked at Marseilles, France on 26th March, 1916.

Private Leslie Skidmore was promoted to Lance Corporal (Signaller) on 18th July, 1916 with 2nd Pioneer Battalion.

Lance Corporal Leslie Skidmore was wounded in action & evacuated to Hospital on 1st August, 1916.. He was invalided to England on Hospital Ship Dieppe & admitted to 3rd Northern General Hospital at Sheffield, England (no date recorded) with GSW to eyes & skull – severe.

Lance Corporal Leslie Skidmore died at 3.20 am on 21st November, 1916 at 3rd Northern General Hospital (Royal Infirmary) at Sheffield, England from wounds received in action in France – gunshot wounds to both eyes & skull & Meningitis.

Lance Corporal Leslie Skidmore was buried in Burngreave Cemetery, Sheffield, South Yorkshire, England. Due to the number of deaths and lack of available space in some cemeteries, numerous burials took place in what are known as common or mass graves. Lance Corporal Leslie Skidmore was buried in a one of these common or mass graves. Behind the Cross of Sacrifice in plot JJ is a Screen Wall commemorating those First World War casualties whose graves could not be marked by headstones, most of them buried in the plot of ground immediately in front of it. A Granite Memorial Cross was erected by the Royal British Legion at the common grave site where Lance Corporal Leslie Skidmore was buried – Memorial F9. “C” 4. The names of those buried in this plot were engraved on the Granite Memorial Cross however, the names on the Granite Memorial Cross are not included on the CWGC Screen Wall. His death is still acknowledged by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/burngreave.html