SPENCER, Dr Herbert Harold (1887-1951)
Herbert Harold Spencer was enrolled as a day student by T Spencer at Geelong College in 1901. His address at enrolment was 55 Skene St, Geelong and his birth date was listed as 18 January 1887. In 1902 and 1903 he was a member of the College 1st Football XVIII. His name is listed as 'Spencer, H. H.' on the College World War I Memorial tablet.
His father, Crystal Thomas Spencer (1851-1904) but known as Thomas Spencer worked for the Victorian Railways and in 1903 was Superintendent Inspector Victorian Railways at Geelong His mother, was Mary Ann nee Temby (1864-1914). Herbert Harold Spencer was born at Maryborough.
He went to England in 1908, and Glasgow University, where he eventually graduated. When World War I broke out he enlisted as a 2nd lieutenant with the 10th Highland Light Infantry, and was wounded at Loos in 1916. Afterwards he continued his work and qualified at Glasgow. He was for some time at Bournemouth Military Hospital as a Captain with the Royal Army Medical Corps, where amongst other patients were 175 Australians. After his return to Australia in 1920, he purchased a medical practise at Elsternwick. He is listed in the UK Medical Register of 1923 as MB ChB 1919 University of Glascow with an address 'Indarra', Horne St, Elsternwick. His UK Registration date was 9 October 1919 (S).
In 1916, at Bournemouth, England he married Violet Moorehead with whom he had a daughter in 1920. Dr Spencer was divorced by his first wife in 1922 and remarried to Winifred Frances nee Walsh (1898-1976) with whom he had a further two children.
Pegasus in December 1935 reported that 'Herbert H. Spencer, with his small son, paid a flying visit to Geelong in December, on his way to Apollo Bay on a fishing expedition.'
During World War I, his older brother, Murdoch Spencer, served as a Gunner with the 6th Field Artillery Brigade, embarking on HMAT A34 Persic from Melbourne on 22 November 1915 for France, where he was wounded, and evacuated to Australia on 25 November 1917.
Sources: The Argus (Melb) 16 September 1922 p15; Pegasus December 1935 p80; Geelong Collegians at the Great War compiled by James Affleck. p 316 (citing The Pegasus).