Kenneth Morton Leane was born on 8th July 1904 at Mount Lawley, Western Australia, Australia. He was the second son of Raymond Leane and Edith Laybourn-Smith.[1]
He married Helena Mary Wyman in 1929 at Norwood, South Australia.[2] Helena passed away in 1930.
He married Mavis McMillan in 1933 at Adelaide.[3] They were divorced in 1938: "An action by Mavis Annie Leane, of Kingston avenue, Richmond, for divorce, or alternatively, a judicial separation, from Kenneth Morton Leane, civil servant of Richmond road, Richmond, succeeded before Mr. Justice Napier in the Supreme Court yesterday. The grounds Mrs. Leane's claim were alleged habitual drunkenness and failure to provide sufficient means of support and habitual cruelty. Leane denied the allegations. Mr C. T. Gun appeared for Mrs. Leane. Leane conducted his own case. His Honor said that he preferred not to rely on the ground of habitual drunkenness, but he held that the charge of habitual cruelty had been established, and granted Mrs. Leane an order nisi for divorce, with costs."[4]
Ethel Leane was listed as his next of kin on army enlistment documentation.
He served in the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF) during the Second World War; enlisted 3rd November 1939, discharged 25th September 1945. He lowered his age by one year on enlistment to aid being accepted.[5] He was an officer in the 2/10th Australian Infantry Battalion, 18th Infantry Brigade, 7th Division. The 2/10th Battalion was the first South Australian battalion formed for the Second AIF. Kenneth was with the 2/10th at Tobruk (the Rats of Tobruk), Milne Bay, Buna, the Finisterre Mountains and Balikpapan.[6]
He passed away in 1965.
This week's featured connections are World War II Heroes: Kenneth is 21 degrees from Sarah Baring, 24 degrees from Virginia Goillot, 30 degrees from Christina Granville, 25 degrees from Bill Halsey, 24 degrees from Hedy Lamarr, 26 degrees from George Marshall, 20 degrees from Ron Middleton, 26 degrees from Frank Pickersgill, 27 degrees from Mary Reid, 25 degrees from Charles Upham, 30 degrees from Bram Vanderstok and 44 degrees from Waverly Woodson on our single family tree. Login to see how you relate to 33 million family members.
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Categories: Andrewartha-50 - VWMA Orphan Tree | 2nd 10th Infantry Battalion, Australian Army, World War II | 1939-1945 Star | Africa Star | Pacific Star | War Medal 1939-1945 | Defence Medal | Australia Service Medal 1939-1945