Arthur Leslie (Les) Healy

Arthur Leslie (Les) was born in northern Melbourne suburb of Jika Jika. When he enlisted in the AIF on 6 January 1915, he listed his occupation as painter. Les became a member of the 21st Infantry Battalion and embarked for Alexandria, Egypt, on HMAT Ulysses on 8 May.

In the first days of September, the 21st Infantry Battalion was among the 1,400 troops that departed Egypt for Gallipoli on HMT Southland. Some 65 kilometres from Lemnos, the troopship was torpedoed by the German submarine UB14. Thirty-two Australian and New Zealand soldiers lost their lives that day, many of them missing and presumed drowned. At just 19 years of age, Les was one of the 11 Anzacs to be buried at East Mudros Military Cemetery.