3234 Pte Leslie Crompton Blackman, ‘D' Coy, 5th Bn AIF.
Born at Miners Rest, Victoria in 1885, Leslie was a blacksmith by trade (although he was working as a gas fitter for the Melbourne Gas Co at the time of his enlistment). He enlisted in Melbourne on 5 July 1915 and he left Australia - bound for Egypt - on 11 October. After serving in Egypt, he arrived in Marseilles, France on 30 March 1916 and was serving in the ‘nursery sector' of Ploegsteert, Belgium by June. On the night of 29/30 June, Leslie was engaged in a fatigue party carrying gas-cylinders to the front-line when he was killed by a shell explosion to the north of Ploegsteert Wood. Leslie was brought back for burial at Berks Cemetery Extension where he lies to this day.
29 June 1916
Research by: David O'Mara, Croonaert Research Services.
