Raymond Leane
Encyclopedia
Brigadier General Sir Raymond Lionel Leane CB
, CMG, DSO & Bar
, MC
(12 July 1878 - 25 June 1962) was an Australian Army
Brigadier General who served in World War I
, and later served as Chief Commissioner of Police in South Australia
.
, the son of a shoemaker. He was educated in the public school system until age 12, when he went to work for a retail and wholesale business, which sent him to Albany, Western Australia
. He moved to Claremont
where he was elected to the local council.
Leane was commissioned as a lieutenant in the 11th Infantry (Perth Rifles) in 1905. In 1908, he bought a retail business in Kalgoorlie
and transferred to the Goldfields Infantry Regiment. He was promoted to captain on 21 November 1910.
The Leane family became famous for their extraordinary wartime service. During World War I, every male member of military age offered himself for active service and was accepted.
as a company commander in the 11th Infantry Battalion, with the rank of captain. Four of his brothers also served in the Great War
, as did nine of his nephews. The Leanes became one of the nation's most distinguished fighting families with two losing their lives.
Leane was one of the first men ashore at Anzac Cove
, shortly after dawn on 25 April 1915, his company climbing Ari Burnu to Plugge's Plateau.
On 4 May 1915, Leane was ordered to head a hazardous attempt to capture Gaba Tepe fort, a prominent position just south of the Anzac perimeter.Landing from boats on the beach at the foot of Gaba Tepe, the force of over 110 men of the 11th Infantry Battalion
and 3rd Field Company. The force was promptly pinned down on the beach by heavy fire. Leane signalled the Navy
to remove his wounded from the beach, which they did with a steamboat towing a rowboat. Having determined that the withdrawal along the beach was impossible owing to belts of barbed wire, Leane then signalled the Royal Navy to remove the rest of his party. The Navy sent two picket boats towing two ships' boats. Destroyers laid down covering fire, but while the Turks
had held their fire for the wounded, they laid down tremendous fire one the withdrawing raiders. Many men were hit, including Leane, who was hit in the hand. The raid was a failure but Leane's leadership, courage and coolness under fire had impressed many and he was awarded the Military Cross
.
Leane was slightly wounded on 28 June 1915 during the 11th Infantry Battalion's attack on Bolton's Ridge. During the attack on the enemy position on 31 July 1915, Leane was again wounded. During the bombardment that followed the successful attack, he was speaking to an observer, when an enemy shell struck. The observer was decapitated and Leane was wounded in the head, but remained at his post. He was promoted to temporary major on 5 August, and commanded the 11th Infantry Battalion from 11 September. He was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel on 8 October. Leane remained at Gallipoli
until the evacuation in December. He was twice mentioned in dispatches and earned the nickname "Bull".
On returning to Egypt
, Leane was promoted to the rank of major on 26 February 1916 and appointed commander of the newly formed 48th Infantry Battalion. He was promoted to substantive lieutenant colonel on 12 March 1916. Like Leane himself, the 48th was both South Australian and Western Australian. Serving in the battalion were a number of Leane's relatives, including his brother, Major Benjamin Bennett Leane, as his adjutant, three of his nephews (Allan Edwin, Reuben Ernest and Geoffrey Paul Leane), and several other relatives. The 48th became known throughout the AIF as the Joan of Arc
Battalion because it was "made of all Leanes" (Maid of Orleans).
The 48th Battalion moved to France
in June 1916, and was committed to the line at Pozieres
on the night of 5–6 August. Leane immediately reconnoitred the position with his company commanders, during which they were pinned down by a German barrage and two of them put out of action. Ordered by his brigade commander, Brigadier General Glasfurd
, to place two companies north of Pozieres, Leane realised that this would overcrowd the area and result in needless casualties. Glasfurd then gave Leane written orders to the effect, which Leane chose to disobey. The two men were never again on good terms, but Leane's decision was fully justified. After a furious German
bombardment of an intensity they never before or later experienced, the 48th met and turned back a full scale German counterattack. In just one day and two nights of battle, the 48th Battalion lost 598 men.
Leane's brother, Major B. B. Leane, was killed at Bullecourt
on 10 April 1917 and his nephew, Captain A. E. Leane, died of wounds received there on 2 May 1917. The battalion suffered heavily in the failed attack, losing 436 men, but was back in action at Messines
in June and Polygon Wood
in September. Leane himself was wounded during the First Battle of Passchendaele
on 12 October 1917. He was evacuated and returned in January 1918. When he did, he found that his brigade had a new commander, Brigadier General Gellibrand
.
