Année de naissance: 1897

Lieu de naissance: Guildford, East Perth, Australia

Profession: Assistant de magasin

Pays: Australia

Force armée: Australian Imperial Force

Rang: Sergeant

Numéro de service: 2402

Incorporation date: 16/05/1916

Incorporation nom de lieu: Kalgoorlie, Western Australia, Australia

Unités:  —  Australian Infantry, 43rd Bn. (The Hindmarsh Regiment)  (Dernière unité connue)

Date de décès: 04/10/1917

Lieu de décès: Hill 40, Zonnebeke, Belgique

Cause du décès: Killed in action (K.I.A.)

Âge: 20

British War Medal Médaille

Victory Medal Médaille

Sergeant Henry Alexander Spalholtz was part of the 43th Battalion Australian Infantry Hindmarch Regiment (11th Australian Brigade, 3th Australian Division). Before enlisting, the 19 year old Henry Alexander worked as shop assistant in Woolgar, Western Australia. He was the second son of Henry Bernard Martin Spalholtz and Mathilda Rooke. His father was born in 1848 in Hamburg, Germany.
On the 4th October, the 43th Bn. Australian Infantry took part in the Battle of Broodseinde. The 11th Australian Brigade divided the task of the attack, where the 43th Bn. A.I.F. was responsible for the first wave. The 43th Battalion was to capture the line until Alma (D.22.c.20.40). It met its objective at 6.20am, after which it was immediately consolidated. However, the battalion suffered heavy losses before meeting its objective on Hill 40. The 42th battalion was to leapfrog through the 43th battalion. As one company missed its barrage, men from the 43th battalion joined. The second objective was reached fairly easy at 7.25 am.
According to his Service Record, Sergeant Spalholtz was buried 1400 yards Northwest of Zonnebeke, at Brick Kiln Yard (D.21.a.20.10.), close to the jump off line. His body wasn’t retrieved or identified after the war. He is remembered on the Menin Gate in Ypres.

Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P10262508 Sources utilisées

Australian War Memorial, Brigade Diary https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1339140 Sources utilisées

Australian War Memorial, War Diary https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1344151?image=1 Sources utilisées

CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1601275/spalholtz,-henry-alexander/ Sources utilisées

Mc Carthy C., Passchendaele Day-by-Day account, Unicorn Publishing Group, 2018, London, pp. 110. Sources utilisées

National Archives of Australia https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=8088862&isAv=N Sources utilisées

Photo https://discoveringanzacs.naa.gov.au/browse/gallery/207086 Sources utilisées

The AIF-Project https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=283704 Sources utilisées

The Long Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/3rd-australian-division/ Sources utilisées