William Leggatt Explained

Honorific-Prefix:Lieutenant Colonel
Sir William Leggatt
Constituency Am:Mornington
Assembly:Victorian Legislative
Term Start:8 November 1947
Term End:3 February 1956
Predecessor:Alfred Kirton
Successor:Roberts Dunstan
Birth Date:23 December 1894
Birth Place:Malekula, New Hebrides
Death Place:Heidelberg, Victoria, Australia
Restingplace:Springvale Botanical Cemetery
Nationality:Australian
Party:Liberal and Country Party
Alma Mater:University of Melbourne
Profession:Barrister and solicitor
Allegiance:Australia
Branch:Australian Imperial Force
Citizens Military Force
Serviceyears:1915–1919
1934–1946
Rank:Lieutenant Colonel
Commands:Sparrow Force
2/40th Battalion
Battles:First World War
Second World War
Mawards:Knight Bachelor
Distinguished Service Order
Military Cross
Mentioned in Despatches (2)

Sir William Watt Leggatt, (23 December 1894 – 27 November 1968) was an Australian soldier, lawyer and politician. He served as commanding officer of the 2/40th Battalion and later Sparrow Force during the Second World War, fighting in Timor against the Japanese invasion in 1942. He was captured by the Japanese and sent to Changi Prison in Singapore. Following the war, he was based in Melbourne in charge of war crimes investigation until 1946. In 1948 he was elected to the Victorian parliament. He died in 1968 and was accorded a state funeral.

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