GWYNNE, Spencer
| Service Numbers: | 413, W47851 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 1 October 1914, Served as dismounted infantryman Gallipoli from 21 May 1915 to Dec 1915 and as mounted horseman in Egypt Dec 1915 to Dec 1918 |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 10th Light Horse Regiment |
| Born: | Port Augusta, South Australia, Australia, 3 September 1891 |
| Home Town: | Woodanilling, Woodanilling, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Eurelia, South Australia, Australia |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Heart attack, Armadale, Western Australia, Australia, 24 April 1959, aged 67 years |
| Cemetery: |
Karrakatta Cemetery & Crematorium, Western Australia Anglican W1 456 "GWYNNE" (Adjacent to Aberdare Road) |
| Memorials: | Woodanilling War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 1 Oct 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 413, 10th Light Horse Regiment, Served as dismounted infantryman Gallipoli from 21 May 1915 to Dec 1915 and as mounted horseman in Egypt Dec 1915 to Dec 1918 | |
|---|---|---|
| 17 Feb 1915: | Embarked Private, 413, 10th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Surada, Fremantle | |
| 17 Feb 1915: | Involvement Private, 413, 10th Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Fremantle embarkation_ship: HMAT Surada embarkation_ship_number: A52 public_note: '' | |
| 16 Aug 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 10th Light Horse Regiment, At Gallipoli Aug 1915 the 10th Light Horsemen as dismounted infantry, at Russell's Top in the pre-dawn of 7th Aug 1915 assaulted Turkish positions on the Nek - they formed the 3rd and 4th waves of attack and were mostly mown down by Turkish rifle and machine gun fire. Private Gwynne was promoted to Lance Corporal a week later. | |
| 22 Jan 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 10th Light Horse Regiment, Promoted to Corporal at Heliopolis, Egypt 22nd Jan 1916 | |
| 12 Dec 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 10th Light Horse Regiment, Promoted to Sergeant at Malha, Egypt 12th Dec 2016 | |
| 23 Dec 1916: | Honoured Distinguished Conduct Medal, Battle of Magdhaba, The following report was handwritten and signed by Lt Col Todd, C.O. of 10th Light Horse Regiment. "This NCO who was with 2/Lt Cox in the charge through the Enemy's Southern Redoubt showed conspicuous gallantry throughout the action. When 2/Lt Martins horse was killed about 70 yards in rear of Redoubt this NCO galloped up and assisted until the arrival of 2/Lt Cox with spare horse where Martin was able to get to safety. During the whole time, the 3 were subject to very heavy fire & it was very courageous and gallant of Gwynne to act as he did. He undoubtedly shared with 2/Lt Cox in saving 2/L Martin's life". | |
| 9 Mar 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 10th Light Horse Regiment, Sergeant Spencer Gwynne was accepted into the Officer Cadet School at Zeitoun, Egypt and was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in March 1918, and attended an Equitation Course in early April. | |
| 3 May 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 10th Light Horse Regiment, Egypt and Palestine - Light Horse and AFC Operations, Second Lieutenant Gwynne was wounded by shell shrapnel in the left ankle in the Es-Salt Raid, on 3rd May 1918 and he suffered a contusion. He spent a month recovering at 14 Australian General Hospital and rest camp at Port Said before returning to his Regiment. | |
| 10 Jun 1918: | Promoted AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 10th Light Horse Regiment, Second Lieutenant Gwynne was promoted to Lieutenant on 10th June 1918 while his regiment was in reserve and training at Solomon's Ponds outside Jerusalem. He attended a number of training courses over the next two months. | |
| 30 Sep 1918: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 413, 10th Light Horse Regiment, Egypt and Palestine - Light Horse and AFC Operations, In the Regiment's push towards Damascus on 29th September 1918 after crossing the Jordan River and pushing against Turkish positions between Kuneitra and of the town of Sasa, Lieut Gwynne received a gun shot wound to his left wrist and was placed on the Regiment's wounded list. In mid December 1918 he was examined by a medical board which noted that he had considerable limitation in movement of his left wrist after suffering a compound communicated fracture of the radius. | |
| 22 Dec 1918: | Embarked AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 413, 10th Light Horse Regiment, Lieut Gwynne recovering from his gun shot wound embarked the transport ship "Leicestershire" for Fremantle, Western Australia | |
| 11 Apr 1919: | Discharged AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 413, 10th Light Horse Regiment |
World War 2 Service
| 12 Jan 1942: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (WW2) , Lieutenant, W47851 | |
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| 10 Nov 1943: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (WW2) , W47851 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Chris Buckley
Lieutenant Spencer Gwynne DCM; MiD (Service Nos:413 and W47851) initially served in WWI in the AIF in Egypt, Gallipoli and Palestine with 3rd Light Horse Brigade and 10th Light Horse Regiment, Enlisting on 9 October 1914 as a Trooper, Sergeant Gwynne was awarded a Mention in Despatches (recommendation 24 December 1916) and the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) on 21 August 1917 (Commonwealth Gazette No133). WiA in 1918, Lieutenant Gwynne was Discharged on 11 April 1919, and then served with the ACMF from 12 January 1942 to 10 November 1943 as a Lieutenant with Perth VDC HQ and as Adjutant of the Pinjarra Battalion HQ of 4th (Bunbury) VDC Battalion. Youngest brother Andrew (Gunner; Service No:37187) was KiA in France in 1918.
Spencer was born in Eurelia, South Australia in 1891, ninth of eleven children of Andrew Gwynne (b1847 in Montgomeryshire, Wales) and Margaret (Maggie) Mooyart Morrow (b1854 in Adelaide, South Australia). Andrew immigrated in 1853, arriving in Port Adelaide with his parents and siblings on board the Ramilles. Andrew was a Blacksmith in Wollaston when he and Maggie married in 1871 at Port Wakefield. Andrew and Maggie lived at Balaklava, Pinda, Hammond and Eurelia where they raised their family and Andrew was a Farmer. By 1910 Andrew and Maggie had settled in Woodanilling via Katanning in Western Australia - Andrew was a Farmer - before moving to Perth by 1916, where Andrew was a Labourer.
Spencer worked for a legal firm on leaving school, and as a Miner in the Western Australian Goldfields before becoming a Farmer in Woodanilling via Katanning by 1913. Following his Discharge from the Army, Spencer returned to Woodanilling where he was Farmer and a member of the Woodanilling Road Board in 1920 when he married Florence Mary Dival (b1898 in Hampshire, England) - Florence immigrated in 1911 with her parents and siblings, arriving in Fremantle on board the Omrah. Spencer and Florence settled in Woodanilling, where they raised their family and Spencer was a Farmer. Spencer was active in his community - he served as a Member and Secretary of the Woodanilling Road Board, and in 1925 as chairman of the local Returned Servicemen's Reunion. Moving to Mingenew in 1932, Spencer was Secretary of the Mingenew Road Board, and again active in his community as Secretary of the Mingenew Hospital Association, Vice President of the Mingenew Parents' and Citizens' Association, Captain of the local cricket team and Manager of the North Midlands team. In the late 1930s Spencer and Florence moved to Armadale, where Spencer took a position as Secretary/Engineer to the Armadale Roads Board, and was again active in his local community - President of the Armadale RSL, foundation member and President of the Armadale Trotting Club, foundation member of the Armadale Rotary Club and of the Bowling Club. Spencer's name is commemorated in Armadale - Gwynne Park, a major recreation reserve in the City of Armadale, is named in his honour, as were the Gwynne Park Primary School and Gwynne Parrk Education Support Unit. Spencer died in 1959 and Florence in 1998.
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