Fabian Sperry
Born 22 Jan 1893 - Died 19 Feb 1970
- Service number
- WWI 13/461 AWMM
- Also known as
- Fay Sperry AWMM
- Francis Fabian Matterson Sperry AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Last rank
- WW1 Gunner/Military AWMM Army Service Corps, Ammunition Company AWMM
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
About
- Title
- —
- Forenames
- Fabian AWMM
- Surname
- Sperry AWMM
- Ingoa
- —
- Also known as
- Fay Sperry AWMM
- Francis Fabian Matterson Sperry AWMM
- Service number
- WWI 13/461 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
- —
- Religion
- Presbyterian, Christian AWMM
Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
- 22 Jan 1893 AWMM
- Date of birth
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- Place of birth
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- Birth notes
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- Address before enlistment
- WW1 Pre 12 Aug 1914 AWMM Whitehall, Cambridge, New Zealand AWMM
- Post war occupation
- Farmer/Civilian AWMM
- Next of kin
- WW1 Miss Ormiston, Cambridge, New Zealand AWMM
- Relationship status
- Pre 16 Oct 1914 AWMM Single AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM
- Campaign
- 1915-1916 AWMM Gallipoli AWMM
- 1914-1919 AWMM Western Front AWMM
- 1914-1916 AWMM Egypt AWMM
- Armed force / branch
- Army AWMM
- Service number
- WWI 13/461 AWMM
- Military service
- 4th Waikato Mounted Rifles (4 years) AWMM
- New Zealand Field Artillery AWMM
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
- —
Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
Training and Enlistment
- Military training
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- Branch Trade Proficiency
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- Enlistment
- WW1 12 Aug 1914 AWMM
Age 21 AWMM - Age on enlistment
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- Occupation before enlistment
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Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW1 16 Oct 1914-03 Dec 1914 AWMM
HMNZT 8 AWMM Vessel was Star of India AWMM Trooper AWMM Auckland Mounted Rifles AWMM Main Body AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
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- Days interned
- —
- Liberation date
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- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
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- POW serial number
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Medical history
- Medical notes
- Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
Was wounded at Gallipoli and suffered from severe shell shock in France. AWMM - Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
He was admitted to a number of hospitals: Valleta Hospital, Malta; Beautfort Hospital, Bristol, England; and Brockenhurst Hospital, England. AWMM - Died of Disease, Cause of Death AWMM
Bronchopneumonia Septicaemia Carcinoma AWMM
- Hospital Diseases , Wounds, WWI AWMM
Last known rank
- Last rank
- WW1 2 Oct 1917 AWMM Gunner/Military AWMM
Army Service Corps, Ammunition Company AWMM - Last rank
- —
Biographical information
- Fabian ("Fay") Sperry, also recorded as Francis Fabian Matterson Sperry, was born in New York on 22 January 1893. He was raised in the Waikato and lived at Whitehall, Cambridge. Before World War I he served for four years with the 4th Waikato Mounted Rifles and was a member of the YMCA. He enlisted in the New Zealand Expeditionary Force on 12 August 1914 and embarked with the Main Body aboard HMNZ Troopship No. 8 Star of India on 16 October 1914.
During the voyage to Egypt, Sperry wrote regularly to his fiancée, Annie Ormiston. His letters describe daily life aboard ship, preparations for active service, the anticipation of fighting the Ottoman forces, and his first impressions of Cairo. These letters are now preserved in the Auckland War Memorial Museum's manuscript collection as part of the Fabian Sperry papers.
Sperry served in Egypt before taking part in the Gallipoli Campaign with the Auckland Mounted Rifles. He was wounded by shrapnel at Kaiajik Aghala on 25 August 1915 and evacuated through Malta before returning to duty. Following his recovery he transferred to the New Zealand Field Artillery and served on the Western Front. While serving in France he suffered severe shell shock and was admitted to several hospitals, including Beaufort War Hospital, Bristol, and No. 1 New Zealand General Hospital at Brockenhurst, England. He was medically discharged on 2 October 1917 after more than three years' service.
