Leslie Potter
Born 13 Sept 1894 - Died 7 Apr 1964
- Service number
- WWI 18500 AWMM
- WWII 81777 AWMM
- WWII 30003 AWMM
- Also known as
- —
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- WW2 Brigadier/Military AWMM
- War
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Leslie AWMM
- Surname
- Potter AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- —
- Service number
- WWI 18500 AWMM
- WWII 81777 AWMM
- WWII 30003 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- —
- Religion
- —
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 13 Sept 1894 AWMM
- Date of birth
- —
- Place of birth
- —
- Birth notes
- —
- Address before enlistment
- WW1 Pre 10 Aug 1916 AWMM Unknown AWMM
- WW2 Unknown AWMM C/o C.J. Steedman, Bank of New Zealand, Tauranga AWMM
- Jayforce Unknown AWMM C/o C.J. Steedman, Bank of New Zealand, Tauranga AWMM
- Post war occupation
- Soldier/Military AWMM
- Next of kin
- WW1 John Potter (father), Avondale, Auckland, New Zealand AWMM
- WW2 Mrs T. Potter (wife), c/o C.J. Steedman, Bank of New Zealand, Tauranga, New Zealand AWMM
- Jayforce Mrs T. Potter (wife), c/o C.J. Steedman, Bank of New Zealand, Tauranga, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- Pre 19 Aug 1916 AWMM Single AWMM
- Unknown AWMM Married AWMM
- Unknown AWMM Married/Jayforce AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- Campaign
- Solomon Islands Campaign AWMM
- Pacific Theatre of War AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- WWI 18500 AWMM
- WWII 81777 AWMM
- WWII 30003 AWMM
- Military service
- Served as Major with Indian Army, 1926-28 AWMM
- 4 Reserve Battalion AWMM
- Otago Regiment, 2 Battalion AWMM
- Indian Army AWMM
- Northern Military District, New Zealand AWMM
- 14 New Zealand Infantry Brigade AWMM
- Central Military District AWMM
- British Commonwealth Occupation Force Japan (BCOF), Headquarters AWMM
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
- Commander of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (CBE) AWMM
- Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) AWMM
DSO: New Zealand Gazette, 7 September 1944. Citation: "Brigadier Leslie Potter of the 14th NZ Infantry Brigade has given distinguished service in the field. Brigadier Potter commanded 14th NZ Brigade in the operations at Vella Lavella in September and October 1943, and also the attack and seizure of the Green (Nissan) Island Group. In both operations his sound appreciation of the tactical problems involved and the plans he made for the deployment of his troops contributed largely to the success which attended out [sic] arms. In the operations at Vella Lavella the boldness of his initial plan and speed with which he executed it, left the enemy little time to organise his defensive positions and materially lessened the number of our casualties. In both operations he showed marked qualities of leadership. He was throughout in the closest possible touch with his troops and directed their movement with marked success." (Haigh & Polaschek, p205) AWMM - British War Medal (1914-1920) AWMM
- Victory Medal AWMM
- 1939-1945 Star AWMM
- Pacific Star AWMM
- Defence Medal AWMM
- War Medal 1939-1945 with oak leaf AWMM
- New Zealand War Service Medal AWMM
- Coronation Medal 1937 AWMM
- New Zealand Long and Efficient Service Medal AWMM
- Mentioned in Despatches (MiD) AWMM
- Mentioned in DespatchesPublic - Dale - Researcher - 13 October 2017 - Officers' Book, 14th Brigade, N.Z.E.F.I.P.
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- Graduated from Royal Military College Duntroon, Australia, 1915 AWMM
- Branch Trade Proficiency
- —
- Enlistment
- WW1 10 Aug 1916 AWMM
Age 21 AWMM
Unknown/Civilian AWMM - WW2 Unknown AWMM Soldier/Military AWMM
- WW2 Unknown AWMM Soldier/Military AWMM
- WW1 10 Aug 1916 AWMM
- Age on enlistment
- —
- Occupation before enlistment
- —
Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW1 20 Aug 1916-24 Oct 1916 AWMM
HMNZT 63 AWMM Vessel was Navua AWMM Lieutenant/Military AWMM 14 Brigade AWMM New Zealand Expeditionary Force AWMM - WW2 Brigadier/Military AWMM Headquarters, Infantry Brigade AWMM Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force AWMM
2nd Embarkation AWMM - WW2 Unknown Transport AWMM Vessel was Unknown Ship AWMM Brigadier/Military AWMM Headquarters, 3 New Zealand Division Base AWMM Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force AWMM
3rd Embarkation AWMM - Jayforce British Commonwealth Occupation Force (BCOF) Japan AWMM
4th Embarkation AWMM
- WW1 20 Aug 1916-24 Oct 1916 AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- —
- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
- —
- POW liberation details
- —
- Liberation Repatriation
- —
- POW serial number
- —
Medical history
- Medical notes
- Wounds Diseases Etc., WWI AWMM
Wounded in June 1917 AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- WW2 Brigadier/Military AWMM
- Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Promoted to Captain, 15 March 1917.
