Below is a post by Steve Spencer, (my nephew) which was originally posted 30th April 2008 on his blogg "Gypsies",

Below is a post by Steve Spencer, (my nephew) which was originally posted 30th April 2008 on his blogg "Gypsies",

http://steve-marg.blogspot.com/.

On 30th April 2010 it will be the 92nd anniversary of of the wounding of my father, Samuel Charles Spencer outside of Villiers Bretenaux in 1918. I am grateful for Steve's permission to copy this blog. I would like to add some stories from my childhood and youth about my father. My father was always very proud of his war service but like most returned soldiers seldom talked about it. He grew up in Australia at a time when England was known as the mother country. He and my mother were monarchists. There were quite a few illustrated books in the family library about the royal family. My father was proud to have served under the King of the British Empire - Commonwealth of Nations. So strong was this influence that his children can see little point in the drive toward republicanism in Australia today. This doesn't necessarily extend to his grandchildren. In my father's back could be seen the large depression that resulted because of the wounding recorded in the following account of his WW1 experiences. He developed diabetes at the young age of 32. Knowledge on how to control this disease in those days was no where near as advanced as today. As a result he was more adversely affected than would be the case today. Our family has always suspected that the development of diabetes at such a young age was because of his war experiences. He endeavoured to enlist in WW2 but was rejected because of his health. About this time he applied for work at the Army Mobilisation Stores at Seymour and on obtaining that employment the family moved to Seymour from Broadford. My sister Betty on turning 18 joined the AMWAAS. Dad was very proud of her. After the end of the war Dad was transferred to the Mangalore stores.While there he dropped a shell on his toe and developed gangrene which subsequently required the amputation of his big toe. I remember he was very proud that I chose to be a member in the Seymour High School Cadet Brigade. I was called up to the National Trainee Corps in the 1950's. Unfortunately Dad died just three weeks before I went to Puckapunyal to serve in the 20th National Service Corps in August 1955. He died following an ear operation just some three weeks before at the age 59.

Bill Spencer.

A WWI Anniversary

Today, 30th April 2008, is the 90th anniversary of the wounding of my paternal grandfather, Samuel Charles Spencer, on the Western Front.

My grandfather was born 8th January, 1896, in Broadford, Victoria (Australia) where he grew up. He did not speak much about his youth. We can imagine him as a boy and young man living a peaceful life in a small country town in Victoria, Australia. The seminal experience for him and all people of his generation was the outbreak of War in 1914.

When Britain declared war on Germany the Labor Australian Prime Minister, Andrew Fisher, pledged that Australia would "stand beside the mother country to help and defend her to the last man and the last shilling." It was natural that grandfather was enthusiastic to enlist. The photograph was taken before he left for Europe.

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