John Henry Leihy was born in 1896 in East Melbourne, but the exact address in not known. He was the third son of Andrew Richard Leihy and Marion, née Eivers. Andrew was a French polisher and in 1916 was president of the Furniture Trade Union. He was also a member of the Total Abstinence Society and in 1920 was vice-president. The family moved to 1209 Hoddle Street, East Melbourne in 1901. The rate books describe it as a brick house of three rooms on land 20 by 90 feet. It must have been a tight fit. Andrew remained there until his death in 1932.
When he enlisted on 10 July 1915 John gave his occupation as motor mechanic and gave his military experience as four years with the Senior Cadets and one year with the Citizens’ Forces. He was nearly 5ft 8ins and had a sallow complexion, brown eyes and dark brown hair. He was appointed to the 1st Divisional Ammunition Column, 10th Reinforcements as a driver.
He embarked on 27 September 1915 aboard the Hororata arriving in Suez on 27 October. In Cairo he was taken on strength of the Divisional Artillery Column from Reinforcements and posted to No. 2 Section. He proceeded to France from Alexandria on 16 March 1916.
His service in France was interrupted by several bouts of illness including tonsillitis, laryngitis, scabies and gastro-enteritis. On one occasion he was in hospital for 110 days with VD. A number of misdemeanours meant he lost several weeks’ worth of pay. He left for return to Australia on 3 January 1919 suffering from bronchitis, and arrived home two months later.
After the war John returned to the family home in East Melbourne. In the 1924 electoral rolls his occupation is given as rubber worker. He married Irene Murphy. He died in South Australia in 1945.
City of Melbourne Rate Books, Albert Ward, 1901-1932