Ernest Victor Leach was born in Ballarat and was a Labourer by trade when he enlisted in the 14th Battalion, D Company as a Bugler on 14 September 1914 at the age of 19. His unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A38 Ulysses on 22 December 1914. Almost as soon as he reached Egypt he began to experience vision problems with his right eye. His condition worsened and by June he had been assessed as ædefective vision in right eye, practically blind' and retinitis was diagnosed. He was no longer fit for active service and he returned from Suez on the Themistocles, disembarking at Melbourne on September 9th 1915. He was discharged as æmedically unfit' a month later.
Tree No 271