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Pathe´-L-G-Pte-9

Page history last edited by Lenore Frost 9 years, 5 months ago

Volunteers of Essendon and Flemington, 1914-1918

 

Pathe´ L G     Pte    9    Leo  Guilfoyle            3 LHB    19    Coppersmith    Single    R C       

Address:    Essendon, Glass St, 103   

Next of Kin:    Pathe, J D, father, 103 Glass St, Essendon   

Enlisted:    9 Sep 1914       

Embarked:     A16 Star of Victoria 25 Feb 1915   

 

Relatives on Active Service:

Pathe´ J J Pte 1740 brother KIA

See his brother's file for letters to the Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau.

 

FINDING OUR ANZACS-LEO PATHE

 

by Greg Milne

 

A little over 100 years ago a nineteen year old coppersmith named Leo Pathe enlisted in the 1st AIF.  Leo was assigned to the Headquarters of the 3rd Light Horse Brigade, which was then at the Broadmeadows Army Camp. In May 1915 he arrived at Gallipoli, only to be evacuated two months later with influenza. After 3 months in hospital, in Malta and then England, Leo rejoined his unit in Egypt.

 

3 Light Horse Brigade preparing and awaiting orders for the advance on Magdhaba, Sinai, 1916.

 

He spent most of 1916 in Egypt before being trade tested, to see if he was suitable to join the Australian Flying Corps, as a mechanic. He was accepted and posted to the 2nd Squadron, as a 2nd Air Mechanic, earning 8 shillings per day. This took Leo back to England until September 1917, when he went to France.

 

A flight of No.2 Squadron, Australian Flying Corps, France, Nord Pas de Calais, Pas de Calais, Savy, 25 March 1918  Australian War Memorial Collection, E01880.

 

Leo was in France for the rest of the war, returning to England early in 1919. After another 4 months in England Leo returned to Australia, and was discharged in August 1919.

 

The Australian Flying Corps became the Royal Australian Air Force in 1921, and sometime after this Leo re-enlisted, working at the RAAF depot at Laverton. On the 9th of July 1938 Leo left his home in Mambourin St, Werribee, on his motor cycle. On his way to the RAAF base Leo’s motor cycle was involved in a collision on the Melbourne Rd, opposite what was then the State Research Farm. Badly injured, Leo died later at the Caulfield military Hospital.

 

Leo was buried at Werribee, with Air Force members marching alongside his coffin, mounted on a gun carriage. When the Carriage reached the Soldiers Monument in Watton St, the carriage was joined by 100 officers and men from RAAF Laverton, the RAAF band, and an escort party and a firing party. Falling into line they all marched to the cemetery, followed by a large number of cars.

 

The papers of the time said  “The gathering of RAAF men was one of the largest to attend the funeral of a member of the Air Force. The gesture bore eloquent testimony to the high regard in which the deceased was held”.

 

During his life Leo was an Anzac, a Gallipoli veteran, a Light horseman, and an early member of both the Australian Flying Corps and the Royal Australian Air Force. I think even in 1938 people recognized that this was an impressive CV.

                                                                                                                              Greg Milne, 2014

 

 

War Service Commemorated

Essendon Town Hall L-R

Essendon Gazette Roll of Honour With the Colours

Regimental Register

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