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Bignell-L-H-Lieut

Page history last edited by Lenore Frost 9 years ago

Volunteers of Essendon and Flemington, 1914-1918

 

Lieutenant Leslie Hugh Bignell, 19th Battalion.  Les was wounded in

action at Pozieres on 29 July 1916. He was later killed in action on

7 April 1918 near Villers-Bretonneux, France.

 

Bignell L H   Lieut        Leslie Hugh                19 Inf Bn    24    Indent agent    Single    Pres       

Address:       

Next of Kin:    Wiseman, G, Mrs, sister, Bass via Woolemai 

                       G J Bignell, father, 12 Glance St, Flemington

Enlisted:    18 Jul 1915       

Embarked:     A54 Runic 20 Jan 1916 (Sydney)   

Prior service: Victorian Scottish Regiment, 6 years

 

Date of Death:   07/04/1918

CWGC: "Son of George James and Margaret Bignell. Born at Flemington, Victoria".

VILLERS-BRETONNEUX MEMORIAL

 

 

Mrs. G Wiseman, of Bass, has received news that her brother, 2nd Lieut. Leslie H. Bignell, was admitted to hospital on July 31 severely wounded. Lieut. Bignell was formerly a scholar at the Flemington State school.

 

CALL FOR MEN. (1916, August 17). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 8. Retrieved March 29, 2015, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1613330

 

Flemington-Kensington Church News, December 1917

Lieut Les H Bignell, 19th Batt, left Sydney as 2nd Lieut with the 9th Reinforcements of the 19th Battalion, on 18th January, 1916.  After a couple of weeks in Egypt he left for France.  On 31st July 1916, he was admitted to the 14th General Hospital, with gun-shot wounds in the thigh and leg.  After spending about seven weeks in Hospital, he had only three weeks holiday in Scotland, and then returned to France; but he only sent a fortnight there as his hearing had been very much impaired by the concussion.  He was sent to a specialist in  Liverpool, and then put on home-service for three months.  On 19th June he again left for the West front.  Les says in recent letters-

"Now that I am back with my Battalion in France I feel much more contented.  It is, you will say, a remarkable thing that a chap should prefer to be in France rather than having a soft job in the camps in England;  yet it is so.  I cannot give any real reason why it should be  so unless it is the sub-conscious desire to be where honour lies amongst old comrades".  ..."Today has been a great day for the  Division.  We were inspected by Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig.  The boys are naturally proud of the honour of being the first Australian Division inspected by him.  I was at a special school last week and while I was sitting at the front door reading, Sir Douglas,  accompanied by two Aides walked past.  His smiling serenity was most infectious and made me think the war must be going to his satisfaction. Observing a horseshoe on the road he picked it up and cast it over his left shoulder in the best school boy style".  

 

Flemington-Kensington Church News, March 1918

 

Extract from a story about 11911 - Bombadier J. R. Watson, 15th Battery, Field Artillery

 

[Bombadier Watson] then speaks of old Bible Class comrades having seen some and heard of others, and pays a great tribute to those who have fallen a sacrifice for us. "I was crawling round a support trench and was greeted by 'Hullo, Jack’.  On looking up who should I see but Les. Bignell. Of course we had a yarn. I am pleased to say he came  through the big stunt a couple of days afterwards on 20th Sept." 

 

Flemington-Kensington Church News, May 1918

Lieut. Les. H. Bignell, 19th Battalion, well known among us and well loved has crowned his life now with self-sacrifice. Word was received last week from Mrs. Wiseman, his sister, that he had been killed. We leave him with all confidence, to the care of God; to his sister and other relatives we offer our deep and sincere sympathy. Later, when the news comes through, we may be able to publish some account of his last days.


Les. wrote regularly and the following are some extracts from his last letter dated 2-2-18 —"At present we are away from the line resting, being billeted in a quiet little village many miles from anywhere . .   . We are deeply interested in the labour unrest in Germany, but do not think it will result in anything, and we will delude ourselves if we think it will. To my mind the military caste is too powerful and their methods of dealing with internal troubles too drastic for any serious development. As I have said before I believe that Germany will make one tremendous effort to smash through on this front, and if the result is a complete failure then she will begin to talk of peace. The weather for the past few days has been of the best, and consequently everyone is in good humor and full of the joy of life. It is wonderful how the weather reflects itself in the human mind. I suppose that being practically at the mercy of the elements for bodily comfort, it could not be otherwise ....

 

An amusing little thing was over-heard in a return leave-train just after the Cambrai stunt. You are aware, of course, that ever since the arrival of the Australians in France there has not been a big stunt where overseas troops have not had a share. The Cambrai stunt was purely British and an English officer was heard to remark, "Thank goodness at last we have had a successful stunt without the Colonials being mixed up in it." The next day they were pushed back— and you know the rest."  " Farewell, Les. but not good-bye."

 

Australian Red Cross Wounded and Missing Bureau Correspondence

Killed in Action 7.4.18
Informant was near him and saw him at the time he was hit.  he was shot through head in the Hangard Wood Stunt and death was instantaneous.  Was Informant's Platoon Officer in 8th Platoon.  No idea where he was buried.  He was a Victorian. 

Informant C W Burton, 6919, Church Point, Pittwater NSW.

I was an eye witness about fifty yards distance on the right in front of Hangard Wood, right of Villiers Brettoneux at 5.5 am on the 7th April 1918.  he was hit with a machine gun bullet in the throat while bending over a man who had been fatally wounded.  He (the Lieut) lived about 5 minutes, and as the ground was not permanently occupied till after April 25th there was no record of his burial.  He was about 5' 10" and fair complexion.
Informant Sig S E Roberts, 6613 B Coy.

Lieutenant Bignell was in command of No 9 Platoon of "B" Company.  I knew him well.  I met him first in England.  He was 5 feet 11 inches in height, fairly young and of fair complexion.  On April 7th 1918 we were engaged in a stunt at Hangard Wood and were advancing through the wood.  I was about two yards from him when I saw him fall, hit by a Machine Gun bullet.  He was killed outright.
Informant Private S R Hancock, 6441, B Coy 19th Battalion AIF.

On 4/4/18 the Battalion was in action at Hangard Wood and the fighting continued during the next day. On the morning of the 5th Informant saw the Lieutenant lying dead in "No Man's Land" near Villers Bretonneux, having most likely been killed on the previous day.  The Lieutenant was also seen on the same spot by Corporal Lewis of Informant's Platoon, when he was out looking for wounded me.  Informant was wounded later on in the day and was sent away, so that he could not tell me whether the Lieutenant was brought in, or where he was buried.  the Lieutenant was an Officer well liked. 

Informant No 5297 Private G E Baldwin, 19th Battalion.

 

http://static.awm.gov.au/images/collection/pdf/RCDIG1034369--1-.PDF  

 

 

Mentioned in this correspondence:

Easton-J-T-R-Letters2  Country Residence (during shooting expedition) France 25/6/1916

 

Mentioned in this publication

An article relating to Dewar J D 2nd Lt in the Flemington-Kensington Church News, December 1917

 

War Service Commemorated

Flemington-Presbyterian-Church

Flemington and Kensington Presbyterian Young Men's Association

 

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