On 19 April 1918, Leane, as senior battalion commander in the brigade, became acting commander while Gellibrand was away sick, with the temporary rank of colonel. On 1 June 1918, this became permanent. Leane was promoted to colonel and temporary brigadier general. He led the brigade at Villers-Bretonneux
, Amiens
and the Hindenburg Line
. For his services, Leane was Mentioned in Despatches eight times, awarded the Distinguished Service Order
(DSO) & Bar, was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) and a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).
in May 1920. Leane crushed the Port Adelaide
wharf strike in 1928, enrolling some 3,000 special constables, and he ruthlessly suppressed protests that he believed were communist
inspired. He retired from the police force in 1944, and was knighted the year later for his service.
Leane commanded the 3rd Infantry Brigade
in Adelaide from 1921 to 1926, when he was placed on the unattached list. He was moved to the retired list in 1938. During World War II
he commanded the Volunteer Defence Corps
, the Australian version of the Home Guard, in South Australia.
Leane lived in Adelaide until his death on 25 June 1962. He was buried in Centennial Park Cemetery
.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
, CMG, DSO & Bar
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(12 July 1878 - 25 June 1962) was an Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
Brigadier General who served in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, and later served as Chief Commissioner of Police in South Australia
South Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
.
Early life and career
Raymond Lionel Leane was born on 12 July 1878 in Prospect, South AustraliaProspect, South Australia
Prospect is a suburb located to the north of the centre of Adelaide, the capital city of South Australia.Surrounding suburbs include Kilburn, Fitzroy, and Medindie. Prospect is a middle to upper class suburb of Adelaide...
, the son of a shoemaker. He was educated in the public school system until age 12, when he went to work for a retail and wholesale business, which sent him to Albany, Western Australia
Albany, Western Australia
Albany is a port city in the Great Southern region of Western Australia, some 418 km SE of Perth, the state capital. As of 2009, Albany's population was estimated at 33,600, making it the 6th-largest city in the state....
. He moved to Claremont
Claremont, Western Australia
Claremont is a western suburb of Perth, Western Australia on the north bank of the Swan River.-History:Prior to European settlement, the Noongar people used the area as a source of water, for fishing and for catching waterfowl. In 1830, John Butler, a settler, set up an inn at Freshwater Bay to...
where he was elected to the local council.
Leane was commissioned as a lieutenant in the 11th Infantry (Perth Rifles) in 1905. In 1908, he bought a retail business in Kalgoorlie
Kalgoorlie, Western Australia
Kalgoorlie, known as Kalgoorlie-Boulder, is a town in the Goldfields-Esperance region of Western Australia, and is located east-northeast of state capital Perth at the end of the Great Eastern Highway...
and transferred to the Goldfields Infantry Regiment. He was promoted to captain on 21 November 1910.
The Leane family became famous for their extraordinary wartime service. During World War I, every male member of military age offered himself for active service and was accepted.
World War I
On 25 August 1914, Leane was joined the First Australian Imperial ForceFirst Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
as a company commander in the 11th Infantry Battalion, with the rank of captain. Four of his brothers also served in the Great War
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, as did nine of his nephews. The Leanes became one of the nation's most distinguished fighting families with two losing their lives.
Leane was one of the first men ashore at Anzac Cove
Anzac Cove
Anzac Cove is a small cove on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey. It became famous as the site of World War I landing of the ANZAC on April 25, 1915. The cove is a mere long, bounded by the headlands of Ari Burnu to the north and Little Ari Burnu, known as Hell Spit, to the south...
, shortly after dawn on 25 April 1915, his company climbing Ari Burnu to Plugge's Plateau.
