Tree 2532, Gunner Leonard Joseph Willis, The Avenue of Honour, Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.

The Ballarat Avenue of Honour is significant as the earliest known memorial avenue to have been planted in Victoria, Australia. The trees were planted in order of the soldiers enlistment ( from Ballarat and surrounds) , and stretched some 22km along the Western Highway, consisting of 3,771 trees.? On 3 June 1917, the first 1,000 trees in the Avenue were planted by staff from the local textile mill E. Lucas & Co. Just over two years later the final planting took place on 16 August 1919, with a total of 3,771 trees.

Gunner Leonard Joseph Willis 2122
3rd Field Artillery Brigade A.I.F.

Enlisted: Aged 26 years 8 months: 25th November 1916 (D/W 29th March 1918)
“At Wychette Ridge Willis was gassed by a shell and died at the D/S. He was going up into a dug out at the time and the one shell killed 13 and wounded 9. I saw his body lying dead. I cannot give details of burial, but he would probably be buried in the cemetery 200 yards away from the D/S. Willis used to belong to the 8th Bn. and originally came over with the 13th L.H. He was 5ft. 8 or 9. He used to live at Ballarat and he was employed at the sunrise harvesting Co.”

Reference: Gnr G.C.Cecil, 2061. 9th Bty. A.F.A.
No 11 Con. Camp Buchy Nr Rouen. 19.9.18/Australian War Memorial Archives

“I did not know Willis very well, but do know that he was gassed and left the Bn. On good Friday at about 4.30pm at the same time as Felan who had also been gassed. They were sent to Clark’s Dump near Wytscheate. Willis and Felan died there and were buried at Vermiceille. I have not see the grave. H.Q. ought to have details.”

Reference: Gnr.W.H.Stallard, 27307. 8 Bty.
No.11 Con. Camp Buchy Nr. Rouen. 31.7.18/Australian War Memorial Archives

“I knew him well, he came from Melbourne and was connected with the
Government Post Office. I think as a telegraph operator. He was about
25, rather tall and fair. He came over with a reinforcement of the light horse and joined our Battery last January. On the 29th March we were at Wytscheate. Early in the morning Fritz was shelling us with gas and Willis, I and others, were sheltering in a dugout. A gas shell came into the dugout and we were all gassed. I was told that Willis was taken to the Brasserie D/station and he died there.”
Ref:-Gunner C. Box No. 25387
A.F.A. 3.8. Austra, Conv. Depot, Rouelles
24th June 1918/Australian War Memorial
A. 3.8. Austra, Conv. Depot, Rouelles
h June 1918/Australian War Memorial Archives