Name
Gerald Harper Sprunt
20 July 1898
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
15/10/1919
21
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
Bedfordshire Regiment
2nd Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
HOLLYBROOK MEMORIAL, SOUTHAMPTON
United Kingdom
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Berkhamsted Town Memorial, St Peter's Church Memorial, Berkhamsted, Family plaque, St Peter's Church, Berkhamsted, Berkhamsted Collegiate School Memorial
Pre War
Gerald Harper Sprunt was born on 20 July 1898 in Hampstead, London, the son of John and Jane Sprunt and one of eight children. He was baptised on 4 September 1898 at Trinity Presbyterian Church, Camden.
On the 1901 Census the family were living at 20 Lyndhurst Gardens, Hampstead. No occupation was given for his father but he had previously been described as a General Shipping Merchant.
By 1911 the family had moved to Montgomerie, Doctors Commons Road, Berkhamsted and his father's occupation was then given as General Merchant in City of London.
Gerald attended Berkhamsted School and left in 1916.
Wartime Service
Gerald joined the 2nd Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment as 2nd Lieutenant, later promoted to Lieutenant.
He was sent to France in March 1918 after training at Sandhurst and was attached to the Royal Fusiliers.
He was severely wounded on 15 August 1918 near Morlancourt, France and died on 15 October 1919, aged 21 (as a consequence of his wounds in 1919) on troopship Novara which was heading for Bombay. He was buried in the Red Sea near Suez, Egypt and his name is commemorated on the Hollybrook Memorial, Southampton, Hants.
Additional Information
His father received a war gratuity of £48. His father was awarded probate of his estate on 25 May 1920 with effects of £1339 7s 4d.
Brothers Edward and Alexander also died. Family plaque in St Peter's Church, Berkhamsted gives details of the death of Alexander and his brothers Edward and Gerald, and a quote from a letter from the Assistant Military Secretary to King George V which reads "I am to express to you the King's high appreciation of these services and to add that his majesty trusts their public acknowledgement may be of some consolation in your bereavement" "Your three gallant sons - they died that we might live"
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
