Biographical Data

Sproule, Robert Edwin

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Title Flight Sub-Lieutenant (RNAS)
Official Number (nk)
 
Birth 05/01/1895 Death 15/10/1938
Place Ottawa Place Montreal
Area ON Area QC
Country Canada Country Canada
 
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Biography
After leaving school he entered the woodworking business with his father and in 1918 became a partner in the firm under the name RA Sproule and son. IN 1926 he negotiated the sale of part of the business to the Robert Mitchell Company of Montreal, and was associated with that company for a year in connection with the transfer. At the end of 1926 he organised the Corinthian Construction Company, general contractors, and became its first president. This company carried out important building contracts in New Brunswick and Montreal notably the Bell Telephone Toll building and the Scott’s Restaurant Building. He was President and joint proprietor of Scott’s Montreal Limited Restaurants and well known in Montreal and Ottawa business circles. In 1927 Mr Sproule entered the investment field and became associated with various New York banking interest as their Canadian representative. In this capacity he carried out several important business transactions.
 
Military Service
Having enlisted with the Costal Motorboat Patrol of the Royal Navy in 1915, Mr Sproule received the Distinguished Service Medal while acting as commander of one of the Royal Navy's raiding motor boats in a raid on Dunkirk. He was appointed as a Chief Motor Mechanic (RNVR). (CFR) In 1917 he was a ppointed as a Probationary Flying Officer RNAS. Ted Sproule was promoted to Flight Sub Lieutenant on 20 March 1918, his pilots log indicates he completed his training at the end of March 1918. Thereafter he would seem to have remained at RNAS Manston in Kent, flying BE2E's, DCH4's and Avro's. He resigned his Commission in November 1918, being granted the honorary rank of Flight Lieutenant, Royal Air Force.
 
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Anecdotes
Ted Sproule had always been keen on boats, and there a number of pictures of the family obviously enjoying speed boats prior to the First World War. In 1915 the Admiralty put out a call to Canadians to join the Royal Navy Volunteer Reserve and put their knowledge of small craft to use as part of the expanding Costal Motorboat squadrons being built up in the English Channel. Responding to this call, Ted Sproule enlisted as a motor mechanic artificer in 1916. His status as an Artificer meant he started out as a Petty Officer and would be the Chief Engineer of a motor torpedo boat.
 
References
https://europeana1914-1918.s3.amazonaws.com/attachments/155282/14957.155282.original.pdf;
Last update
2015-12-09 23:51:39

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