| Regimental number | 1238 |
| Place of birth | Goorambat, Victoria |
| School | State School, Port Melbourne, Victoria |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | Clerk |
| Address | 128 Station Street, North Port, Victoria |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 18 |
| Height | 5' 7.25" |
| Weight | 146 lbs |
| Next of kin | Father, B A Spooner, 128 Station Street, North Port, Victoria |
| Previous military service | Served in the Cadets, Senior Cadet, Citizen Forces, rising from Corporal Sergeant to 1st Lieutenant. |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Melbourne, Victoria |
| Rank on enlistment | Corporal |
| Unit name | 29th Battalion, D Company |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/46/1 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A11 Ascanius on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Corporal |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 29th Battalion |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Fromelles, France |
| Age at death | 19.10 |
| Age at death from cemetery records | 19 |
| Place of burial | Rue-Petillon Military Cemetery (Plot I, Row M, Grave No. 3), France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 116 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Benjamin and Caroline SPOONER, Chute Street, Mordialloc, Victoria |
| Family/military connections | Cousin: 5449 Pte John Herbert SPOONER, 14th Bn, killed in action, 16 October 1917. |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Embarked Melbourne, 10 November 1915; disembarked Suez, 7 December 1915. Reverted to the ranks at own request, Serapeum, 1 January 1916. Promoted Corporal, Tel el Kebir, 10 February 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916. Posted missing, 19/20 July 1916. Placed on Supernumerary List of NCOs, 20 October 1916. Court of Enquiry, held in the field, 23 August 1917, pronounced fate as 'Killed in Action, 20 July 1916'. Statement, Red Cross File No 2590804 , 5389 Corporal L.A. HALL, 60th Bn (patient, No 16 General Hospital, Le Treport), 10 November 1916: 'He was killed on July 19th, to the north of Fromelles, during the charge. I saw him lying dead.' Second statement, 1092 Pte A.D. CAMERON, D Company, 29th Bn (patient, 13th Stationary Hospital, Boulogne), 5 December 1916: 'He was in the first German line, several men told me that Spooner was lying there close to Cpl. Livingstone. We had to leave that German line and so Spooner cannot have been buried by our own men.' Third statement, Pte. W. MILES, D Company, 29th Bn, 29 November 1916: 'In rank he was a Corporal[.] Height 5ft. 7 ins, complexion pink and white, almost like a girl's[,] eyes gray (sic), babyish face, we used to call him "Bubbles". He was a crack swimmer and had an affected kind of speech, Haw, Haw. I am sorry to say I did not seem him after getting into Fritiz's trench, nor can I find anyone who did ... Please convey my deepest sympathy to his parents and fiancee. Tell them that we mourn him as a white man and a true pal and easily the most popular non-commissioned officer in our Company.' Fourth statement, 1146 Pte S. HALL, D Company, 29th Bn, 25 January 1917: 'I was told by Sgt. Miller D Co. ... that Spooner had been killed by a bomb in the German lines. We could not hold the ground.' Fifth statement, 83 Pte T. RANGER, 29th Bn, 16 July 1917: 'Casualty was killed on the 19th July at Fleurbaix. I buried his body on the 20th July in the Cemetery. It was dragged in over the parapet from No Man's Land. I put a cross over his grave.' Medals: 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, SPOONER George William
Red Cross file 2590804 |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
