John Alexander Spilsbury

Personal Information
Date of Birth	16 Mar 1885
Place of Birth	Mount Victoria, Lithgow, New South Wales
Death	1960
Place of Death	Norseman, Western Australia
Age at Enlistment	29 years, 6 months
Description	5'4" (1.63m) tall; weight 128 lbs (58.1kg); dark complexion, brown eyes, black hair.
Occupation	Beam squarer
Religion	Church of England
Address	Armadale, Western Australia
Next of Kin	Brother Mr John H. Spilsbury
Military Information
Reg Number	1071
Date of Enlistment	7 Sep 1914
Rank	Private
Unit/Formation	11th Battalion, G Company transferred to 1st Machine Gun Battalion / 1st Division
Date of Embarkation	2 Nov 1914
Ship Embarked On	HMAT A11 Ascanius
Date of Return	23 Oct 1918
Ship Returned On	SS Port Lyttleton
Fate	Returned to Australia
Monument	none as yet
Medals	1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal

Pre War

Electoral Roll entry - Hoffman Mill, timber hewer;

War Service

As a member of the 11th Battalion, he was one of the first of the Australians to land at Gallipoli. Wounded on the day of the landing, On 30 Apr 1915 John was admitted to the 1st General Hospital in Heliopolis with a gun shot wound to his knee. Following treatment he was released to the Halouran Convalescent Depot on 15 Jun 1915. Subsequent synovitis required some further treatment, but on 21 Jul 1915 he boarded HMT Kingstonian in Alexandria en-route to rejoin his unit at Gallipoli on 30 Jul 1915. On 5 Sep 1915 he was admitted to 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station before boarding HMHS Salta off Gallipoli, suffering with diarrhoea, and was transported to Mudros, before being sent on to the Greek Hospital in Alexandria. Well again, he returned to duty on 18 Sep 1915 with the Overseas Base at Mustapha. A cut hand meant another trip to hospital, this time the 15th Canadian Hospital, before returning to Mudros harbour on the HMAT A30 Borda, leaving Alexandria on 18 Oct 1915. While on Lemnos Island he was admitted to the 3rd Australian General Hospital with jaundice and so did not rejoin his unit on Gallipoli, but returned to Alexandria on 21 Jan 1916 aboard HMT Empress of Britain.

He rejoined the 11th Battalion at Serapeum on 5 Mar 1916 and travelled to France with his battalion on HMT Corsican leaving Alexandria on 20 Mar 1916, arriving in Marseilles on 5 Apr 1916.

On 28 May 1916 being wounded in action with a bomb wound to his abdomen. Seen on 31 May 1916 by the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station and the 11th General Hospital in Camiers on 2 Jun 1916 he was evacuated to England on HMHS Brighton on 11 Jun 1916. Admitted to the St John's War Hospital for treatment, during his recovery he spent time in the 1st Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Harefield before being admitted to the Epsom Convalescent Hospital on 6 Jul 1916. At Perham Downs on 8 Nov 1916 he was absent from the 8:00am to 2:00pm parades and was awarded a weeks extra duties along with the loss of a day's pay.

On 13 Sep 1916 he was again in hospital, this time Bulford Hospital with VD (46 days ineffective service), before being sent to the 3rd Training Battalion on 30 Oct 1916 to prepare for a return to France. Before he did so he was AWOL from midnight 12 Jan 1917 until midnight 14 Jan 1917 for which he earned 48 hours detention and forfeiture of 4 days pay.

On 16 Jan 1917 he was placed aboard HMT Princesse Clementine for France. On 20 Jan 1917 he rejoined his battalion who at the time were in Bresle retraining and building strength. However, nine days later he was again in hospital, sick with bronchitis. On 3 Jun 1917 he was charged with disobeying a lawful command and quitting he ranks without permission. His award was 7 days Field Punishment No.2. In trouble again on 26 Aug 1917 he was charged with Drunkenness and Insubordination in that he used obscene language towards an officer. For this he was awarded 10 day's Field punishment No 2, and forfeiture of 11 day's pay.

Wounded in Action a third time on 20 Sep 1917 at Polygon Wood, he was seen first by the 139th Field Ambulance and treated for a gun shot wound to the hand, passed to the 32nd Casualty Clearing Station who placed him on Ambulance Train No. 36 for the 22nd General Hospital at Dannes where he was admitted on 22 Sep 1917. Returned to England aboard HMHS Newhaven, he was admitted to 2nd Military Hospital Old Park, Canterbury with a gunshot wound to his leg (buttocks). Passing through a series of convalescent and base units, he was transferred to No. 4 Command Depot in Hurdcott where he spent six months.

Another short AWOL stint in May 1918 earned him the loss of a day's pay before he was transferred to the Machine Gun Details Base in Grantham on 31 May 1918.

AWOL from midnight 3 Sep 1918 until 8:00pm on 4 Sep 1918, his punishment was 10 days Confined to Barracks, and loss of a day's pay. On 12 Sep 1918 he proceeded overseas once more via Folkestone, and on arrival was sent to the Machine Gun Base Depot in Camiers, arriving on 14 Sep 1918. Identified as one of the longest serving, he was a member of the 'A' Draft for return home, and so on 13 Oct 1918 he returned to England through Southampton to prepare for his return for 'Special 1914 Leave'.

Discharged by the 5th Military District on 17 Feb 1919.

Post War

Electoral Roll entries - 1925 at 894-Mile, Trans Line, fettler; 1936 Carbine, prospector; 1943 Railway Coffee Palace, Burt street, Boulder, miner; 1958 Blue Bird Lease, Norseman, miner

Notes

Sister was Dora May Hodges, Midland Junction.