Robert Spall (5 March 1890 – 13 August 1918), was a Canadian recipient of the

Victoria Cross The Victoria Cross (VC) is the highest and most prestigious award of the British honours system. It is awarded for valour "in the presence of the enemy" to members of the British Armed Forces and may be awarded posthumously. It was previously ...

, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Robert Spall was born in

Acton Acton may refer to: Places Antarctica * Mount Acton Australia * Acton, Australian Capital Territory, a suburb of Canberra * Acton, Tasmania, a suburb of Burnie * Acton Park, Tasmania, a suburb of Hobart, Tasmania, formerly known as Acton Canada ...

, London, England on March 5, 1890. He enlisted in the Canadian Expeditionary Force in July 1915. Spall was 28 years old, and a

sergeant Sergeant (abbreviated to Sgt. and capitalized when used as a named person's title) is a rank in many uniformed organizations, principally military and policing forces. The alternative spelling, ''serjeant'', is used in The Rifles and other uni ...

in Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry, Canadian Expeditionary Force during the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...

, and was awarded the VC for his actions on 13 August 1918 near Parvillers-le-Quesnoy, France. His citation reads: Sergeant Spall's final resting place was lost and as such he is commemorated on the

Canadian National Vimy Memorial The Canadian National Vimy Memorial is a war memorial site in France dedicated to the memory of Canadian Expeditionary Force members killed during the First World War. It also serves as the place of commemoration for Canadian soldiers of the Fir ...

with the over 11,000 other Canadian dead of the war killed in France but whose remains were lost or never recovered. His Victoria Cross is displayed at the PPCLI Museum at

The Military Museums The Military Museums is a reorganization of the former Museum of the Regiments in Calgary, Alberta, announced by Sophie, Countess of Wessex, on June 3, 2006. The new museum comprises the former Museum of the Regiments as well as the relocated Nav ...

in Calgary,

Alberta Alberta ( ) is one of the thirteen provinces and territories of Canada. It is part of Western Canada and is one of the three prairie provinces. Alberta is bordered by British Columbia to the west, Saskatchewan to the east, the Northwest Ter ...

, Canada. He is also commemorated in

, London, England with a plaque outside the house he was born at 16 Spencer Road. Robert Spall VC birthplace plaque Acton UK

References

External links

Robert Spall's digitized service file

Legion Magazine

Veterans Affairs Canada

Canadian Great War Project
{{DEFAULTSORT:Spall, Robert 1890 births 1918 deaths Military personnel from London Canadian World War I recipients of the Victoria Cross Canadian military personnel killed in World War I English emigrants to Canada Canadian Expeditionary Force soldiers Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry soldiers

References

Further reading

External links