AUTHORS, former Federal Government minister Tom McVeigh and Ron Siebenhausen describe themselves as two 'old Alloraites'.

And while indeed they are former long-time residents and well known across the region that envelopes 'the best Little Town on the Downs', they have combined their scribing talents and pride in their home region to recognise a former resident and amazing achiever, Private John Leak - Our Restless Warrior.

It all started over lunch at Brisbane's Irish Club in late 2008, Tom and Ron deciding to pen a book about the life of a remarkable character in Private John Leak, Queensland's first Victoria Cross winner.

The two friends who grew up in Allora met regularly reminiscing about the 'good old days' and their association as delegates to the Queensland Graingrower's Association.

On that occasion back in 2008 Ron asked Tom if he knew anything about Private J. Leak being a soldier- settler in the Allora district.

Ron advised that his wife Dolly had drawn his attention to the name 'Pte J Leak' being recorded as a VC winner on a visit to the National War Memorial in Canberra.

Dolly's father Mr Ernie Balderson, who had served at Gallipoli, had told Ron when selling him his property that he had farmed the property known as portion 179, property selected by Private John Leak and was known as 'Leak's Paddock'.

The result of that Irish Club discussion was to investigate the matter further. After enthusiastic meetings with local's who were aware of the Leak presence in the Goomburra Valley, it was decided to research the life of Queensland's first VC winner, research and investigation that took Ron and Tom across the nation.

Tom and Ron visited Allora last Thursday with former Goomburra Valley resident Mr Ian Smith to officially launch Our Restless Warrior, and make presentations to the Allora State School, St. Patrick's School, the Allora Library, the Allora District Historical Society and the Allora RSL Sub-Branch.

The book of 192 pages outlines the life and times of an amazing character in Private Leak, a soldier- settler at Berat from 1919 to 1920. Ian Smith and co-author Ron Siebenhausen presented a copy of the book to the Allora State School, Mr Smith's parents having taken over the Leak property when John Leak left the area, the farm later owned by Ron Siebenhausen.

The house in which Leak lived on the property was relocated to the Smith family property at nearby The Aloes.

Presentations were also made to students at St. Patrick's School by Tom McVeigh and his sister Betty Peters, both past students of the school. Tom and Ron along with Ian Smith, addressed the Allora RSL Sub-Branch and guests and made book presentations to RSL president Mr Jim Corby, Allora RSL member Mr Bill Sinton, Allora District Historical Society vice-president Mr Graham Anderson and SDRC Councillor Glyn Rees for the Allora Library.

When community members wander through Allora's Memorial Park one cannot help but be drawn to read the lengthy roll of names of those that made the supreme sacrifice in conflict listed on the Memorials that rise from the neatly cut lawns.

An etched black marble plaque at the base of the towering First World War memorial recognises the military exploits of Private John Leak VC, Queensland's first recipient of the highest award for acts of bravery in wartime. Few towns would be able to recognise a local Victoria Cross recipient in their special area of remembrance, Allora most fortunate to have that honour. While John Leak was born in 1892 at Portsmouth, England, the former soldier and teamster was a soldier-settler in 1919 and 1920 at Berat, a farming area located between Allora and Goomburra. Memorials in his honour are erected at his former Berat property, another magnificent mosaic erected in the city of his enlistment, Rockhampton. He was fortunate enough to survive the war, come home, raise a family and pass away peacefully at the age of 80.

Twenty-two year old Leak enlisted as a Private in the Australian Imperial Force on January 28th 1915, and joined his unit, the 9th Battalion on June 22nd at Gallipoli, before being posted to France and the Western Front in early 1916. As a result of his incredibly heroic actions on the 23rd July 1916, the first day of the Battle of Pozieres in France, part of the Battle of the Somme, he was awarded the Victoria Cross for most conspicuous bravery.

The citation stated: "He was one of a party which finally captured an enemy strong point. At one assault when the enemy's bombs were outranging ours, Private Leak jumped out of a trench, ran forward under heavy machine gun fire at close range, and threw three bombs into the enemy's bombing post."

"He then jumped into the post and bayoneted three unwounded enemy bombers. Later when the enemy, in overwhelming numbers, was driving his party back, he was always the last to withdraw at each stage, and kept on throwing bombs. His courage and energy had such an effect on the enemy that, on arrival of reinforcements, the whole trench was recaptured."

The former Berat resident was discharged from the AIF in May 1919, but not before being wounded in August 1916 at Mouquet Farm and severely gassed at Hollebeke, Belgium in March 1918.

Private Leak received his Victoria Cross at Buckingham Palace on November 4th, 1916, from His Majesty George V.

After leaving the Allora area he resided in New South Wales, South Australia and Western Australia, before returning to retire in South Australia where he died at Redwood Park on October 20th, 1972.

On Remembrance Day 2009 the president of the Allora RSL Sub-Branch Mr Eric Taylor unveiled the plaque on the First World War Cenotaph at Allora Memorial Park recording the achievements of Private John Leak. Additionally on April 21st 2010, Allora RSL Sub-Brach Secretary Mr Ken Ashton unveiled a plaque at the Berat site of the firewood sawmill that had been operated by John Leak andpartners, a plaque also unveiled on the site of soldier settler Leak's home in 1920, on Block Portion 184, the Commonage.

The Commonage, as it is still known, signifies an area as part of a district. Its original naming in the 1860's was instead as the parcel of land of approximately 3,540 acres serviced by the Allora Town Council.

A little under four years since embarking on their historical documentation of the life of Private John Leak VC, Tom and Ron completed their research on June, 30th 2012.

The book "Our Restless Warrior" is the result, and much thanks to the support of the Queensland Grants Celebration Committee.

A copy of "Our Restless Warrior" can be accessed in the reference section of the Allora Library.

Andrew Craig, Captain RAN (Rtd), Chair of the Queensland Advisory Committee for the Commemoration of the ANZAC Centenary wrote, "The authors have given us a chance to learn about a very brave man - not that John Leak considered himself a hero."