Leonard (Service Number 5354), with his older brother, William Edwin Kell (Service Number 4460) enlisted on 13 December 1915. He was born in Taree, New South Wales in 1897 to Joseph and Hannah H. Kell. At the time of enlistment he stated he was 18 years old, a single bachelor, Methodist, and employed as a labourer. He was living at William Street, Pitt Row, via Granville, New South Wales. On 22 August 1916 he embarked at Sydney on board HMAT Wiltshire A18 with the 19 Infantry Battalion, 14 Reinforcements. He arrived in Plymouth, England on 13 October and was taken to 3 Australian Command Depot at Hurdcott, near Salisbury Plain. On 4 November, he marched in to 5 Training Battalion. On 29 December, he was taken to Fargo Military Hospital suffering from Appendicitis.
After his recovery, he was transferred overseas to France for active service on 9 May 1917, and on 9 December, was returned to Eastbourne Military Hospital in England with Trench Fever and boils. On 24 April 1918 he returned to active service in France until he was wounded in action (gassed) on 28 May. On 3rd June he was returned to England to Reading War Hospital. He was marched in to Number 1 Command Depot at Sutton Veny on 9 September 1918. He was repatriated to Australia per H.T. Ceramic on 31 January 1919. On 15 May 1919, he was discharged as “medically unfit”.
Neera Sahni, Research Services Leader,Parramatta Heritage Centre, City of Parramatta, 2017