Drayton, Leslie Athol (6737)
Place of Birth: Port Melbourne, VIC
Age: 22 years 1 month
Enlistment Details: Saturday, 12 August 1916 – Melbourne, VIC
Service Number: 6737 view online service record
Address:
Spotswood, VIC
Next of Kin:
Amelia Drayton (wife)
Spotswood, VIC
Embarkation Details:
Date: Wednesday, 25 October 1916
Ship: HMAT Ulysses A38
Port: Melbourne, VIC
Unit: 5th Infantry Battalion – 22nd Reinforcements
Fate:
DOW: Tuesday, 2 October 1917
Place: 2nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, Belgium
Private, 5 Infantry, died of wounds, 2 October, 1917, Belgium, aged 23, commemorated Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.
Parents: Frederick William and Annie Stewart DRAYTON; Wife: Amelia P. DRAYTON, born Port Melbourne, 184 Montague Street, South Melbourne? Enlisted as a 22 year old grocer, wife in Spotswood Circular returned by widow from Spotswood showing Footscray as place of association. Brother, 3382, George Frederick DRAYTON enlisted from Footscray, also born Port Melbourne, although directories of the time show Frederick at 184 Montague Street, South Melbourne. Died 2nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, Flanders.
Additional research by Brian Membrey
3 Comments
Brian Membrey
Brother DRAYTON, George Frederick
Private, 60th Infantry, killed in action 2 September, 1918, France, aged 17, commemorated Peronne Communal Cemetery, Picardie, France
3382 (Parents : Frederick William and Mrs Annie DRAYTON, born South Melbourne (family at 184 Montague-street), educated Footscray SS, Sunshine Technical School. His Attestation has him born in Footscray, but as he was under-age, he was included in an AWM list of “boy soldiers” who died under the age of 18 and was listed there as born in South Melbourne (based on the circular and confirmed by Victorian registrations). He enlisted in January, 1917, claiming to 18 years and two months (actually around 16 and three months), a farm labourer with his family in Footscray. The circular was returned by his father from Caulfield and showed his correct age on death as 17 and ten months, his occupation “school boy”. The family were listed as Grocers at 106 Cruickshank Street when Leslie Athol DRAYTON and another sibling were born; a fourth sibling is listed as born in Albert Park
Brian Membrey
“6737 Pte. Drayton, L. A. died in this Casualty Clearing Station on the 2nd October 1917, at 10.40 p.m. The cause of death was a shell wound to the head. He was buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery near Poperinghe, Belgium on the 3rd October 1917 by a Church of England chaplain. I regret the delay in replying to your enquiry, but it is due to the fact we have been on the move” (O.C., 2nd Casualty Clearing Station)
Brian Membrey
Leslie Drayton’s wife Amelia suffered a double tragedy – her husband’s demise came just three-and-a-half months after the death in Newports of their only child, Leslie junior …
DRAYTON – Killed in action on the 2 October at the 2nd Canadian Casualty Clearing Station, Private Leslie A Drayton, died of wound to head, dearly beloved husband of Amelia and loving father of little Leslie who died on 17th June, from Wattls-street, Spotswood, aged 23 years.
Inserted by his loving wife Amelia