War service: Western Front

Enlisted with rank of private and posted to C Company, 17th Reinforcements, Trentham Camp, Upper Hutt, 31 May 1916.

Posted to Featherston Details, 26 July 1916; transferred to Trentham Details, 29 August 1916. Transferred to C Company, 17th Reinforcements, 30 August 1916.

Proceeded overseas from Wellington on board HMNZT 'Pakeha', 23 September 1916; disembarked Devonport, England, 18 November 1916.

Marched in to New Zealand Reserve Brigade Group, Sling Camp, Wiltshire, and posted to 2nd Canterbury Company, 3rd Reserve Bn, Canterbury-Otago Regiment, 20 November 1916.

Appointed Temporary Lance-Corporal, 8 December 1916.

Proceeded overseas to France, 9 December 1916; disembarked and taken on strength, New Zealand Infantry and General Base Depot, Etaples, France, 10 December 1916.

Taken on strength, 2nd Battalion, Canterbury Infantry Regiment, and posted to 12th (Nelson) Company, in the field, 5 January 1917; relinquished appointment of Temporary Lance Corporal and reverted to rank of Private, 5 January 1917.

Detached to Second Army Headquarters, 7 April 1917; ceased detachment and rejoined Battalion, 6 August 1917. Admitted to New Zealand Stationary Hospital, Wisques (sick: trench feet), 26 October 1917; transferred to 2nd Canadian General Hospital, Le Treport, 7 November 1917; admitted to 3rd Convalescent Depot, Le Treport, 10 November 1917; discharged to New Zealand Infantry and General Base Depot, Etaples, 17 November 1917; attached to New Zealand Infantry and General Base Depot, 19 November 1917. Admitted to 24th General Hospital (injury, right knee, self-inflicted), 14 February, 1918; discharged from 24th General Hospital, 2 April, 1918.

Attached to New Zealand Infantry and General Base Depot, 3 April 1918.

Found guilty by Field General Court Martial, Etaples, 5 April 1918, of, while on active service, wilfully injuring himself with intent thereby to render himself unfit for service, in that he, at Etaples on 13 February 1918, injected petrol by means of a syringe into his right knee: awarded 90 days' Field Punishment No 1. Time in confinement awaiting trial 2 days.

Statement of evidence in the case of No. 26271 Leonard Semple Johnson, Canterbury Infantry Regiment, New Zealand Expeditionary Force. PROSECUTION 1st Witness. I have the honour to report that I have a case of petrol injection in my care in Ward A21. The patient, Private L. S. Johnson, Regimental No. 26271, 2nd Canterbury Infantry, (2nd C. Company) was admitted to this Hospital on the morning of the 14 February. He stated he had fallen down some steps on the previous evening and hurt his right knee, that he had gone on a Route March on the morning of the 14th, and that his knee had become swollen and painful and that he had therefore reported sick. On admission here, there was very marked swelling and redness around the right knee -- of a suspicious character. In the centre of the swelling there was a minute area of blanched skin and a puncture of the skin could be seen with the aid of a magnifying glass. An X-Ray photo was taken and revealed the presence of free gas in the subentaneous tissues. At 12.30P.M. today, (15 February) I operated upon him under Nitrous Oxide and anaesthesia and made three incisions into the inflamed area. Gas escaped from each of these incisions. This gas smelt strongly of petrol. On questioning Johnson at the end of the operation he at once admitted that he had injected petrol himself. (On the evening of the 13). He stated he had bought the syringe from a French Chemist in the Square at Etaples. The syringe was amongst his belongings, it was examined by me and found to contain a few drops of petrol -- smelling characteristically. He denied that any one person had influenced him in his decision to inject petrol into himself, but said that it was common talk among the Australians. (sgd) A. J. Blaxland. Captain. R.A.M.C. Att. 24th General Hospital

Rejoined Bn in the field, 11 April 1918.

Admitted to No 3 New Zealand Field Ambulance (sick), 14 April 1918; discharged to duty, 18 April 1918.

Admitted to No 3 New Zealand Field Ambulance (sick), 19 April 1918; discharged to duty and rejoined Battalion in the field, 23 April 1918.

Admitted to No 1 New Zealand Field Ambulance (gun shot wound, right buttock), 27 May 1918; discharged to unit, 27 May 1918.

Proceeded on leave to United Kingdom, 7 August 1918; rejoined Bn, in the field, 27 August 1918.

Detached to New Zealand Entrenching Group, 5 October 1918; ceased detachment and rejoined Bn, 13 October 1918.

Marched out from New Zealand Division, Cologne, Germany, 4 February 1919; marched in to Rouen, France, 7 February 1919.

Proceeded overseas from Rouen to England, 9 February 1919; marched in to New Zealand Rifle Brigade Reserve Depot, Brocton, England, 11 February 1919; marched in to Wellington Provincial Depot, Sling Camp, Wiltshire, 11 April 1919; marched in to Canterbury Provincial Depot, Sling Camp, 28 April 1919.

Commenced return to New Zealand from England on board HMNZT 'Prinzessin', 16 June 1919; disembarked Wellington, New Zealand, 2 July 1919; discharged on the termination of his period of engagement, 29 July 1919.