Long Service With The Royal Engineers.

Queen's South Africa Medal with clasps "Cape Colony", "Orange Free State", "Transvaal", "South Africa 1901" & "South Africa 1902".
1914 - 15 Trio.
George V Army Long Service & Good Conduct Medal.
119 W.O. Cl 2. J. L. M. Spence, Royal Engineers.

Born in Dundee in 1877, John Matthew Leith Spence first appears in the historical records as a four year old child, recorded on the 1881 Scottish Census, together with his mother Julia and two younger brothers, as a visitor in the house of his grandparents, John and Jane Bond, at 143 Victoria Road, Dundee. By the time of the 1891 Census, he was a 14 year old plumber's apprentice, working with a Mr Brown of Broughty Ferry, and living in Gray Street, Monifieth, with his mother.

At some point, John enlisted in the Tay Division (Submarine Miners) of the Royal Engineers, a volunteer unit formed in 1888 with one company and an HQ based at Broughty Ferry, whose purpose was the planned deployment of mines in the Tay to strengthen the port defences. The idea of full-time soldiering must have held more appeal than working as a plumber as on the 3rd June 1896, at the age of 19 years and 9 months, John Spence attested for the Royal Engineers at Dundee, agreeing to serve for seven years with the Colours and five years in the Reserve. His Attestation Papers describe him as being 5' 9" in height, with good physical development, a fresh complexion, grey eyes and dark brown hair. His religion is recorded as presbyterian.

John's first 5 years in the army would all be home service but he would quickly make progress in his new career. He qualified in submarine mining and engine driving in 1897, obtained his 3rd Class Certificate of Education in February 1898 and was awarded his 1st Good Conduct Pay the following June. In November 1900, he was appointed Lance Corporal.

Following this, John served almost three years in South Africa, earning entitlement to the Queen's South Africa Medal with five clasps. In March 1902, he was promoted to 2nd Corporal and in April 1903 he returned to the UK. John had now completed his original obligation of seven years service but in June 1903 was allowed to extend his service to complete eight years with the Colours. In December 1904, this was extended to twelve years.

John was now serving with the 22nd Company (Submarine Miners) of the Royal Engineers, which was based on the Isle of Wight but, from December 1904 till December 1907, he had a spell of foreign service with the Mauritius Submarine Miners, during which he suffered from a mild attack of ague, with a resulting 12 days in hospital, and was promoted to Corporal.

Three more years of home service followed, during which John extended the term of his service to complete 21 years with the Colours and obtained his 2nd Class Certificate of Education. He married Emily Edmunds in the parish church of Yarmouth on the Isle of Wight on 25th August 1909, and the birth of a daughter, Gwendoline Emily Caroline, followed at Dover on 12th October 1910.

In November 1910, John Spence was transferred to the 44th Company (Fortress) of the Royal Engineers, based in Kingston, Jamaica, and it was during his time there that he was promoted to Sergeant and saw the arrival of a second child, Frank Matthew Henry.

In March 1914, the family were back in England. John Spence had now completed 18 years of service and was duly awarded a Good Conduct Medal with gratuity as announced in Army Order 412 of October 1914. Promotion to Company Quarter Master Sergeant and transfer to the 24th (A.P.) Company followed as did embarkation for France on 3rd March 1915, the beginning of over four years' service on the Western Front.

Appointed Acting Company Sergeant Major in November 1916, John would spend New Year 1917 on leave in England, before returning to France and being transferred to the 52nd Artisan Company of the Royal Engineers, with whom he would serve till the end of the war. Promotion to Warrant Officer Class 2 followed in April 1918. A fourth child, Joan Muriel Lilian, was born in September 1918 and in the following February John was granted 14 days leave to the UK to see his wife and new baby.

In June 1919, John Spence returned to England for the last time. He was finally discharged from the army on 19th February 1920, having served for 23 years and 262 days. His military character was described as "exemplary" and his intended pace of residence was given as Station Road, Yarmouth, Isle of Wight.