Served as Adjutant of 4 (Reserve) Battalion and 2 Battalion, Otago Regiment
Promoted to Lt Colonel and served as General Staff Officer grade 1 (GSO1) of New Zealand Northern Military District (NMD), 1942-42.
Promoted to Brigadier and commanded 14 New Zealand Infantry Brigade in the Solomon Islands campaigns, 1943-44.
Commanded New Zealand Central Military District (CMD), 1944-45.
Commanded J Force, Japan, 1946. AWMM - N.Z.S.C.Public - Dale - Researcher - 13 October 2017 - Officers' Book, 14th Brigade, N.Z.E.F.I.P.
- Promoted to Captain, 15 March 1917.
About death
- Death
- 7 Apr 1964 AWMM
Age 69 AWMM - Date of death
- —
- Age at death
- —
- Place of death
- —
- Cause of death
- —
- Death notes
- —
- Cemetery
- —
- Cemetery name
- —
- Grave reference
- —
- Obituary
- —
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- —
Related objects
Sources
- External links
- New Zealand Electronic Text Collection topic page
https://ndhadeliver.natlib.govt.nz/webarchive/20210104000423/http://nzetc.victoria.ac.nz/tm/scholarly/name-016564.html
Further Reference - National Archives of New Zealand, National Collection of War Art. Portrait.
http://warart.archives.govt.nz/node/145
Further Reference - Military Personnel File
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R24186083
Further Reference - Military Personnel File
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R24186084
Further Reference - Military Personnel File
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R24186085
Further Reference - Military Personnel File
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R24186086
Further Reference - Military Personnel File
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R24186087
Further Reference - Military Personnel File
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R24186088
Further Reference - Military Personnel File
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R24062639
Further Reference - Nominal rolls - Embarkation rolls J-force personnel from Italy Middle East to Japan. Archives New Zealand (R22440245)
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R22440245
Sources Used - J Force Wikipedia Page
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J_Force
Further Reference - Romano, G. (2021, March 4). Jayforce: 75 years on. Auckland War Memorial Museum – Tāmaki Paenga Hira.
https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/features/jayforce
Further Reference - J Force - The 1948 Freyberg Cup (9776). A radio recording of this man in Japan in 1948 can be heard on Ngā Taonga Sound and Vision's website.
https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/search-use-collection/search/9776
Further Reference - Johnston, S. (2025, August 11). Voices of J Force: Recordings of New Zealanders in post-war Japan. Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision.
https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/explore-stories/stories/new-zealand-history/voices-of-j-force-recordings-of-new-zealanders-in-post-war-japan/
Further Reference
- New Zealand Electronic Text Collection topic page
- References
- The Weekly News
The Weekly News 1944 - New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1917). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume II. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
38: 5 - Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1945). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 9 (Embarkations from 1st July, 1942 to 31st December, 1942). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
WW2 9: WW2 321 - Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1945). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 9 (Embarkations from 1st July, 1942 to 31st December, 1942). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
WW2 12: WW2 156 - Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1945). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 12 (Embarkations from 1st July, 1943 to 31st December, 1943). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
WW2 14: WW2 79 - Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1945). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 14 (Embarkations from 1st April, 1944 to 31st December, 1944). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
WW2 16: WW2 107 - Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force. (1950). Nominal Roll Second New Zealand Expeditionary Force No. 16 (Embarkations from 1st January, 1946 to 30th June, 1948). Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
- Gillespie, O. (1952). The Pacific. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
- Brocklebank, L.W. (1997). Jayforce : New Zealand and the military occupation of Japan, 1945-48. Auckland, N.Z.: Oxford University Press.
- Nominal rolls - Embarkation rolls J-force personnel from Italy Middle East to Japan. Archives New Zealand (R22440245)
- Parr, A. (2012). The occupiers : New Zealand veterans remember post-war Japan. Auckland, N.Z. : Penguin.
- Byrne, A. E. Official History of the Otago Regiment, NZEF in the Great War, 1914–1918. Dunedin: J. Wilkie, 1921.
- HQ 3 (NZ) Div. NZEFIP. Official Dinner, New Caledonia, 9 August 1943. Auckland War Memorial Museum Tāmaki Paenga Hira, EPH-W2-10-7.
- XxPublic - Luc - Other relative - 24 April 2017 - Xx
- The Weekly News
The development of the Online Cenotaph is an ongoing process; updates, new images and records are added weekly. In some cases, records have yet to be confirmed by Museum staff, and there could be mistakes or omissions in the information provided.
Online Cenotaph Data by Auckland War Memorial Museum is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.