Leonard Rigby Booth (SN 552) was born in Ballarat and attended Invermay State School. He was 21 years old and working as a bank clerk when he enlisted on August 20th 1914. He was assigned to the 4th Light Horse Regiment and embarked from Melbourne on October 14th aboard the Wiltshire. It is presumed that he saw action at Gallipoli, but his service record contains no reference to his service in 1915. Now posted to the Service Corps he reached France in April 1916, and his time there was highlighted by a couple of short spells in hospital due to illness, and a charge of being absent without leave that caused him to forfeit 28 days pay. With the war nearing its end, he was granted ‘1914 special leave’ which enabled him to return to Australia aboard the HT Durham. He disembarked at Melbourne on December 23rd 1918 and was discharged two months later on February 21st 1919.

His brothers John and William also served in the AIF and are honoured with a tree in the Avenue.