28 July 1916 Leslie Barnard WELCH, age 34, Major, in D Company, 28th Battalion, 7th Brigade, Australian Imperial Forces, fell in Action at Pozieres . His commission as Captain in the 28th Battalion, effective 28 April 1915, was Gazetted 8 May 1915. On 9 May 1915 he was appointed Major, and this was Gazetted 29 May 1915. He saw service at Gallipoli in 1915. He proceeded to France via Marseilles 21 March 1916.
Major L B Welch was born 23 October 1881. His War Service Records are digitised at the National Archives of Australia’s website.
http://www.naa.gov.au/collection/search/index.aspx (Search as a guest)
The Major was a married man, with one son.
Major L B Welch was the son of Barnard and Frances Ann Welch (nee Short), and Barnard was the son of Benjamin and Mary Anne Welch (nee Morgan) who came to Australia in 1852.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/83401915 The Daily News 11 August 1933 includes an article about Barnard Welch, who as a child was called as a witness in the court cases that followed the Eurkea Stockade Rebellion, at Ballarat in 1854. The article concludes “
Another son, Major L B Welch, formerly of the 28th Battalion, was killed in the Great War”.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/86184619 Coolgardie Miner 26 August 1916
Major Leslie B Welch was at one time an officer in the Coolgardie Volunteer Corps
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/26988829 The West Australian 19 August 1916
Obituary with many details of his life.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/37436618 Western Mail 1 September 1916 photo of Major L B WELCH.
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/37436222 Western Mail 8 September 1916. Family notices
http://trove.nla.gov.au/ndp/del/article/27306513? West Australian 28 July 1917. Five I.M. notices from many family members
https://www.awm.gov.au/units/unit_11215.asp 28th Battalion information
https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=318208 I am not a family member.
LEST WE FORGET
JM