SPILLER, Liscombe Reginald Emanuel
| Service Number: | 193 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 January 1915, Keswick, South Australia |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 27th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Mitcham, South Australia, 28 August 1896 |
| Home Town: | Adelaide, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Kyre College and St Peter's College, Adelaide |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Belgium, 29 June 1916, aged 19 years |
| Cemetery: |
La Plus Douve Farm Cemetery, Wallonie, Belgium |
| Memorials: | Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Glenelg and District WW1 & WW2 Honour Board, Hackney St Peter's College Fallen Honour Board, Torrens Park Kyre (Scotch) College Great War Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Jan 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Keswick, South Australia | |
|---|---|---|
| 31 May 1915: |
Involvement
AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 193, 27th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Geelong embarkation_ship_number: A2 public_note: '' |
|
| 31 May 1915: | Embarked AIF WW1, Lance Corporal, 193, 27th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Geelong, Adelaide | |
| Date unknown: | Wounded 193, 27th Infantry Battalion |
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Add my storyBiography
Liscombe Reginald Emanuel SPILLER was born on 28th August, 1896 in Mitcham South Australia
His parents were Frank Albert SPILLER and Frances Agnes PARR
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Killed in Action during a Trench Raid on the night of the 28/29th of June 1916. The action took place near Ontario Farm in the Messines Ridge sector of the Ypres / Flanders front line.
The Battalion diary summaries the events that occurred that night: "During night our raiding party entered enemy trenches at Ontario Farm under Artillery Barrage and did some damage. Killing 17 enemy and taking 4 prisoners. retaliation by Bosche Artillery severe. Our casualties Wounded Lts Sommerville JR and Gooden SR. Other Ranks Killed 4, Wounded 26." Although it was only a relatively small trench raid carried out that night, the German's inflicted more damage on the raiders than the 27th did to the German's.
From the book Fallen Saints
Liscombe Reginald Emanuel Spiller of Glenelg was born at Mitcham South Australia in 1896. He was educated at Kyre College and the Collegiate School of St Peter and after leaving school took up farming but by the time he enlisted was working as a clerk in Adelaide as well as serving part time in the 78th Infantry, Adelaide Rifles. He enlisted at Keswick in January 1915 and although originally marked for the 24th Battalion was allotted to the 27th Battalion when it was raised in March. Lance Corporal Spiller of A Company, 27th Battalion sailed from Adelaide with his unit aboard HMAT Geelong in May.
Following eight weeks in Egypt the battalion proceeded to Gallipoli where with the remainder of the 7th Brigade, it reinforced the New Zealand and Australian Division. The battalion returned to Egypt after the evacuation and proceeded to France in early March.
A raiding party from 27th Battalion entered the enemy’s trench at Ontario Farm on the night 28/29 June and killed 15 Germans and captured four; the raiders suffered one killed and five wounded. The Germans, always quick to respond attempted to even the score by hammering the battalion line with a heavy artillery bombardment.
Retaliation by Boche Artillery severe. Our casualties, wounded Lts. Sommerville J R and Gordon S R Other Ranks. Killed 4. Wounded 26. [i]
When was killed in action on 29 June Lance Corporal Liscombe Spiller was 20 years of age.
Liscombe’s cousin Private George Spiller, 53rd Battalion AIF was killed in action on 24 September 1917.
[i] Australian War Memorial, 27th Battalion AIF – War Diary – 28/92 June 1916 – item 23/44/10 viewed 10 January 2008
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