John Benedict Spurgin

Commander (retired) John Benedict Spurgin (20 March, 1888 – 20 March, 1951) was an officer in the Royal Navy.

Life & Career

Born in Ayr, Spurgin's father was a Colonel J. H. Spurgin.

Spurgin was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1910.

An appointment in command of the T.B. 113 dated 18 December, 1911 was cancelled.

Spurgin was appointed to the Acasta Class destroyer Christopher as first Lieutenant on 27 July, 1914 as war clouds loomed.

Great War

Spurgin left Christopher when he was appointed in command of T.B. 27 on 4 January, 1915.

He was appointed in command of Ruby on 8 June, 1916. He'd suffer a collision between her and a troopship on 5 September, and Spurgin would be told to be more careful in future.

Spurgin was appointed from Ruby in command of Acheron on 15 November, 1916.

Spurgin was appointed in command of the destroyer Opportune on 4 February, 1917. On 14 March, 1917 he was admitted to Granton Hospital for treatment of an ulcer of some kind. He would return to Opportune fit on the 19th and stay in her through the end of the war.

Post-War

Spurgin was appointed to Fox as her first Lieutenant on 23 December, 1918 and promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-Commander on 31 December, 1918.

On 17 November, 1919, Spurgin was appointed in command of the destroyer Somme.

He was hospitalised in Constantinople on 19 February, 1921 and discharged on 7 March.

On 4 February, 1927, the Rear Admiral, Yangtze telegrammed to report that Spurgin had sustained two scalp wounds, injured his hand and bruised his ribs at Ichang during disturbances there. The injuries proved slight enough that he was not incapacitated.

On 1 January, 1929, Spurgin was appointed to Carysfort additional for command of emergency destroyers. He was superseded in this appointment on 2 July.

Spurgin was placed on the Retired List at his own request with the rank of Commander on 30 October, 1929.

World War II

In 1937, Spurgin was selected for a war appointment and in December took a brief course of instruction.

In 1938 and 1939, he was Naval Officer in charge of Avonmouth and then of Newport, holding the acting rank of Captain. On 17 June, 1942, following some hospitalisations for diabetes, this appointment was terminated and he was reverted to the Retired List as medically unfit the following day.

Spurgin died on his 63rd birthday from a ruptured ulcer in his esophagus.

See Also

• Service Records
• Wikipedia

Naval Appointments
Preceded by John P. Burton	Captain of H.M. T.B. 27 4 Jan, 1915 – 8 Jun, 1916	Succeeded by Alfred G. Foote
Preceded by Basil W. L. Owen	Captain of H.M.S. Ruby 8 Jun, 1916 – 15 Nov, 1916	Succeeded by Herbert M. Hughes
Preceded by Robert L. Burnett	Captain of H.M.S. Acheron 15 Nov, 1916 – 27 Jan, 1917	Succeeded by Arthur K. Gibson
Preceded by Arthur M. Lecky	Captain of H.M.S. Opportune 4 Feb, 1917 – 23 Dec, 1918	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by New Command	Captain of H.M.S. Tuscan 16 May, 1919 – 23 Jul, 1919	Succeeded by Charles L. Evan-Thomas
Preceded by Guy O. Maund	Captain of H.M.S. Goshawk 23 Jul, 1919 – 21 Oct, 1919	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by Sydney Hopkins	Captain of H.M.S. Somme 17 Nov, 1919 – 28 Dec, 1920	Succeeded by Humphrey E. Archer
Preceded by Humphrey E. Archer	Captain of H.M.S. Tobago 28 Dec, 1920 – c. Jan, 1921	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by H. Bourchier Wrey	Captain of H.M.S. Tuscan c. Jan, 1921 – Feb, 1921	Succeeded by Philip J. Mack
Preceded by Geoffrey S. Holden	Captain of H.M.S. Sikh Feb, 1921 – Apr, 1922	Succeeded by Cecil R. E. W. Perryman
Preceded by George H. Creswell	Captain of H.M.S. Waterhen 2 Feb, 1923 – Mar, 1925	Succeeded by John H. Young
Preceded by Napier R. Peploe	Captain of H.M.S. Gnat 18 Oct, 1925 – 1927	Succeeded by Montague W. Noel
Preceded by Francis T. Barr as Senior Naval Officer, Avonmouth	Naval Officer in Charge, Avonmouth 26 Sep, 1938 – 8 Oct, 1938	Succeeded by ?
Preceded by ?	Naval Officer in Charge, Newport 25 Aug, 1939 – 14 Nov, 1941	Succeeded by Herbert M. Spreckley