The Dictionary of Australasian Biography/Spalding, Colonel Warner Wright
Spalding, Colonel Warner Wright, C.M.G., commandant, New South Wales Regular Artillery, son of the late Colonel Richard Spalding, was born in 1844 and educated at the Royal Naval School, New Cross. He entered the Royal Marines in 1862, retiring on halfpay in 1869. He served in Japan in 1864 and 1866 with the Royal Marines battalion at the bombardment of the batteries at the Straits of Simonaski, and carried the colours at the assault, capture and destruction of the five batteries, stockade, magazine and barracks, from Sept. 5th to 8th, 1864. In 1871 he became captain in the New South Wales Artillery, major in 1876, lieut.-colonel in 1885, and subsequently brevet-colonel. He served with the New South Wales contingent in the Soudan war in 1885, as second in command under Major-General Richardson, being thereupon created C.M.G., mentioned in despatches, and receiving the medal with clasps and the Khedive's star. Colonel Spalding married, in 1884, La Valette B., daughter of F. Keele. In 1892 he succeeded Colonel Roberts in the command of the New South Wales Artillery.