Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of John Spring, a domestic gardener, born in the January quarter of 1854 in Stretton, Rutland and baptised on the 22nd January 1854 in the Church of St. Nicholas, Stretton (son of James Spring, 1820-1880 and Eliza Streeton, 1827-1902) and his wife Frances Anne Spring (nee Robinson, married on the 1st March 1876 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Greetham), born on the 13th December 1854 in Greetham, Rutland and baptised on the 22nd April 1855 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Greetham (daughter of Mary Ann Robinson). Wilfred was born in the January quarter of 1897 in South Luffenham, Rutland and was baptised as Wilfrid Chappell on the 4th April 1897 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, South Luffenham, his siblings were, Janet, born in the July quarter of 1886 and baptised on the 18th July 1886 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, South Luffenham, Clement Cecil, born in the July quarter of 1889 and baptised on the 1st September 1889 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, South Luffenham, Ronald, born in the July quarter of 1892 and baptised on the 3rd July 1892 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, South Luffenham, Chris Arthur, born in the July quarter of 1894 and baptised on the 7th October 1894 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, South Luffenham, Alice, born in the October quarter of 1898 and baptised on the 18th December 1898 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, South Luffenham and Eric, born in the July quarter of 1900 and baptised on the 26th August 1900 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, South Luffenham, all his siblings were born in South Luffenham, in March 1901 the family home was at Orchard House, South Luffenham.
In April 1911 Wilfred was residing in the family home at South Luffenham, together with his father, a flour mill labourer, his mother and siblings, Clement, a flour mill labourer, Ronald, a farm labourer, Chris, a farm labourer, Alice a schoolgirl and Eric, a schoolboy.
Wilfred was employed as a footman before enlistment.
FAMILY NOTES: Wilfred also had the following older siblings, John William, born in the April quarter of 1876 in Greetham and baptised on the 16th July 1876 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, Greetham, James Ernest Benjamin, born in the January quarter of 1882 and baptised on the 9th April 1882 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, South Luffenham, Archibald Streeton, born in the January quarter of 1884 and baptised on the 13th January 1884 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, South Luffenham, Millicent, born in the July quarter of 1885 and baptised on the 10th August 1885 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, South Luffenham, Paul., born in the July quarter of 1886 and baptised on the 15th July 1886 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, South Luffenham and who died aged 1 month in July 1886 and was interred on the 19th July in the churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin, South Luffenham, Frances Mann, born in the January quarter of 1891 and baptised on the 1st February 1891 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, South Luffenham and who died aged 7 months in July 1891 and was interred on the 6th July in the churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin, South Luffenham and Bertie Robinson, born in the July quarter of 1895 and baptised on the 10th August 1895 in the Church of St. Mary the Virgin, South Luffenham and who died aged 7 months in March 1896 and was interred on the 13th March in the churchyard of St. Mary the Virgin, South Luffenham, the latter six siblings were all born in South Luffenham.
Wilfred Chappell enlisted/attested into the Territorial Force on the 18th November 1915 in Stamford, and was allotted the regimental service number 4873. He gave his present address as South Luffenham, near Stamford.
His medical inspection record gave his full name as Wilfred Chappell Spring, his apparent age as -?-, his height as 5-foot -?- inches, his chest measurement as -?- inches to -?- inches, his vision as good and his physical development as good.
He was certified as fit for the Territorial Force. Date 15th November 1915. Place Stamford.
He gave his next of kin as his father, John Spring, South Luffenham, near Stamford.
The compilation of events that occurred during his period of military service are taken from the following sources: - Casualty Form – Active Service (B.103). Statement of the Services of. Military History Sheet.
Posted. To 4th (Reserve) Bn. Lincolnshire Regt. Pte.
Embodied service commenced. 18/11/15.
Posted. To Saltfleet Camp.
Died from meningitis (nature not known). 4.15am. 24/6/16.
Summary of Service.
Home Service. 18/11/15 – 24/6/16. 220 days.
Total Service. 220 days.
SERVICE RECORD NOTE: In September 1940, as the result of a fire caused by an incendiary bomb at the War Office Record Store in Arnside Street, London, approximately two thirds of 6.5 million soldiers’ documents for the First World War were destroyed. Those records which survived were mostly charred or water damaged and unfit for consultation and became known as the “burnt documents.” As a consequence, the content and condition of the surviving records can range from good to extremely poor. The hand written information is, in some instances barely legible, and the number of pages that should comprise a full record, in some cases are either badly damaged or missing entirely, however where possible the available information has been transcribed so that it may at least offer the reader a little descriptive insight into some, if not all of the events and background information surrounding the period of service.
On Friday 30th, June 1916, The Lincoln, Rutland and Stamford Mercury published the following article on page 3, under the heading. – SOUTH LUFFENHAM. – Mr. and Mrs. W. C. Spring on Saturday received the news of the death in hospital of their son, priv. Wilfred Spring, 3/4th Lincs. Regt.
On Friday 7th, July 1916, The Lincoln, Rutland and Stamford Mercury published the following article on page 5, under the heading. – SOUTH LUFFENHAM. – SOLDIER’S MYSTERIOUS DEATH. – Mysterious circumstances attended the death of Wilfred Chappell Spring (19), of South Luffenham, a private in the Lincolnshire Regiment. Last week he was taken ill, and was placed in an isolation camp, suffering apparently from scabies. He improved somewhat, but one morning was found dead in his tent. A post-mortem examination failed to show the cause of death. At the inquest at Grimsby, on Friday. Dr. C. Byron Turner said that he suspected that death was due to cerebro spinal meningitis, and a bacteriological examination had been made. A large number of micro-organisms was found, but the specific microbe which caused cerebro spinal meningitis in its epidemic form was not present. In the circumstances witness attributed death to cerebral meningitis, though he could not say how caused. The coroner: I am informed by a gentleman who has engaged in research work that three specific microbes produce cerebro spinal meningitis, and that it is no use giving a mixture for one unless you can deal with the others. Dr. Turner: The safe course is to give a brew of all three – a sort of blunderbuss mixture, on the off chance of hitting something. (Laughter.) It is done. The coroner said that it was very satisfactory indeed to find that the disease was not cerebro spinal meningitis, which, in epidemic form, was very dangerous, and, generally fatal. A verdict that death was due to cerebral meningitis, but that there was no evidence to show how the disease originated was returned.
[recognitum XXX-IX-MMXXIV]