WATERS

Lieut. Leslie John WATERS
Clicking on Photo will return to Page U,V,W,Y

WATERS
Lieutenant Leslie John

15th Battalion, Australian Imperial Force

Born 3rd June 1894, in Hawthorn, Melbourne, Victoria
[Birth certificate: 1894 Hawthorn 21243 Vic]

Educated: Duntroon RMC ('A' Company; 3rd Class: Joined 1912)

Single; Soldier, of 'Cooloongatta', 89 Burke Road, East Kew, Victoria.

Next Of Kin: Father; John Waters. Mother; Adeline Waters (nee Sallery) of 'Coolangatta', 89 Burke Road, East Kew, Victoria.

Photos of Lieutenant Waters are known to exist in the following locations:
Melbourne Herald 5 May 1915 p8. Argus 7 May 1915 p8. Melbourne Punch 13 May 1915 p668. Table Talk 13 May 1915 p18

Killed in Action
27th April 1915
at Pope's Hill
Aged 20






15th Battalion, AIF


Grave:
Quinn's Post cemetery

Epitaph:

A Descendant Of
The De Silleri Family
Hugenot


Notes:

CWGC lists Next of Kin address as: 'Dunhoou', 9 Park St, Middle Brighton, Melbourne, Victoria.

Killed in the attack from Pope's Hill against the Turkish trenches on Dead Man's Ridge: 'The losses in the charge from Pope's Hill had practically wiped out 'D' Company.... 'B' Company was in the worst state. Included in its losses were Captain Richardson (wounded), Captain Moran (wounded), Lieutenant Waters (killed), and Lieutenants Snartt and Dickinson (wounded)...' (Chataway p23).

'We could plainly hear Lieut. W-s, on our right, shouting in his high, boyish voice: 'You are firing on your own men! Cease fire!' It appears that he rose on his knees, with his glasses pressed to his eyes to observe more closely the strange band of seamen to our front. As he was in this position, he noticed some of them lying partly concealed, pumping their hardest at where we were lying. The truth burst in upon him. He made haste to take cover - too late! The gallant officer leapt in the air, a small neat hole drilled between his eyes. When they turned him over, he had a smile on his face.' (Hannan p107).

'I am afraid my knowledge is rather vague now, but to the best of my belief Lieut., WATERS met his death on the morning of the 26th April.
He was standing up in a half-constructed trench observing the Turks through his glasses when a sniper shot him through the head.' (Letter from Brigade major, 3rd Australian Infantry Brigade to 1st Australian Division, 11 April 1917).

'It was on the 27th that Lieut. WATERS met his death. He had left his trench and started out on a reconnaissance of the ground to his front, and while carrying out this reconnaissance, was shot through the head, and died almost instantaneously. The men with him got him back into the trench, but he was beyond recall. He was a young and brilliant officer, a soldier and a gentleman.' ('Record of Lt. Waters' 'In The Field', dated 21 Feb 1917, unsigned).

'In Memoriam' notice appears in the Sydney Daily Telegraph, 27th April 1916 p4:

'WATERS - In loving memory of our dear nephew and cousin, Lieut. Leslie John Waters, 15th Battalion, killed in action at the Dardanelles, 27th April 1915.

Greater love hath no man than this,
that a man lay down his life for his friends.

Inserted by J.L.E. and E. Williams.'

'In Memoriam' notice appears in the Argus, 26th April 1919 p13:

'WATERS - In loving memory of Lieut. Leslie Waters, who fell at Gallipoli, April 27, 1915; also Gordon ('Snow'), fell stretcher-bearing at Dickebuache, Nov. 6, 1917.

Duty nobly done.
Our loss is their gain.

(- Inserted by their loving parents, brother, and sister, Ocean Street, Hampton.)'
['Dickebuache' should be 'Dickebusch' (near Ypres, Belgium).]


Lest We Forget

Top Of Page

Back to Anzac officers died at Gallipoli Home Page