Leslie Tweedie was born 28 October 1894 in Ballarat. Tweedie's grandfather William Tweedie was a bailiff at the County Court for Mines in Ballarat, and had been present at the Eureka Stockade.

Tweedie was a 20-year-old hotel clerk when he enlisted in the AIF in Perth on 23 September 1914. He was assigned service number 452 in the WA Infantry Brigade. His brother, Wallace Arthur (or Arthur Wallace), also enlisted and was assigned number 451. Leslie Tweedie was subsequently transferred to the 16th Infantry Battalion, where he was promoted until he became a lieutenant.

Tweedie left Melbourne on the Ceramic on 22 December 1914, bound for the Middle East. He went on to serve in Gallipoli and later in Europe. He was fortunate to escape serious injury, although he did endure bouts of illness. He returned to Australia in October 1918, on Special Leave awarded to soldiers who had served since 1914. He was discharged on 25 February 1919.

Tweedie had a distinguished military career, and was awarded five medals including the Meritorious Service Medal (1917) and the Military Cross (1919).

In 1939 he re-enlisted in Adelaide (number SX22487) but was too old for overseas service. He was attached to the Garrison Battalion, and transferred to Western Australia. He was then attached to the Western Command Headquarters, where he served as Prisoner of War Liaison Officer. Tweedie was discharged 3 June 1945 in Perth.

In 1922 Leslie had given his medals to his mother for safekeeping. His parents separated, and worked in hotels in South Australia and Victoria. In Adelaide, he became aware she had lost the medals; he applied for duplicate medals in 1960.

Leslie Tweedie died 4 August 1977.

References
Wal Tweedie & Alison Edmunds, Personal Communication, 27 January 2011
National Archives of Australia: B2455, TWEEDIE LESLIE

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