Extracts and Comments
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Murray: SPILLANE 'A'Sqn. 4Tp. (Adelaide etc.) died at sea date not recorded.
Source:# 541 War Memorial St. Peter's N. Adelaide SA.
B5207: coachman from N. Adelaide SA.
B4418: SPILLANCE.
URL1: SPILLANE J (signature) a coachman aged 20 from N. Adelaide SA, born at Parkside next of kin father in N. Adelaide.
URL5: The Departed Brave. Sunday, 19.9.1909 was a memorable tho' sad day to many who attended the Memorial Service to the soldiers from South Australia who died in South Africa during the Boer War. There was a mammoth gathering to witness the ceremony, at the Memorial Statute in Adelaide on the occasion. The following is the Roll Call of the South Australian heroes who lost their lives. First Contingent. Surgeon-Mjr. TOLL, Lieut. POWELL, Cpls. HEINJUS and KLAFFER, Tprs. SMITH and MATHEWS. Second Contingent. Lieut. GORDON, Tptr. MARSHALL, Tprs. BARTLETT, MARSDEN, and HARDY. Third Contingent. Capt. HUBBE, Cpl. CURRIE, Tprs. MILLMAN and SLOAN. Fourth Contingent. Sgt. MCCABE, Saddler MITCHELL, Tptr. DAVIS, Tprs. PROSSER, MOORE, NICHOLAS, PAGE, HONNER, PALMER, GOODES, WOODHAM, LANDSELL and TOTHILL. Fifth Contingent. Capt. HIPWELL Reg. Sgt.-Mjr. MCGILLIVRAY, QMS SCHUMANN, Sgts. HAMILTON, RUST, and MERCER. Cpl. WHITE, Lce.-Cpl. HAMP, Tprs. GIBB, WHITTLE, MAY, HORSEFALL, GLUYAS, COCHRANE, HIRTH, VICKERY and SIMMONS. Sixth Contingent. Sgt. MURRIE, Lce.-Cpl BARRON, Tprs. BENNIER, WALTER, EWINGS, MARSHALL, CROFT. MAIN, TEATE and BEARE. 2nd Australian Commonwealth Horse. Tprs. BROWNLEY, SPILLANE and TAEUBER.
URL7: IN MEMORY OF THE BRAVE, TABLET IN ST. PETER'S CATHEDRAL UNVEILED BY THE GOVERNOR-GENERAL. There were more persons at St. Peter's Cathedral on Sunday morning [15.3.1903] than could be provided with seating accommodation, the great attendance being due to the fact that the Governor-General and Lady Tennyson would be present, in addition to the troops of the Active Military Force, and that his Excellency would unveil a memorial tablet to those South Australian soldiers who died on service in South Africa after July 13, 1901 - when the Prince of Wales unveiled the first portion, of the memorial - till the proclamation of peace. The original tablet bears the following inscription - In grateful memory of our brave and loyal soldiers who volunteered for service with the army of the British army in South Africa, where they died for their Sovereign and country, "More than conquerors through Him that loved us." Then follow 40 names. The supplementary brass contains the following inscription - Also, in memory of those others who fell in this campaign before the proclamation of peace, on the first day of June, 1902. The additional names are - Regimental-Sergeant-Major J McGILLIVRAY, Sergeant CJB MERCER, Sergeant W RUST, Corporal FS WHITE, Trooper WS BARBER, Trooper HES BEARE, Trooper H BEHNCKE, Trooper WA BROMLEY, Trooper BH COCHRANE, Trooper JE GLUYAS, Trooper FW HIRTH, Trooper N HORSFALL, Trooper S LANSDELL, Trooper R SIMMONS, Trooper J SPILLANE, Trooper H TAEUBER, Trooper WD TEATE, Trooper AA VICKERY, Trooper CGC WHITTLE, Trooper HP WOODHAM, Trooper BH MAY. Beneath the names it is stated that "This memorial was unveilled by Hallam, Lord Tennyson, Governor-General of Australia, March 15, 1903."
URL8: The 8th Battalion landed in Durban on June 17 [1902], disembarked on June 21,
and re-embarked six days later. The voyage thither was unfortunately marred
by the death of Tprs. SPILLANE and BROWNLEY, who succumbed to a malignant type
of influenza a few days before reaching port. The bodies of both poor fellows were committed to the deep with military honours. The circumstances surrounding the death of Tpr. SPILLANE were exceedingly pathetic. His death was announced in The Register, but when the father made enquiries at the Staff Office no confirmation of the news was forthcoming. Consequently Mr. and Mrs SPILLANE journeyed to Largs Bay on the arrival of the Manchester Merchant, in the hope of seeing their son alive and well. On landing an officer informed them of the death of their boy, and the grief of the parents, who had been in hopes that the first intimation was incorrect, was uncontrollable. Surprise was expressed by all who heard of the pathetic incident at the unwonted delay in transmitting the intelligence of the death of Tpr. SPILLANE. A little more care on the part of the authorities in South Africa would have saved a painful and heartrending scene.
URL9: London 17.7.1902. Privates John SPILLANS and Alexander William BROWNLEY, of the Eighth Commonwealth Contingent, died at sea from influenza while on board the troopship St. Andrew.
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