| Date of birth | |
| Place of birth | Warwick, Queensland |
| School | Boys' School, Warwick, Queensland |
| Religion | Church of England |
| Occupation | School teacher |
| Address | c/o Mrs Brundrit, Christian Street, Clayfield, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Marital status | Married |
| Age at embarkation | 40 |
| Height | 5' 8.5" |
| Weight | 120 lbs |
| Next of kin | Wife, Mrs Edith Margaret Spreadborough, c/o Mrs Brundrit, Christian Street, Clayfield, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Previous military service | Certified Instructor, Junior Cadets |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Brisbane, Queensland |
| Rank on enlistment | 2nd Lieutenant |
| Unit name | 31st Battalion, B Company |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/48/1 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A62 Wandilla on |
| Two ships left from Melbourne carrying the 31st Battalion Headquarters and Companies A, B, C and D: HMAT A62, 'Wandilla', on 9 November 1915 and HMAT A41, 'Bakara', on 5 November 1915. It is not possible from the Embarkation Roll to determine on which ship an individual embarked. | |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A41 Bakara on |
| Two ships left from Melbourne carrying the 31st Battalion Headquarters and Companies A, B, C and D: HMAT A62, 'Wandilla', on 9 November 1915 and HMAT A41, 'Bakara', on 5 November 1915. It is not possible from the Embarkation Roll to determine on which ship an individual embarked. | |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Lieutenant |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 31st Battalion |
| Other details from Roll of Honour Circular | Head Teacher, Mt Beppo State School, Queensland |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Fleurbaix, France (Battle of Fromelles) |
| Age at death | 42 |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | V.C. Corner (Panel No 3), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles, France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 119 |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: John and Elizabeth SPREADBOROUGH; husband of Edith Margaret SPREADBOROUGH, Cooroy, Queensland. Native of Warwick, Queensland |
| Family/military connections | Brother-in-law: Captain Thomas Joseph BRUNDRIT, 5th Light Horse Regiment, killed in action, 8 November 1915. |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Embarked Melbourne, HMAT 'Wandilla', 9 November 1915; disembarked Suez, 7 December 1915. Promoted Lieutenant, 21 March 1916. Embarked Alexandria to join the British Expeditionary Force, 16 June 1916; disembarked Marseilles, France, 23 June 1916. Reported wounded and missing; 20 July 1916; subsequently reported missing, 20 July 1916; reported KILLED IN ACTION, 19-20 July 1916. Note on file, Adjutant for CO: 'Lieut. SPREADBOROUGH ... Killed instantaneously by a machine gun bullet in attack at FROMELLES on 19/20.7.16. Identity disc was removed from body lying in N.M.L. on 9.9.16, but no record is available where body was buried.' Note on file, J. HAIRUS for CO: 'As far as is known the body was not buried owing to its badly decomposed state. Disc, photos and leather case were forwarded to A.I.F. Kit Store ... ' Note, 208 Pte J. GODDARD, and 465 Pte S. LECKIE, 31st Bn (patients, Kent Nursing Institution, Tunbridge Wells, England), 19 August 1916: 'Informants state that on July 19th 1916 at Fleurbaix near Armentieres, Lieut, Spreadborough was killed. They were in a bayonet charge on German trenches, and he was killed by shell shot instantaneously. Leckie says he was just behind him and saw him fall. Goddard says he saw him after he was killed, but being in charge could not stop and does not know if he was buried. It was on No Man's Land.' Note, Red Cross File No 2590908: 'No trace Germany. Cert. by Capt. Mills. 10-10-19.' Statement, 492 Pte F.W. SCHILT, 31st Bn, 4 August 1916: 'I was carrying ammunition on the night of July 19th at Fleurbaix during the advance. Just before I left our trenches with the first box I spoke to Lt. Spreadborough, who told me that Capt. Sharpe of B Coy was wounded and he was now in charge of the Coy. I made the remark that I wished him luck and went off to the Dump for the ammunition. I took the box and started across. He had preceded me and on the way over I saw him fall. He dropped, apparently killed outright by M/G fire from the extreme right. I passed close to where he lay and he did not move. He was only about 30 yards from our front line when he went down.' |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, SPREADBOROUGH Ernest William
Red Cross file 2590908 |