Gunner Ellis Spencer Austrlian TMB

[cherylg]

Hi

Can anyone help I've just received my Gt Uncle Ellis Spencer Service Papers from the Australian government. Even through he was born in Cheshire.

I'm struggling with two items!!!!

On his enlistement form it states that he re -inlisted on the 29/12/1915 after serving 16 years with the RFA and his time had expired.I am assuming that it means he had been in the Army 16 years prior to the 29/12/1915 does anybody know how I can find out where he was before.

Also enclosed is a copy of a Telegram

Headed as priority

To Defence Melbourne

But it seems to be in a strange language the first line reads as follows:

"CISL 3649 odiable silverod moblavod arabesk 1918" it then contuines in the same format for 11 lines. Does anybody know what it's about?

Could it be in Code.

Any help would be really appreciated.

Regards

Cheryl

[ian turner]

Cheryl,

It looks like he served in the Royal Artillery prior to WW1. In that case his army service record should be held at Kew. To search and view requires a visit, or paying a researcher, or maybe posting on these pages to see if any pal already going to Kew would do you a favour.

Cannot help with the cable.

Ian

[Paul Nixon]

In that case his army service record should be held at Kew.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Or rather, could be... provided he was serving with a British unit and his record was not one of the majority of WW1 service records destroyed by German bombing and English fire hoses during WW2.

[cherylg]

Cheryl,

It looks like he served in the Royal Artillery prior to WW1. In that case his army service record should be held at Kew. To search and view requires a visit, or paying a researcher, or maybe posting on these pages to see if any pal already going to Kew would do you a favour.

Cannot help with the cable.

Ian

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi Ian

Thanks so much

Could this explain why I can't find him on the 1901 Census

Regards

Cheryl

[Auimfo]

Having a quick look it does seem a little odd. The National Archives of Australia lists his service record (not yet digitized) but appears to give him three service numbers:- 9842 25246 26246. The last two are very similar and perhaps they were unable to decipher the exact number at the time. The first one..???

On the Nominal Roll with the AWM it lists:-

26246 Gnr Ellis Spencer, 5th D.T.M. Bty, 29/12/15, DOW 5/9/17.

He was obviously a gunner with a trench mortar battery.

Also from the embarkation roll (AWM) it shows Ellis was a 'blacksmith's striker' in Western Australia before he enlisted as a reinforcement for the 25th Howitzer Brigade.

I would suggest that your Gt Uncle probably served with the Royal Field Artillery in the British Army before leaving and emigrating to W/Australia where he later enlisted for WW1. Perhaps 9842 was his service no. with the RFA? (I'm not an expert on the RFA).

Was he old enough to have served for 16 years in the British Army and then again for WW1?

As for the cable.....got me stumped - it's not even Aussie slang!!

I've attached a snippett of the Embarkation Roll listing Ellis Spencer.

Tim L.

[Andrew P]

Hi Cheryl

The link is a short piece about the Wellington Mills area where Spencer worked while in Western Australia.

http://www.countrycousins.com.au/tourinfo/...ingtonmills.htm

Cheers

Andrew

[frev]

Cheryl

I'm sorry I can't help with your queries - but I'm totally fascinated by the telegram (very annoying that the records haven't been digitized yet). I don't suppose there's any possibility that you can scan it, so we can have a look at it? Failing this - would you be able to type the lot out?

Cheers, Curious Frev.