Name
John Howard Spink
23/05/1880
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
28/02/1917
37
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
25278
East Surrey Regiment
12th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
DICKEBUSCH NEW MILITARY CEMETERY
K. 40.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
IN LOVING MEMORY FOR KING & COUNTRY
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Oxhey memorials.
Pre War
John Howard Spink, born on 23rd May 1880, in Acton, Middlesex, was the son of John Howard Spink and his wife Mary Ann Spink (nee Kettle). His father was a railway station inspector and John was one of nine children, four of whom died during childhood.
He was Baptised on 1st August 1880, at All Saints Church, Harlesden, Middlesex.
The family home where John grew up was 75 Railway Cottages, Old Oak Common Lane, Acton, Middlesex. By 1901, when John was twenty, he was employed as a railway clerk and was living at home with his parents and his brother, Bertram, who was a railway porter.
In 1907 John married Catherine Evelyn Pugh and they settled at 337 Chapter Road, Willesden Green, Cricklewood, London. Their son, John Howard Spink, named after his father and grandfather, was born that year.
Meanwhile, his parents had moved to Oxhey in Hertfordshire. His father, who fought in the Crimean War, was now a retired army and railway pensioner, he and his wife were now living with their eldest daughter Minnie Fusedale and her family at 37 Villiers Road, Oxhey, Herts.
Wartime Service
John enlisted in Holborn, initially with the Middlesex Regiment with the service number 23342, and later transferred to the East Surrey Regiment, with the service number 25278. He served in France and Flanders and was killed in action on 28 February 1917, aged 37. He is remembered with honour at Dickebusch New Military Cemetery in Belgium. He is not commemorated on the Oxhey memorial.
A few months after John’s death, his wife, Catherine, married Edward A Barber and they made their home on Australia.
John is commemorated on the Australian War Memorial, (Commemorative Roll) in Canberra.
Additional Information
Catherine received a widows pension of 5/- a week. Son of John Howard Spink and Mary Ann Spink; husband of Catherine Evelyn Barber (formerly Spink), of Toorak, Tallangatta, Victoria, Australia. Native of Oxhey, Bushey, England. His wife, Mrs, C. E. Barber, Inverness, Toorak, Tallangatta, Victoria, Australia; ordered his headstone inscription: "IN LOVING MEMORY FOR KING & COUNTRY" Additional Information’ provided with kind permission of Bushey First World War Commemoration Project – Please visit www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Dianne Payne - www.busheyworldwarone.org.uk, Jonty Wild