Contemporary newspaper reports recorded that Sperry had served at Gallipoli before transferring to the artillery in France, where he was again wounded. After treatment in England he returned home to New Zealand in 1917.
He received the 1914-1915 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal, and was later awarded the Gallipoli Medallion and accompanying lapel badge.Following the war Sperry married Mary Ann (May) Ormiston and farmed at Whatawhata. They had four sons: Alan, Lewis, Owen and David. Mary Ann died suddenly on 3 June 1941. Sperry later married Lilias ("Curly") Sperry. He was also an active member of the Hamilton Caledonian Society.
Military service continued through the Sperry family. His brother, Reginald Sperry (13/2920), served during the First World War, while his sons Alan, Lewis (NZ402338), David (RNZAF 45927) and Owen (628980) all served during the Second World War.
Fabian Sperry died in Hamilton on 19 February 1970, aged 77, and was buried in Hamilton East Cemetery.
Auckland War Memorial Museum 'Scars on the Heart WWI': "The En Zeds" display case includes the Roll Book of the Auckland Mounted Rifles. The Roll Book contains names and details of those who served in Egypt, Gallipoli, Sinai and Palestine. AWMM
About death
- Death
- 19 Feb 1970 AWMM
Age 77 AWMM - Date of death
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- Age at death
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- Place of death
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- Cause of death
- Died of Disease AWMM
- Death notes
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- Cemetery
- Hamilton East Cemetery, Hungerford Crescent, Hamilton, New Zealand AWMM CC-G-09 AWMM
- Cemetery name
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- Grave reference
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- Obituary
- New Zealand Herald, 20 February 1970.
Waikato Times AWMM - SPERRY, Fabian (Fay) (late 1st NZEF, Regtl No. 13/461, 4th Waikato Mounted Rifles). On February 19, 1970, at Hamilton, dearly loved husband of Lilias (Curly), at 277 Clyde St, Hamilton, and loved father of Alan (Hamilton), Lewis (Rotorua), Owen and David (both of Hamilton) and loved father-in-law of Jessie, Ngaire, Barbara and Hazel, and loved grandfather of 11 grandchildren and five great grandchildren; in his 78th year. A service will held in the Knox Presbyterian Church, Albert St, Hamilton East, today (Saturday) at 11am., funeral then leaving for Hamilton East Cemetery. Cut flowers only, please. Grateful thanks to doctors and staff at Waikato Hospital. (NZ Herald, 20 Feb 1970)Public - Sandra - Researcher - 23 November 2018 - Waipu Museum
- New Zealand Herald, 20 February 1970.
- Memorial name
- —
- Memorial reference
- —
Memorial
- Memorial name
- Parnell District School, 48 St Stephens Ave, Parnell, Auckland 1052 AWMM
Related objects
Sources
- External links
- Military personnel file
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R7820275
Further Reference - Website: No 1 New Zealand General Hospital, Brockenhurst
http://southernlife.org.uk/nzindex.htm
Further Reference - BACK FROM THE WAR. Waikato Independent, Volume XIX, Issue 1956, 18 September 1917, Page 5
https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/WAIKIN19170918.2.21
Further Reference
- Military personnel file
- References
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
p.683 - Sperry, Fabian. Papers, 1914 - 1974. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS 99/92.
- The New Zealand Herald
20 February 1970. - Beattie, P.J. & Pomeroy, M. (2013-2020). Onward : portraits of the New Zealand Expeditionary Force (vols 1-5). Auckland, New Zealand: Fair Dinkum Publications
Vol. 3: Includes portrait - Information kindly provided by family
- Waite, F. (1919). The New Zealanders at Gallipoli. Auckland, N.Z.: Printed and published under Authority of the New Zealand Government by Whitcombe & Tombs.
- Nicol, C.G. (1921). The story of two campaigns: Official war history of the Auckland Mounted Rifles Regiment 1914-1919. Auckland, N.Z.: Wilson & Horton.
- Byrne, J.R. (1922). New Zealand Artillery in the Field, 1914 - 18. Auckland, N.Z.: Whitcombe & Tombs.
- New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1914-1919). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force, Volume I. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
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