SCHOLZ, Leslie Victor

Leslie, the son of Carl and Christina Scholz, was born in Adelaide, South Australia. He was a nineteen year old Farmer at Yamala, Delungra, near Inverell when he enlisted in January 1915.  As he was under the age of twenty one his Mother gave consent for him to serve overseas.  Leslie joined the men known as the First Contingent of The Kurrajongs who left Inverell together on 12 January 1916. 

He became a member of the 33rd Battalion, A Company which trained at Armidale and Rutherford before sailing from Australia in May 1916.  After nine weeks at sea the Battalion arrived in England where further training was undertaken at Salisbury Plain before they moved to France in November.  During August 1917 Leslie was appointed Lance Corporal.  Two months later he was wounded by a shell near Ypres and sent to No 44 Casualty Clearing Station.  Next he was evacuated to Edmonton Military Hospital in England with a gunshot wound to his thigh.  In January 1918 Leslie was transferred to 3 Australian Auxiliary Hospital. Upon discharge in July he went to the Training Depot. At the end of December Leslie arrived home and received his medical discharge in May 1920.

Leslie married Elsie Kneipp at Tenterfield in 1923 and died at Southport Queensland in 1978.

At Inverell Lance Corporal Scholz has his name inscribed on the town’s Honor Roll whilst at Delungra his name is recorded on the new memorial gates.

Photo: Private collection