Private 11054, 9th Battalion, Serwood Foresters (Notitnghamshire and Derbyshire Regiment). Killed in action 6th August 1916. Aged 32. Born and resident Lincoln, enlisted Newark, Nottinghamshire. Son of the late Mr. and Mrs. S. Scott, of 4, Mildmay St., Lincoln. Buried in PERONNE ROAD CEMETERY, MARICOURT, Somme, France. Plot IV. Row C. Grave 30.

Photograph Courtesy & Copyright © Steve Charlesworth 2009

[Listed as F C on St Swithins] No further information currently available. See also Lincoln St Swithins.

Loco Dept. Private 2552, 1st/4th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Killed in action 13th October 1915. Aged 22. Born and resident Lincoln, enlisted Luton, Bedfordshire. Son of Mr. and Mrs. H. V. W. Smith, of 7, Reservoir St., Westgate, Lincoln. No known grave. Commemorated on LOOS MEMORIAl, Pas de Calais, France. Panel 31 to 34. See also Lincoln Railway Station Memorial

Sergeant 15630, 2nd Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment. Killed in action 22nd March 1918. Born and enlisted Lincoln. No known grave. Commemorated on POZIERES MEMORIAL, Somme, France. Panel 23 and 24. Also see Lincoln St Nicholas.

Photograph Copyright & Biography (below) © Ron Spurr 2016

A/Sgt. Len Spurr, Serial No. 15630, joined the Lincoln Regiment, Second Battallon, in 1916 or 1917, enlisting at Lincoln, England. The British had advanced east to St. Quentin after the battle of the Somme In 1916, where 30,000 were killed on the first day. The German offensive of March 21, 1918 regained this ground and pushed the British a far back again from their original positions, in a nearly successful drive to reach Amiens.

The winter of 1917/1918 had been severe. At 5:00 a.m. on March 21, 1918, the Germans started a ferocious and sustained artillery bombardment of the British positions using high explosives and mustard gas shells. The British lines were overrun and a chaotic retreat ensued . Peronne lay just 15 miles to the west.

At some point during the March battles, Acting Sgt. Len Spurr was captured by the Germans and executed by a firing squad on March 21, 1918. In addition to the standard campaign and service medals, he was presented with a scroll to commemorate his self sacrifice for King and country.

Originally buried in France, at some later date, his remains were returned to England for burial at the gravesite of his father In Newport Cemetery, Lincoln. His father, George Spurr, died June 2, 1914. His mother, Charlotte Spurr, 1858-1854, would also be buried in the same plot after she passed away many decades later.