SPARGO, Edwin Bennett
| Service Number: | Officer |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 24 August 1914, Melbourne, Victoria |
| Last Rank: | Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 6th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Brunswick, Victoria, Australia, 16 August 1888 |
| Home Town: | Malvern East, Stonnington, Victoria |
| Schooling: | Brunswick State School, Melbourne C of E Grammar School and University of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Killed In Action, Gallipoli, 7 August 1915, aged 26 years |
| Cemetery: |
No known grave - "Known Unto God" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Lone Pine Memorial to the Missing, MCC Roll of Honour 1914 - 1918 - Melbourne Cricket Club, Melbourne Grammar School WW1 Fallen Honour Roll |
World War 1 Service
| 24 Aug 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, Officer, 6th Infantry Battalion, Melbourne, Victoria | |
|---|---|---|
| 19 Oct 1914: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 6th Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 19 Oct 1914: | Embarked AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 6th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Melbourne | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 6th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli | |
| 25 Apr 1915: | Wounded AIF WW1, Lieutenant, 6th Infantry Battalion, ANZAC / Gallipoli, GSW (chest) | |
| 6 Aug 1915: | Involvement AIF WW1, Lieutenant, Officer, 6th Infantry Battalion, The August Offensive - Lone Pine, Suvla Bay, Sari Bair, The Nek and Hill 60 - Gallipoli |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Sharyn Roberts
EDWIN BENNETT SPARGO who was killed in action on Gallipoli on 7th August 1915 was the son of Mr. James H. Spargo.
He was born in 1889 and entered the School in 1907, and was in the athletic team which competed for "The Argus" and "The Australasian " Cup in that year. After passing the Junior Public Examination he left School in 1908. He was always interested in military matters, and was studying to become a soldier when war was declared. He was then a 2nd Lieutenant in the 63rd Infantry, but at once enlisted, and left Victoria with the first Expeditionary Force as Lieutenant . in the 6th Battalion. His vivid description of the Gallipoli Landing, in which he was severely wounded, was the first soldier's narrative to be published in "The Argus."
He was in the fighting round Lone Pine, and was at first reported missing, but the following description shows the part he took in the fighting in which he was killed : " An attack was arranged for midnight on Friday 5th August and your son was one of the officers to go out with the first party to take a trench occupied by the enemy, which was about seventy yards in front of our firing line. He seemed to have some presentiment that he would not return, but he went off quite collected and contented. He was hit probably by a bullet about 50 yards in front of our trench, and quite close to the enemy's trench, and as he fell he called out 'Go on, men.' Some of our lads went back to look for him, who saw him fall, but could not find him, and another party searched for him, but without success. He was affectionately known to me as 'Teddie,' a great favourite with us all and loved by his men. He had been recommended for promotion, and we were expecting the official confirmation of his captaincy in brigade orders."
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