William John SPARKS
Born 8 May 1886 in Dorking, Surrey, England [P499]
Son of carpenter William SPARKS and Ellen Maria WORSFOLD [20] [21]
He was the eldest of eight children with younger siblings Bertha, Charles, Leonard, Dorothy, Lily, Walter and Albert [20]
Grew up in Dorking, Surrey - residing as a child with his parents and siblings at 67 Falkland Road and later at 17 Mount Street [20]
By 1916 he had immigrated to Western Australia and was working as a Teamster in Margaret River [30: item 8086996]
He was passed as fit for service in the Australian Imperial Force on 25 February 1916 and enlisted on 7 March 1916 [30: item 8086996]
Upon enlistment he was 5 feet 2 inches tall, weighed 120 pounds and had brown eyes, brown hair and a fair complexion [30]
His next of kin was his mother Mrs Ellen SPARKS whose address was still 17 Mount Street in Dorking, Surrey, England [30]
After initial training at Blackboy Hill he was appointed to the 11th Reinforcements of the 28th Battalion on 23 March 1916 [30]
Private 4533 in the Australian Imperial Force's 28th Infantry Battalion in France during the First World War [30]
He was evacuated to England in May 1916 after suffering severe gunshot wounds to his right leg and left hand [30]
His right leg was amputated below the knee and, unable to serve, he was returned home to be discharged [30]
Embarked from England on his return to Western Australia on the hospital ship Karoola on 3 July 1917 [30]
He was supplied with an artificial leg and discharged from the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 6 September 1917 [30]
Received the British War Medal and the Victory Medal [30]
Following his discharge he returned to Maragret River, where he'd worked before the war [30: item 8086996]
He received a fortnightly pension from the A.I.F. of 60/- from 7 September 1917, reduced to 45/- from 14 March 1918 [30: item 8086996]
Married Marjorie ELLWOOD in Perth on 18 November 1921 [P499]
School Teacher of the Arrino State School in Arrino 1938-1941 [73]
Received an annual salary of £271 minus £12 rent for fulfilling the duties of sole teacher of the Arrino State School [73]
Attended the funeral of Arrino resident Mrs Ellen DEE at the Three Springs Cemetery on 16 August 1939 [4: 19-Aug-1939]
Later resided in the Perth suburb of Carlisle [2]
Father of Harold William John and Ronald Stanley [P499]
Died 25 June 1957; ashes interred at the Karrakatta Cemetery in Perth (Crematorium Rose Gardens, Garden F, 20) [2]
| Reference: Carnamah Historical Society & Museum and North Midlands Project, 'William John Sparks' in Biographical Dictionary of Coorow, Carnamah and Three Springs, retrieved 19 April 2024 from www.carnamah.com.au/bio/william-john-sparks [reference list] |
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