Louis Andrews Spurgeon

A Corporal with the 2nd Battalion, Louis died on 12th of October 1916 at the age of 26. 

Louis was born at Lowestoft on 25 February 1890, a son of Frances Elizabth Spurgeon. In 1891 he lived with his mother and brother at 7 Gun Lane, where his mother was housekeeper for William Andrews, and this was still their home in 1901. Louis was a pupil at Christ Church School and became a pupil at Saint Margaret’s School on 27 April 1896. In 1911 Louis’ family were still at 7 Gun Lane, and Louis worked as a wood sawyer at a saw mill. Later his mother lived at 17 Chapel Street, Lowestoft. 

Louis enlisted in the Army at Great Yarmouth around April 1911. He joined the Bedfordshire Regiment, service number 9771. It seems that Louis was an Army Reserve and was mobilised when the First World War began. He arrived in France on 6 October 1914 to join the 2nd Battalion. 

Louis was serving with B Company when he was wounded and his name appears in the official list of wounded published on 30 November 1914. Records show that he was admitted to a hospital on 8 February 1915 and discharged on 13 February 1915. This may have been No 1 General Hospital or Bedford Hospital (the transcript is unclear) and it may be that he had been wounded earlier (i.e. in 1914 corresponding with his name being in the official list) or that this was a second wound.     

A note in the Lowestoft Journal, 22 January 1916, states that Louis had been brought to the notice of his commanding officer for conspicuous bravery in the field.

On 12 October 1916 the 2nd Battalion were engaged in an attack on Grid and Bayonet Trenches. The attack began at 2.05 a.m. and was made in four waves. When they reached a small ridge about 60 yards in front they came under heavy machine-gun and rifle fire from Grid Trench and the fire was so great that they were held up due to their heavy casualties. Two companies on the right were able to pass over the southern end of Grid Trench towards Bayonet Trench and they also came under heavy machine-gun fire and were held up. B Company then came up to reinforce the attack and were able to capture 200 yards of Bite Trench. At this point it was decided to dig in to hold the ground gained thus far. The 2nd Battalion were the only battalion on the whole Corps front to gain and hold ground that day. The night passed quietly without counter-attacks and the Battalion were relieved the next day. 

The Battalion’s casualties were:
Officers: 5 killed, 5 wounded
Other ranks: 49 killed, 49 missing, 2 wounded and missing, 137 wounded, 2 shell-shock 

Louis was killed in action on 12 October. 

Louis' brother Andrew served with the 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment and died in 1918. 

Note: Commonwealth War Graves records show that he was 'Son of Frances E. Spurgeon of 17 Chapel St. Lowestoft and the late William Spurgeon.'