Private Thomas SPARKS [a.k.a. Thomas James Henry LEWIS] World War 1 1914-1918, Serial Number 6/1724, Next of Kin: Thomas SPARKS (father) Ballarat, Victoria, Australia, Marital Status: Single, Enlistment Address: Flax Points, Reefton, New Zealand, Military District: Canterbury. Embarked for overseas service from Wellington on 14 Feb 1915 with Canterbury Infantry Battalion, 3rd Reinforcements on Maunganui, Tahiti or Aparima [Auckland War Memorial Museum Cenotaph Database]
So why did he use his mother's maiden name on enlistment? Perhaps trying to cover his tracks as he had left his wife and daughter in Ballarat. He has given an incorrect surname and address for his father whom he named as his next of kin. The year before the outbreak of WW1 his mother and father had immigrated to New Zealand and settled in Greytown which is about SW of Reefton. These were both quartz gold mining towns.

Pte 1st WIR 55118 Thomas LEWIS, Miner, of Rangiora, Birthplace: Australia, Single, s/o Thomas M(ichael) LEWIS/Febay LEWIS died of wounds 26 Aug 1918 in France, registered 16 Sep 1918 Wellington, NZ [War Deaths Register Entry No. 14141, cert 26798]
Thomas LEWIS son of Mrs P(hoebe) M(yrtle) LEWIS, of Waiuta, Nelson, NZ. Bagneux British Cemetery, Gezaincourt, France. [New Zealand Roll of Honour]

Thomas James Henry LEWIS, Private, Service Number 55118, Date of Death 26 Aug 1918, Age 29, Wellington Regiment NZEF, GRave/Memorial Reference IV. R. 14. Bagneux British Cemetery, Gezaincourt. [Commonwealth War Graves Commission]

Thomas James Henry LEWIS, Bachelor, bp Charlton, Miner, aged 20 yrs, Residence: Italians, s/o Thomas LEWIS, Miner and Phoebe SPARK m 14 Nov 1904 in the house of Mr T Lewis, Italians, Victoria, Ella Isabel HARVEY, Spinster, bp Haddon, Domestic Duties, aged 20 yrs, Residence: Italians, d/o William HARVEY, Miner and Mary YATES, with the written consent of both fathers, Methodist Rites. Witnesses: Herbert HEARN and Constantine SPEARS [Vic cert 6801]

(Ella) Isabella HARVEY b 1884 Sago Hill (Haddon) d/o William HARVEY/Mary Ann YATES [Vic 27434]
Ella Isabel PARKER d 1955 aged 70 yrs Moorabbin d/o William HARVEY/Mary Ann YATES [Vic 3478]

Children of Thomas James Henry LEWIS and Ella Isabel HARVEY:

1. Phoebe Hazel Vera Gladys LEWIS b 1905 Scarsdale d/o Thomas James Henry LEWIS/Ella Isabel HARVEY [Vic 6051]
Phoebe Hazel Vera Gladys LEWIS d 1905 aged 2 mos Scarsdale d/o Thomas James Henry LEWIS/Ella Isabel HARVEY [Vic 3371]

2. Laurel Adeline Clara LEWIS b 1911 Ballarat d/o Thomas LEWIS/Ella Isabel HARVEY [Vic 25426]
Laurel Adeline DREVER d 1983 (no age, abt 72 yrs) Ballarat d/o Herbert PARKER/Ella Isabel - [Vic 29063]
Laura Adaline Clara PARKER m 1932 Charles James CONNELL [Vic 8483]
Charles James CONNELL d 1964 aged 74 yrs Ballarat s/o Charles James CONNELL/Isobel SANDFEAD [Vic 4316]
Charles James CONNELL b 1892 Daylesford s/o James CONNELL/Isabella SANFEAD [Vic 22341]

?3. Daphne Constance LEWIS b 1918 M(arys?)ville d/o Thomas James LEWIS/Ella Isabel HARVEY [Vic 5458]
Constance Daphne PARKER m 1941 Thomas Leslie HOWLETT [Vic 2486]
Thomas Leslie HOWLETT b 1914 Smythesdale s/o Thomas HOWLETT/Annie Belinda BODEN [Vic 26339]

Ella Isabel HARVEY/LEWIS m? abt 1915 Herbert Hamilton PARKER.
Known children of Herbert Hamilton PARKER and Ella Isabel HARVEY:
1. Alwyn Hamilton PARKER (b abt 1915) d 1973 aged 58 yrs Smythesdale s/o Herbert Hamilton PARKER/Ella Isabel HARVEY [Vic 13160]
Alwyn Hamilton PARKER m 1941 Kathleen Theresa Amelda HALEY [Vic 7354]
Kathleen Theresa HALEY b 1920 Smythesdale d/o James HALEY/Sarah BUTTERWORTH [Vic 16419]
2. William David PARKER b 1919 Carngham s/o Herbert Hamilton PARKER/Ella Isabella HARVEY [Vic 1951]
William David PARKER d 1971 Footscray aged 52 yrs s/o Herbert Hamilton PARKER/Ella Isobel HARVEY [Vic 29378]
3. Frederick Birdwood PARKER b 1920 Smythesdale s/o Herbert Hamilton PARKER/Ella Isabel HARVEY [Vic 7328]