John Thomas Spurr was born in Hemel Hempstead, Hertfordshire in January 1888 and baptised a month later on Friday, 10th February in St Paul’s Church on Queen Sreet. He was born to George Spurr and Sarah Ann Shepherd who had nine children together. They were: William, George, Albert, John Thomas, Arthur, Alice Louisa, Annie and Walter. Arthur died when he was eight months old in 1891 and Annie died aged fourteen months in 1898. Another unknown child died in infancy. Two of John’s brothers also lost their lives in the Great War, Albert in October 1917 and George in November only three weeks later. Their biographies also appear on this site.

The Spurr family lived on Cherry Bounce, Hemel Hempstead for over thirty years, before moving into 86 High Street just around the corner by the end of the war. When John started his education in 1893, he went to nearby Queen Street School and completed his time there in 1906. He went to work as a "Millhand" in G.B. Kent & Sons brush factory in Apsley.

By the time war broke out, John had left Kents and was working as a "Stoker" somewhere in Hemel Hempstead, a fact recorded on his Army Service Record when he joined the Colours. John went to Watford to attest on the 27th March 1917 and joined the Middlesex Regiment and was posted to the 5th Labour Company and sent for basic training. On enlistment, his medical examination records his physical development as "poor" and having foot problems, although he was passed fit for military service. However, only three months after his enlistment he was struck down by measles and immediately admitted to hospital where he spent twenty-eight days in recovery.

A year later, John suffered a fall from a lorry, which resulted in his admission to Lakenham Military Hospital in Norwich. The military hospital was in fact based in the Steiner School which reverted to an educational establishment after the war. He was diagnosed as suffering from acute peritonitis brought on by the severity of the injuries sustained in the fall. After four days in hospital however, his condition was reassessed and he was then diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis, which was in all probability, tuberculosis peritonitis. Sadly, only two days later, John succumbed to his illness.

He died of his illness on Wednesday, 17th June 1918.

John was brought home to Hemel Hempstead by his family and he was buried on Thursday, 25th July 1918.

John is Remembered with Honour in Heath Lane Cemetery, Hemel Hempstead, Herts, England where he is interred in Grave B. 49.

He was 30 years old when he died.

John was eligible for the British War Medal and the Allied Victory Medal.