On 4 May 1915, Leane was ordered to head a hazardous attempt to capture Gaba Tepe fort, a prominent position just south of the Anzac perimeter.Landing from boats on the beach at the foot of Gaba Tepe, the force of over 110 men of the 11th Infantry Battalion
Australian 11th Battalion
The Australian 11th Battalion was a World War I Australian Army unit. It was among the first infantry units raised for the 1st AIF during the First World War...
and 3rd Field Company. The force was promptly pinned down on the beach by heavy fire. Leane signalled the Navy
Royal Australian Navy
The Royal Australian Navy is the naval branch of the Australian Defence Force. Following the Federation of Australia in 1901, the ships and resources of the separate colonial navies were integrated into a national force: the Commonwealth Naval Forces...
to remove his wounded from the beach, which they did with a steamboat towing a rowboat. Having determined that the withdrawal along the beach was impossible owing to belts of barbed wire, Leane then signalled the Royal Navy to remove the rest of his party. The Navy sent two picket boats towing two ships' boats. Destroyers laid down covering fire, but while the Turks
Turkey
Turkey , known officially as the Republic of Turkey , is a Eurasian country located in Western Asia and in East Thrace in Southeastern Europe...
had held their fire for the wounded, they laid down tremendous fire one the withdrawing raiders. Many men were hit, including Leane, who was hit in the hand. The raid was a failure but Leane's leadership, courage and coolness under fire had impressed many and he was awarded the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
.
Leane was slightly wounded on 28 June 1915 during the 11th Infantry Battalion's attack on Bolton's Ridge. During the attack on the enemy position on 31 July 1915, Leane was again wounded. During the bombardment that followed the successful attack, he was speaking to an observer, when an enemy shell struck. The observer was decapitated and Leane was wounded in the head, but remained at his post. He was promoted to temporary major on 5 August, and commanded the 11th Infantry Battalion from 11 September. He was promoted to temporary lieutenant colonel on 8 October. Leane remained at Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
until the evacuation in December. He was twice mentioned in dispatches and earned the nickname "Bull".
On returning to Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
, Leane was promoted to the rank of major on 26 February 1916 and appointed commander of the newly formed 48th Infantry Battalion. He was promoted to substantive lieutenant colonel on 12 March 1916. Like Leane himself, the 48th was both South Australian and Western Australian. Serving in the battalion were a number of Leane's relatives, including his brother, Major Benjamin Bennett Leane, as his adjutant, three of his nephews (Allan Edwin, Reuben Ernest and Geoffrey Paul Leane), and several other relatives. The 48th became known throughout the AIF as the Joan of Arc
Joan of Arc
Saint Joan of Arc, nicknamed "The Maid of Orléans" , is a national heroine of France and a Roman Catholic saint. A peasant girl born in eastern France who claimed divine guidance, she led the French army to several important victories during the Hundred Years' War, which paved the way for the...
Battalion because it was "made of all Leanes" (Maid of Orleans).
The 48th Battalion moved to France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
in June 1916, and was committed to the line at Pozieres
Battle of Pozières
The Battle of Pozières was a two week struggle for the French village of Pozières and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Though British divisions were involved in most phases of the fighting, Pozières is primarily remembered as an Australian battle...
on the night of 5–6 August. Leane immediately reconnoitred the position with his company commanders, during which they were pinned down by a German barrage and two of them put out of action. Ordered by his brigade commander, Brigadier General Glasfurd
Duncan John Glasfurd
Brigadier General Duncan John Glasfurd was a British Army and later Australian Army colonel and temporary Brigadier General in World War I. He was mentioned in dispatches for his role in evacuating Anzac...
, to place two companies north of Pozieres, Leane realised that this would overcrowd the area and result in needless casualties. Glasfurd then gave Leane written orders to the effect, which Leane chose to disobey. The two men were never again on good terms, but Leane's decision was fully justified. After a furious German
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
bombardment of an intensity they never before or later experienced, the 48th met and turned back a full scale German counterattack. In just one day and two nights of battle, the 48th Battalion lost 598 men.
Leane's brother, Major B. B. Leane, was killed at Bullecourt
Bullecourt
Bullecourt is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in France.-Geography:Bullecourt lies on the Upper Cretaceous plain of Artois between Arras and Bapaume and east of the A1 motorway. This shows Bullecourt just north of centre. Quéant is the larger of the two...
on 10 April 1917 and his nephew, Captain A. E. Leane, died of wounds received there on 2 May 1917. The battalion suffered heavily in the failed attack, losing 436 men, but was back in action at Messines
Battle of Messines
The Battle of Messines was a battle of the Western front of the First World War. It began on 7 June 1917 when the British Second Army under the command of General Herbert Plumer launched an offensive near the village of Mesen in West Flanders, Belgium...
in June and Polygon Wood
Polygon Wood, Zonnebeke
Polygon Wood is a forest located between Ypres and Zonnebeke, Belgium.The Battle of Polygon Wood was a significant First World War battlefield in the Battle of Passchendaele. It was captured by the Australian 5th Division on September 26, 1917 as part of the Battle of Menin Road.-External links:*...
