SPEIRS, John Charles
| Service Number: | 2971 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | Camel Corps |
| Born: | Not yet discovered |
| Home Town: | Not yet discovered |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Not yet discovered |
| Memorials: |
World War 1 Service
| 10 May 1917: | Involvement Private, 2971, Camel Corps, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Melbourne embarkation_ship: HMAT Boorara embarkation_ship_number: A42 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 May 1917: | Embarked Private, 2971, Camel Corps, HMAT Boorara, Melbourne |
PRIVATE JOHN CHARLES SPEIRS
Service No. 2971 - 1st Anzac Battalion, Imperial Camel Brigade (1917 Reinforcements)
John Charles SPEHRS aka SPEIRS was born 1879 in Albury NSW, son of August Spehrs (born c1844 Magill, South Austrralia) and Flora McLeod.
On the 26th of January 1917, John responded as a volunteer to a recruitment campaign in Albury for the Hume Light Horse. He was one of nine men selected to be tested for Horsemanship at the Albury Drill Hall. Six foot tall, Laborer, single, age 38 years, he enlisted on 3 February 1917 at Albury NSW and served with the January 1917 Reinforcements Camel Corp.
Embarked from Melbourne on board HMAT A42 Boorara on the 10th May 1917. Served in Egypt and Palestine.
John was returned to Australia on the Tofua on 28 December 1917 suffering with Hemiplegia as a result of sunstroke or head injury. Discharged medically unfit.
In March 1919 John married Charlotte Victoria Bates. His first child, a daughter died as an infant. John died four years later, (presumably from various causes including war related injuries), in Jun 1923, age 44 years. He left behind his widow Charlotte and two young sons.
My Grand Uncle
Noni Brown
Submitted 7 July 2023 by Noni Brown