Michelle Landry (Capricornia, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Members of Capricornia's Living History Unit recently travelled from Rockhampton to Adelaide to attend a World War I centenary commemoration. The event, which was called 'Raising the First Contingent', recognised the battalions recruited for the war. The Living History Unit dresses in World War I uniforms to re-enact the period of the day.

While in Adelaide, they also held a memorial service at the grave site of John Leak in South Australia's Stirling Cemetery. John Leak was the first Queenslander to be awarded a Victoria Cross. Leak enlisted in Rockhampton in January 1915 before being sent off to Gallipoli. Later, aged 24, he was awarded the Victoria Cross for extraordinary courage at Pozieres, France in 1916. As enemy bombs rained down, Private Leak jumped out of his trench, under heavy machine-gun fire, and threw bombs into the enemy's bombing post.

Next month marks the anniversary of Leak's death on 20 October 1972. A memorial to John Leak sits on the banks of the Fitzroy River in the heart of Rockhampton city. It is a colourful mosaic that draws the attention of people walking by—thus ensuring his story is not forgotten.

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