John Benedict Spurgin
Commander (retired) John Benedict Spurgin (20 March, 1888 – 20 March, 1951) was an officer in the Royal Navy.
Life & Career
Spurgin's father was a Colonel J. H. Spurgin.
Spurgin was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 31 December, 1910.[1]
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.[2]
Great War
Spurgin left Christopher when he was appointed in command of T.B. 27 on 4 January, 1915.[3]
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.[4]
Spurgin was appointed from Ruby in command of Acheron on 15 November, 1916.[5]
Spurgin was appointed in command of the destroyer Opportune on 4 February, 1917.[6] 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.[7]
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.[8]
On 17 November, 1919, Spurgin was appointed in command of the destroyer Somme.[9]
He was hospitalised in Constantinople on 19 February, 1921 and discharged on 7 March.[10]
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.[11]
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 He was superseded in this appointment on 2 July.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.[12]
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.[13]
Spurgin died on his 63rd birthday from a ruptured ulcer in his esophagus.[14]
See Also
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Arthur L. Harrison |
Captain of H.M. T.B. 113 18 Dec, 1911[15] |
Succeeded by Humphrey M. Robson |
| Preceded by John P. Burton |
Captain of H.M. T.B. 27 4 Jan, 1915[16] |
Succeeded by Alfred G. Foote |
| Preceded by Edward McC. W. Lawrie |
Captain of H.M.S. Ruby 8 Jun, 1916[17] – mid Nov, 1916[Inference][18] |
Succeeded by Herbert M. Hughes |
| Preceded by Robert L. Burnett |
Captain of H.M.S. Acheron 15 Nov, 1916[19] – early 1917[Inference] |
Succeeded by Arthur K. Gibson |
| Preceded by Arthur M. Lecky |
Captain of H.M.S. Opportune 4 Feb, 1917[20] |
Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by Guy O. Maund |
Captain of H.M.S. Goshawk 23 Jul, 1919[21] |
Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by Sydney Hopkins |
Captain of H.M.S. Somme 17 Nov, 1919[22] |
Succeeded by Edward S. F. Fegen |
| Preceded by H. Bourchier Wrey |
Captain of H.M.S. Tuscan ? – Feb, 1921[23] |
Succeeded by Philip J. Mack |
| Preceded by George H. Creswell |
Captain of H.M.S. Waterhen 2 Feb, 1923[24] |
Succeeded by ? |
Footnotes
- ↑ Spurgin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/8. f. 360.
- ↑ Spurgin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/8. f. 360.
- ↑ Spurgin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/8. f. 360.
- ↑ Spurgin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/8. f. 360.
- ↑ Spurgin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/8. f. 360.
- ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 855.
- ↑ Spurgin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/8. f. 360.
- ↑ Spurgin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/8. f. 360.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1920). p. 865.
- ↑ Spurgin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/8. f. 360.
- ↑ Spurgin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/8. f. 360.
- ↑ Spurgin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/8. f. 360.
- ↑ Spurgin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/8. f. 360.
- ↑ Spurgin Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/52/8. f. 360.
- ↑ "Naval and Military Intelligence". The Times. Monday, 11 December, 1911. Issue 39765, col C, p. 15.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1915). p. 401.
- ↑ The Navy List. (October, 1916). p. 397t.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 391a.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1916). p. 391a.
- ↑ The Navy List. (February, 1919). p. 855.
- ↑ The Navy List. (September, 1919). p. 804.
- ↑ The Navy List. (December, 1920). p. 865.
- ↑ Mack Service Record. The National Archives. ADM 196/55. f. 21.
- ↑ The Navy List. (July, 1924). p. 288.
