Joseph Spruce

8451 Private Joseph Spruce was a pre-war regular soldier and was probably one of Nurse Oliver’s last patients. His entry dates from March/April 1918 and reads:

No 8451 Pte J Spruce

8 North Staff

Wounded March 26 1918

His name appears on a page shared with three other men: Private Joseph Henry Richards of the 11th East Yorkshire Regiment, 235397 Private Arthur Sydney Weaving of the 3^rd Worcestershire Regiment and Private Joseph R Fish, an American serviceman from the 86^th Aero Squadron. At the top of the page there is a date: 20th June 1918.

He is probably the same Joseph Spruce who was born in 1889 at Tunstall, Staffordshire. He appears on the 1891 census living at 37 Plex Street, Wolstanton, Staffordshire with his parents. The household comprised: James Spruce (head, married, aged 24, working as a forge man), his wife Caroline (aged 30) and Joseph (aged two).

By the time the 1901 census was taken, the family had grown considerably. James Spruce also appears to have aged dramatically. People living at 37 Plex Street are recorded as: James Spruce (head, married, aged 43, an ironworker puddler), his wife Caroline (aged 39) plus six sons and one daughter: Charles Spruce (aged 18, working as a brickyard labourer), George Spruce (aged 14, working as a brickmaker), Joseph (aged 12), James Spruce (aged seven), Caroline Spruce (aged four), Eli Spruce (aged two) and Alfred E Spruce (aged one month). Charles and George, missing from the 1891 census, had been born in Cradley, Worcestershire, as had their mother. Their father’s place of birth is recorded as Bilston on the 1891 census and Kidderminster on the 1901 return. The five youngest children are noted on the 1901 census as having been born in Tunstall. A seventh son, Henry Spruce, was born in late 1906 or early 1907, his birth registered at Wolstanston district in the March quarter of 1907.

James Spruce’s age on the 1891 census is almost certainly incorrect and should have been recorded as 34 rather than 24. He married Caroline Williams in 1881 (their marriage registered at Stourbridge district in the September quarter of that year).

8451 Private Joseph Spruce, N Staffordshire Regt

Joseph arrived in France with the 1st North Staffordshire Regiment on 10th September 1914. His army service number – 8451 – suggests that he probably joined the North Staffordshire Regiment between 1907 and 1909. He would therefore either have been a regular soldier or on the Army Reserve when war was declared. Brigadier James OBE, TD, notes that the battalion landed at St Nazaire on the 12th September so Joseph was certainly part of the original contingent. The photograph on the left is believed to be that of Joseph, although the date it was taken is uncertain. Joseph’s service record does not appear to have survived, however, his entry on the medal roll for the North Staffordshire Regiment notes three movements: 1^st Battalion, 8th Battalion and then 1st Battalion again. He retained his original number throughout his service.

It seems reasonable to assume that he served with the 1st North Staffordshire Regiment until he was wounded or returned sick to England. After recuperation he would have been posted to the North Staffordshire regimental depot and then to the 8th Battalion (a service battalion formed at Lichfield on 18th September 1914). Regular soldiers like Joseph must have been worth their weight in gold and he remained with the 8th Battalion until he was wounded during the German offensive in March 1918. After recuperation at Beechlands he was then posted back to the 1st Battalion (which by then must have been very different in composition to the 1st Battalion of 1914.

Charles, George, James, Eli and Alfred Spruce also served their King and Country during the First World War. Joseph Spruce was entitled to the 1914 Star, and British War and Victory Medals. As an Old Contemptible, he claimed his clasp and rose for his 1914 Star in 1931.

Sources and Acknowledgements

· The National Archives: Medal Index Card

· The National Archives: British War and Victory Medal Roll: F/104 B3: Page 238: WO 329/1576

· The National Archives: 1914 Star Medal Roll: F/2/3: Page 95: WO 329/2472

· British Regiments 1914-18 by Brigadier E A James OBE, TD (Samson Books, London, 1978)

· I am extremely grateful to Debbie Tooth, Joseph Spruce’s great niece, for providing me with additional information on the Spruce family and for allowing me to publish the photo of Joseph Spruce on this site.

If you can add any further information about Joseph Spruce, please contact me.