Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Youngest of five brothers (older brothers George, John, Edward and Sidney served in WWI) who served, Leading Aircraftman Harry Frerick Sparkes (Service No:28196) enlisted in the RAAF on 26 November 1940 at No 5 Recruiting Centre Adelaide as an Aircraftman I - mustered as Coppersmith, re mustered as Plumber. Promoted to Leading Aircraftman on 1 August 1941, LAC Sparkes was mistakenly reported as missing in 1942 on board HMAS Perth - in the newspaper and in a Telegram to his wife. LAC Sparkes was attached to No 4 Embarkation Depot Mitcham at Discharge on 23 October 1942 (Medically Unfit). Two of LAC Sparkes' older brothers died in WWI - John Leonard (Private; Regimental No:8875) was serving with the South Lancashire Regiment when he was KiA in Turkey in 1916, and Edward Charles (Sapper; Service No:2828) was serving with Australian Railway Coy when he died of illness in London in 1919.

Harry was born in London, England in 1905, youngest of nine children of George Sparks (b1861 in Bethnal Green, London, England) and Emily Ashford (b1863 in Bethnal Green, London, England). George (a Riveter) and Emily (a General Servant) married in 1883 in London, where they settled and raised their family and George worked as a Shoemaker. In 1913 George and Emily immigrated to Adelaide with their children on board the Ballarat. The family settled in Adelaide, where George was a Bootmaker.

Harry completed an Apprenticeship with WA Swan & Sons Unley, and worked as a Coppersmith and Plumber. In 1927 in Adelaide he married Muriel May Williams (b1907 in Adelaide, South Australia), and following their divorce in 1930, both remarried - Harry in 1934 to Grace Violet Morton (b1910 in Birdsville, QLD). Harry lived in Adelaide and worked as a Plumber - he and Grace divorced in 1943. Harry died in 1970.