Hercules Spence

Forenames

Hercules AWMM

Surname

Spence AWMM

Also known as

Hercules Spence AWMM

Service number

WWI 43526 AWMM

Gender

Male AWMM

Birth

Parahaki, North Auckland, New Zealand AWMM

Next of kin

Mrs C. Spence (mother), Devron Street, Whangarei, North Auckland, New Zealand AWMM

War

World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM

Armed force / branch

Army AWMM

Service number

WWI 43526 AWMM

Enlistment

WW1 Printer/Civilian AWMM

Embarkation details

WW1 16 Feb 1917-02 May 1917 AWMM
HMNZT 76 AWMM Vessel was Aparima AWMM Gunner/Military AWMM 22nd Reinforcements, Specialist Company, Signal Section AWMM New Zealand Expeditionary Force AWMM

Last rank

WW1 Gunner/Military AWMM
New Zealand Field Artillery AWMM

Son of James Mears & Christina Spence of Devron Street, Whangarei, Northland.

Spence's brother, Sgt James MacKenzie Spence (12/218), also served in WWI. He was killed at Gallipoli. See his separate service record for more details.

The CWGC site gives his birthplace as "Parakaki".

Next of Kin: Mrs C. Spence. Deveron St, Whanganui (Roll of Honour, Auckland Province 1914-1918 (Volume 2)) AWMM

Death

17 Jul 1919 AWMM

Age at death

25

Public - Sandra - Researcher - 21 November 2018 - Paperspast Online

Place of death

Auckland

Public - Sandra - Researcher - 21 November 2018 - Paperspast Online

Cemetery

Whareora Cemetery, Whangarei, New Zealand AWMM

Obituary

• SPENCE - On 17th inst, at Auckland (suddenly), Hercules, youngest son of the late J. M. Spence and Mrs Spence, of Deveron Street, Whangarei, aged 25 years. The first part of the funeral service will be held at Christ Church to-morrow, Saturday, at 9 a.m., after which the cortege will leave for Whareora cemetery. (Northern Advocate, 18 Jul 1919)
  Public - Sandra - Researcher - 21 November 2018 - Paperspast Online
• Sergeant P. J. Brown stated that as Constable Spence left the watchhouse. He took a few steps and fell, striking his face on the floor. He did not speak, and died in a few minutes. Dr. Aitken was immediately summoned, and found that life was extinct. Constable F. Forsythe deposed that after placing the prisoner in the watchhouse, he heard a thud outside, and found Sergeant Brown attending to Constable Spence, who was lying on the floor. The deceased was about 25 years old, and resided in the police barracks. His relatives lived at Whangarei. Dr. H. F. Holmden who made a post-mortem, stated that the immediate cause of death was sudden dilatation of the right side of the heart, caused by sudden exertion, plus excitement, imposed on the heart, which was affected by fatty infiltration. The coroner returned a verdict in accordance with the medical evidence. (NZ Herald, 19 JUL 1919)
  Public - Sandra - Researcher - 21 November 2018 - Paperspast Online
• The sudden death of Constable Hercules Spence at the police station on Thursday was the subject of an inquest held by the coroner, Mr. J. E. Wilson, S.M., yesterday. Constable C. C. Christiansen stated that at about 12.55 p.m. on Thursday he relieved Constable Spence on point duty at the Customs Street intersection of Queen Street. Just as Spence was leaving, witness noticed a crowd at the door of the Thames Hotel, and saw a man beckoning to them to go over. Spence and witness went to the hotel. There was a crowd in the passage, and Spence went to the assistance of Constable Forsythe, who had arrested a man. Forsythe led the prisoner out, and Spence and witness followed. Witness then heard a man using obscene language, and arrested him. He led him over to a taxi, and after seeing that Spence was capable of managing him, witness returned to his duty. The arrested man was then sitting next to Spence in the taxi, perfectly quiet. T. D. Worden, taxi-driver, said that the arrested man was quiet on the way to the police station, but as he got out of the car he hesitated. Constable Spence caught him from the back, and party carried him into the station. Constable Forsythe took the prisoner from Spence at the inner door of the watchhouse. When Spence turned round after being relieved, witness, noticed that he seemed to be exhausted. Witness went into the watchhouse, and on coming out saw Spence lying in the passage, with Sergeant Brown attending to him.
  Public - Sandra - Researcher - 21 November 2018 - Paperspast Online

Memorial name

Auckland War Memorial Museum, World War 1 Hall of Memories AWMM

Related objects

External links

• Military personnel file
  https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R7820201
  Further Reference
• A Street Near You record
  https://astreetnearyou.org/person/643333/-
  Further Reference
• Commonwealth War Graves Commission Casualty record
  https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/643333
  Further Reference
• New Zealand Police
  http://www.police.govt.nz/constable-hercules-spence#
  Public - Sandra - Researcher - 21 November 2018 - Online search

References

• Information kindly provided by family
• New Zealand Army Expeditionary Force. (1918). Nominal Rolls of New Zealand Expeditionary Force Volume III. Wellington, N.Z.: Govt. Printer.
  55: 24
• Roll of Honour, Auckland Province (digital copy), 1914 - 1919. Auckland War Memorial Museum Library. MS-2016-2.
• Byrne, J.R. (1922). New Zealand Artillery in the Field, 1914 - 18. Auckland, N.Z.: Whitcombe & Tombs.
• HMNZT 76 - The moa : the journal of the Twenty Seconds on troopship "Aparima" (No. 76). Drew, H.T.B. (Henry Thomas Bertie), editor. Digby, H.W.L. (Henry William Lockyer), editor. -- At sea : Twenty-Second Reinforcements : [1917