Private Edward Spooner and Private James Spooner were a father and son who were counted amongst the 5,533 Australian casualties.<\/p>\n
\u00a0 Photo<\/strong>: Private Edward Mason Spooner (No<\/sup>2663) AWM H06135<\/p>\n English born Edward Spooner was a 44 years old carpenter when he enlisted in the AIF on 12th<\/sup> June 1915. Private E. Spooner was a veteran of the Gallipoli campaign as a member of the 7th<\/sup> Battalion. \u00a0After returning to Egypt he was transferred to 60th<\/sup> Battalion on 2nd<\/sup> April 1916. The 60th<\/sup> Battalion disembarked at Marseilles on 29th<\/sup> June 1916 and moved north and on 19th<\/sup> July took part in the Battle of Fromelles.<\/p>\n \u00a0 Photo<\/strong>: Private James Edward Spooner (No<\/sup>3941) AWM H06136<\/p>\n These photos have been reproduced with the permission of the Australian War Memorial<\/a>.<\/p>\n 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 23rd<\/sup> November 1915. Private James Spooner embarked as a member of the 12th<\/sup> Reinforcements, 7th<\/sup> Battalion – the same Battalion his father served with at Gallipoli. Upon arrival in Egypt he was transferred firstly to the 59th<\/sup> Battalion and later to join his father in the 60th<\/sup> Battalion on 18th<\/sup> March 1916. Thus father and son were serving in the same battalion when the 15th<\/sup> Brigade went into action at the Battle of Fromelles.<\/p>\n Private James Spooner was reported missing on 20th<\/sup> 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 31st<\/sup> July 1917 at the age of 45. He is buried at Buried Southend-On-Sea (Sutton Road) Cemetery, Essex, England.<\/p>\n Private James Spooner was finally declared by a Court of Enquiry convened on 4th<\/sup> August 1917 to have been KIA on 19th<\/sup> July.\u00a0 His Red Cross Wounded and Missing Enquiry Bureau File<\/a><\/em> reveals details of his death from a report given by Pte John O’Dea (No<\/sup> 3862) A Coy 60th<\/sup> 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.<\/em><\/p>\n 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 <\/a>website.<\/p>\n Photo<\/strong>: VC Corner Cemetery<\/p>\n 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 \u00a34 per fortnight from the Australian Government.<\/p>\n FROMELLES<\/strong> IS NOT HONOURED ON THE NATIONAL OR ANY STATE MEMORIAL IN AUSTRALIA.<\/span><\/p>\n FFFAIF<\/strong> SUPPORTS ALL EFFORTS TO RECOGNISE FROMELLES<\/strong> ON OR AT THE NATIONAL AND ALL STATE MEMORIALS THAT PRESENTLY LIST BATTLES BY NAME.<\/span><\/p>\n Call\u00a0back tomorrow for MORE NEWS<\/strong><\/span>\u00a0<\/p>\n Stephen Brook\u2019s 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<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Father & Son at Fromelles\u00a0 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 … Continue reading ![\"Private](\"http:\/\/fffaif.files.wordpress.com\/2008\/07\/spooner_-edward-pte_sml.jpg\")
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