Father & Son

Father & Son at Fromelles 

Research by FFFAIF member Stephen Brooks has so far revealed 24 sets of brothers and one father and son who fought together at the Battle of Fromelles. Today we are proud to introduce a unique pair of soldiers from the 60^th Battalion of the 15^th Brigade of the 5^th Division. The 60^th Battalion have five members listed amongst the Missing Diggers of Fromelles.

Private Edward Spooner and Private James Spooner were a father and son who were counted amongst the 5,533 Australian casualties.

Photo: Private Edward Mason Spooner (N^o2663) AWM H06135

English born Edward Spooner was a 44 years old carpenter when he enlisted in the AIF on 12^th June 1915. Private E. Spooner was a veteran of the Gallipoli campaign as a member of the 7^th Battalion.  After returning to Egypt he was transferred to 60^th Battalion on 2^nd April 1916. The 60^th Battalion disembarked at Marseilles on 29^th June 1916 and moved north and on 19^th July took part in the Battle of Fromelles.

Photo: Private James Edward Spooner (N^o3941) AWM H06136

These photos have been reproduced with the permission of the Australian War Memorial.

Edward and Rebecca Spooner’s son James was 25 years old when he enlisted in the AIF one month after his father. His enlistment papers indicate he served two years in the Australian Navy which had been formed in 1911. James did not leave Australia until 23^rd November 1915. Private James Spooner embarked as a member of the 12^th Reinforcements, 7^th Battalion – the same Battalion his father served with at Gallipoli. Upon arrival in Egypt he was transferred firstly to the 59^th Battalion and later to join his father in the 60^th Battalion on 18^th March 1916. Thus father and son were serving in the same battalion when the 15^th Brigade went into action at the Battle of Fromelles.

Private James Spooner was reported missing on 20^th July and his father Private Edward Spooner was wounded in the battle receiving gunshot wounds to both shoulders. As a result of his injury’s Edward was transferred to England for further treatment at H.M.Queen Mary’s R.N.Hospital Chatham. Private Edward Spooner died as a result of his wounds on 31^st July 1917 at the age of 45. He is buried at Buried Southend-On-Sea (Sutton Road) Cemetery, Essex, England.

Private James Spooner was finally declared by a Court of Enquiry convened on 4^th August 1917 to have been KIA on 19^th July.  His Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau File reveals details of his death from a report given by Pte John O’Dea (N^o 3862) A Coy 60^th Battalion: He was in A Coy. I saw him fall, hit by a shell out in the open by Fleurbaix. He was badly wounded; nothing could be done for him. I took his pack off and made him a little more comfortable. We had orders to go back and did not hold the ground. He was about 5′ 9″, dark and came from Carlton, Victoria.

Many of the Australian soldiers who fell during the Battle of Fromelles lay in no-man’s land until after the Armistice when clearing parties from the Imperial War Graves Commission brought their bodies together for burial at VC Corner Cemetery – the only all-Australian Cemetery in France. Here the fallen diggers were laid to rest in the newly constructed cemetery. Details of the cemetery and its Memorial Wall where the names of 1,299 Diggers who died at the Battle of Fromelles and have no known grave are listed, can be seen on the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website.

Photo: VC Corner Cemetery

Mrs Rebecca Spooner, wife of Private Edward Spooner and mother of Private James Spooner was supported after loosing both husband and son by a war pension of £4 per fortnight from the Australian Government.

FROMELLES IS NOT HONOURED ON THE NATIONAL OR ANY STATE MEMORIAL IN AUSTRALIA.

FFFAIF SUPPORTS ALL EFFORTS TO RECOGNISE FROMELLES ON OR AT THE NATIONAL AND ALL STATE MEMORIALS THAT PRESENTLY LIST BATTLES BY NAME.

Call back tomorrow for MORE NEWS 

Stephen Brook’s research into the families who had multiple members involved in the Battle of Fromelles is an ongoing project and Stephen is interested in hearing from any one with further information or photos. Stephen can be contacted by emailing projectfffaif@yahoo.com.au

This is one of many ongoing research projects being undertaken by FFFAIF members. For information on other research projects underway take a look at our Research page by clicking on the tab at the top of the page.