in September. Leane himself was wounded during the First Battle of Passchendaele
First Battle of Passchendaele
The First Battle of Passchendaele was a World War I battle that took place on 12 October 1917 in the Ypres Salient area of the Western Front, outside the Belgian village of Passchendaele, during the Third Battle of Ypres...
on 12 October 1917. He was evacuated and returned in January 1918. When he did, he found that his brigade had a new commander, Brigadier General Gellibrand
John Gellibrand
Major General Sir John Gellibrand KCB, DSO & Bar was an Australian Army Major General in World War I and member of the Australian House of Representatives, representing the Tasmanian Division of Denison as a Nationalist Party member from 1925 to 1928.-Early life and career:John "Jack" Gellibrand...
.
On 19 April 1918, Leane, as senior battalion commander in the brigade, became acting commander while Gellibrand was away sick, with the temporary rank of colonel. On 1 June 1918, this became permanent. Leane was promoted to colonel and temporary brigadier general. He led the brigade at Villers-Bretonneux
Villers-Bretonneux
Villers-Bretonneux is a commune in the Somme department in Picardie in northern France.-Geography:Villers-Bretonneux is situated some 19 km due east of Amiens, on the D1029 road and the A29 motorway.-History - World War I:...
, Amiens
Amiens
Amiens is a city and commune in northern France, north of Paris and south-west of Lille. It is the capital of the Somme department in Picardy...
and the Hindenburg Line
Hindenburg Line
The Hindenburg Line was a vast system of defences in northeastern France during World War I. It was constructed by the Germans during the winter of 1916–17. The line stretched from Lens to beyond Verdun...
. For his services, Leane was Mentioned in Despatches eight times, awarded the Distinguished Service Order
Distinguished Service Order
The Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other parts of the British Commonwealth and Empire, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.Instituted on 6 September...
(DSO) & Bar, was made a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) and a Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB).
Post war
After the war, Leane became Chief Commissioner of Police in South AustraliaSouth Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
in May 1920. Leane crushed the Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide
Port Adelaide is a suburb of Adelaide lying about 14 kilometres northwest of the City of Adelaide. It lies within the City of Port Adelaide Enfield and is the main port for the city of Adelaide...
wharf strike in 1928, enrolling some 3,000 special constables, and he ruthlessly suppressed protests that he believed were communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
inspired. He retired from the police force in 1944, and was knighted the year later for his service.
Leane commanded the 3rd Infantry Brigade
Australian 3rd Brigade
The 3rd Brigade is a combined arms brigade of the Australian Army, based around the 1st, 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment . It was originally formed in 1914 for service during World War I, taking part in the fighting at Gallipoli and on the Western Front in Europe...
in Adelaide from 1921 to 1926, when he was placed on the unattached list. He was moved to the retired list in 1938. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
he commanded the Volunteer Defence Corps
Volunteer Defence Corps (Australia)
The Volunteer Defence Corps was an Australian part time volunteer military force of World War II modelled on the British Home Guard. The VDC was established in July 1940 by the Returned and Services League of Australia and was initially composed of ex-servicemen who had served in World War I...
, the Australian version of the Home Guard, in South Australia.
Leane lived in Adelaide until his death on 25 June 1962. He was buried in Centennial Park Cemetery
Centennial Park Cemetery
Centennial Park Cemetery is a large, 40.5 hectare cemetery in the southern Adelaide suburb of Pasadena, located at along Goodwood Road. It is the largest cemetery in the southern suburbs and one of the largest in the Adelaide metropolitan area...
.
External links
- Ronald Hopkins, 'Leane, Sir Raymond Lionel (1878 - 1962)', Australian Dictionary of Biography, Volume 10, Melbourne University Press, 1986, pp 39–41.
- Portrait by George Bell, 1919, Australian War Memorial
- Brigadier General Raymond Lionel Leane, CB, CMG, DSO, MC, VD, Who’s who in Australian Military History, Time line, Australian War Memorial
- The Bull Leane, Fifty Australians, Australian War Memorial
'There were so many members of the Leane family in the 48th Battalion AIF, it was called the “Joan of Arc battalion” – that is, Maid of Orleans (“made of all Leanes”).'
This page includes a number of portraits of Leane in subsequent endeavours. - Maps at the landing at ANZAC Cove, The Leane map, Australian War Memorial