SPENCE, Percival Oswald
| Service Number: | 1450 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 16 July 1915, Melbourne. Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Gunner |
| Last Unit: | 2nd Division Medium and Heavy Trench Mortar Batteries, AIF |
| Born: | Brighton, Victoria, 13 September 1899 |
| Home Town: | Brighton, Bayside, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Brighton Primary School |
| Occupation: | Labourer |
| Died: | Died of wounds, Albert, France, 1 May 1918, aged 18 years |
| Cemetery: |
Etaples Military Cemetery Etaples Military Cemetery, Etaples, Nord Pas de Calais, France |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 16 Jul 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1450, Melbourne. Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 23 Nov 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 1450, 13th Light Horse Regiment, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Ceramic embarkation_ship_number: A40 public_note: '' | |
| 23 Nov 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 1450, 13th Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Ceramic, Melbourne | |
| 1 May 1918: | Involvement AIF WW1, Gunner, 1450, 2nd Division Medium and Heavy Trench Mortar Batteries, AIF, Merris (France), --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1450 awm_unit: 2nd Australian Division Trench Mortars awm_rank: Gunner awm_died_date: 1918-05-01 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Lisa Judd
Percy was born in 1899, the sixth child of Frank & Emily Spence of Brighton, Victoria. Percy attended the Brighton Primary School and by 1915 was working as a farm labourer in Stratford, Gippsland. His oldest brother, Bert, was married and working as a blacksmith in Stratford at the time.
Percy walked into a recruiting office on 16th July 1915 and signed up for the AIF at the age of 15 years 10 months. He had given his age as 21 years, 10 months. Percy's cousin, Harry Webb would be killed at the Battle of Lone Pine, just 3 weeks later. Harry Webb was awarded a DCM for courage & devotion to duty. Percy was originally recruited to the 13th Light Horse Brigade and did his basic training at Broadmeadows and Seymour before embarking to Europe on the HMAS Ceramic in November 1915.
Once in France, he was re-mustered to Gunner and attached to the 2nd Division in the 10th Field Battery Brigade. On 27th July, 1916, Div 2 relieved Div 1 at Pozieres and on 4th August managed to push through German lines. At this time, Percy was 16. His battery was located south of the Pozieres Albert Road, at the head of Sausage Valley and for days leading up to the successful attack, his task was wire cutting in front of German trenches.
Percy was gassed at Passchendale in October 1917 with mustard gas. He was evacuated to hospital and spent the next six weeks there. Just prior to returning to the front he met up with is brother Norman, 3rd Division, AIF, and the two were able to enjoy a slap up dinner in France on Christmas Day.
On Percy's return to the front, he was posted to the 3rd Aust. medium trench mortar battery. He was with this battery when, during the great German offensive of 1918, a German anti-battery shell exploded and fell on Percy's dugout on 20th April, severely wounding him in both legs and left hand. He was evacuated to 20 General Hospial at Camiers on the coast. Percy's brother, Horrie, just recently arrived in Calais with the 25th Reinforcements, 1st Div AIF, had been given the news that his young brother was gravely ill and was able to visit Percy in hospital. Percy died in his arms on 1st May 1918. Horrie was also given the dreadful news that their borther, Norman, had been killed at Heilly, near Villers Bretonneaux on 5th April 1918. Horrie was allowed to return to Australia on compassionate grounds.
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