Gazette Information: GAZETTE ISSUE 29740, VICTORIA CROSS,: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29740/supplement/8871. His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to award of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned:- No.2053 Private John Leak, Australian Infantry. For most conspicuous bravery. On 23rd July 1916 at Pozieres, France, he was one of a party which finally captured an enemy strong point. At one assault, when the enemy's bombs were outranging ours, Private Leak jumped out of the trench, ran forward under heavy machine-gun fire at close range, and threw three bombs into the enemy's bombing post. He then jumped into the post and bayonetted three unwounded enemy bombers. Later, when the enemy in overwhelming numbers was driving his party back, he was always the last to withdraw at each stage, and kept on throwing bombs. His courage and energy had such an effect on the enemy that, on the arrival of reinforcements, the whole trench was recaptured.
Fold3_Team · 31 Oct 2023
Gazette Information: GAZETTE ISSUE 29740, VICTORIA CROSS,: https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/29740/supplement/8871. His Majesty the KING has been graciously pleased to award of the Victoria Cross to the undermentioned:- No.2053 Private John Leak, Australian Infantry. For most conspicuous bravery. On 23rd July 1916 at Pozieres, France, he was one of a party which finally captured an enemy strong point. At one assault, when the enemy's bombs were outranging ours, Private Leak jumped out of the trench, ran forward under heavy machine-gun fire at close range, and threw three bombs into the enemy's bombing post. He then jumped into the post and bayonetted three unwounded enemy bombers. Later, when the enemy in overwhelming numbers was driving his party back, he was always the last to withdraw at each stage, and kept on throwing bombs. His courage and energy had such an effect on the enemy that, on the arrival of reinforcements, the whole trench was recaptured.