The Leask Brothers

Private Harold Medcalf Leask (NX27346)
19 June 1910 14 May 1943

Private Alexander Richie Alex Leask (NX27345)
5 September 1911 14 May 1943

Private Henry Henderson Harry Leask (NX27347)
8 August 1912 14 May 1943

I feel certain that I am voicing the feelings of everybody in Holroyd when I say that their heartfelt sympathy goes out to the next-of-kin of the Leask boys, said the Mayor of Holroyd, Alderman Maunder.

Alderman Maunder was referring to Privates Harold, Alex and Harry Leask, of Macquarie Road, Greystanes who lost their lives on the hospital ship Centaur on 14 May 1943.

The Leask boys, with their brother Malcolm, enlisted together in the A.I.F. on 19 June 1940 at Paddington.  They received consecutive army numbers.

All four brothers saw two years service at Darwin together.

Harold, Alex and Harry were part of the 192-member contingent of the 2/12 Field Ambulance, travelling on the Centaur to New Guinea to set up field medical units.  Also on board were 75 Merchant Navy crew and the ships army medical staff comprising 8 Officers, 12 Nurses and 45 other ranks.

The M.S. Centaur sailed from Sydney at 9.45 am on 12 May 1943. At approximately 4.10 pm on 14 May, the Centaur was about 24 miles from Point Lookout on the NSW/Queensland border.  Despite being fully illuminated in accordance with the Geneva Convention, a torpedo from the Japanese submarine I-177 struck the Centaur on the port side, near her oil bunkers.  A tremendous explosion rocked the ship and fire broke out.

Most of the personnel on board were asleep below decks.

Of the 332 persons on board, there were 64 survivors.

The three Leask boys were all single and in their early twenties at the time of their deaths.

At the time of his brothers deaths, Malcolm was serving with at the 103rd Australian General Hospital.  At the time of his discharge in October 1945, Malcolm was serving with the 2/12 Field Ambulance.

I knew the lads well.  They were fine, typical young Australians, and their loss is a sad blow to the district, Alderman Maunder added.

The Leask brothers are remembered in three of the plaques along Memorial Avenue, Merrylands, honouring those Holroyd locals who paid the ultimate sacrifice during World War II.

Sources:

The Cumberland Argus and Fruitgrowers Advocate, Wednesday, May 26, 1943, p. 5.

Centaur (Hospital ship) : Sinking of the Centaur.  Encyclopedia.  Australian War Memorial.  http://www.awm.gov.au/encyclopedia/centaur/, accessed  9 August 2005.

History of the torpedoing of the A.H.S. Centaur, Tweed Heads Historical Society.  http://www.tweedhistory.org.au/tweed/centaur.shtml, accessed  8 August 2005.

World War 2 Nominal Roll.  www.ww2roll.gov.au, accessed 30 June 2005.

Compiled by Stephen Coppins, Local Studies Librarian