Miller Street, Gilgandra, NSW
5644
20th Battalion, 15th Reinforcement
Gilgandra Coo-ee
Returned to Australia 25.11.1917
Private Leo Ambrose Stinson 5644
Leo Stinson was 18 years old when he was taken on at Blayney .to march with the Coo-ees to Sydney. This was the first of three enlistments for him in WW1. He passed his first medical examination by Dr Peet on 22 October 1915, which described him as 6’ 1” tall, 9st 7lb (60kgs), chest expansion 30/33 ½”, dark complexion, greyish brown eyes, dark hair with scars left elbow, front right knee and side of right knee. His religion was Roman Catholic and next of kin was his father, John who lived in Warrie St Gilgandra. After reaching Liverpool Camp he was discharged as medically unfit on29 November 1915 because his chest measurement was deficient.
His second enlistment was several months later at Dubbo on 3 March 1916. He was an Ironmonger (maker and seller of hardware) and living in Gilgandra. He stated he had no previous experience, nor had he been rejected as unfit! The medical examination was similar, except this time his chest expansion was 31 ½”/34” and he was accepted. He trained in Dubbo and Liverpool, NSW.
Leo embarked for England on the Euripides on 9 September 1916 with the 20th Battalion, and arrived In Plymouth, England in Octobe 1916. After further training he embarked on the Henrietta to France and was on the Western Front in January 1917.
On 16 April 1917, his unit was at Vraucourt, following up the German forces after their retreat to the Hindenburg Line, when he suffered a penetrating wound to the chest and arm. He was one of 16 men wounded and six men killed that day. It was classed as a successful operation where 200 German prisoners were taken.Leo was sent to England for treatment and convalescence and returned to Australia on the Hospital Ship Borda. He arrived in Sydney 25 November 1917 and was discharged as unfit on 4 January 1918.
His third enlistment in WW1 was with Special Service AIF Escort in July 1919, (regimental number 86082). Leo embarked for England on HMT Ypinanga with deportees on 12 August arriving in London om 12 October 1919. He had three weeks’ leave in London before he returned to Australia where he was discharged on 7 February 1920.
Leo also served overseas in the Second World War. Leo was born in 1897at Wellington NSW to John and Elizabeth Stinson. After the war Leo joined the Post Office, becoming a Postmaster until his retirement at Tweed Heads. He married Sylvia Mackie Johnstone in 1927 and he died in 1962 aged 65. Sylvia died in 1986 and they are buried at Tweed Heads Cemetery.
Leo received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.