An unusual Great War ‘Escaper Casualty’ M.M. and Second Award Bar group of three awarded to Corporal J. Spirit, Royal Field Artillery, who was killed by a grenade whilst attempting to escape from a P.O.W. work camp which provided labour for the construction of enemy railway lines in Northern France

Military Medal, G.V.R., with Second Award Bar (2925 Gnr: J. Spirit. 252/N’Bn: Bde: R.F.A. -T.F.); British War and Victory Medals (2925 Cpl. J. Spirit. R.A.) nearly extremely fine (3) £1,600-£2,000

M.M. London Gazette 12 March 1917.

M.M. Second Award Bar London Gazette 13 September 1918.

John Spirit was born in Framwellgate Moor, Durham, in 1893, the son of coal miner John Spirit and his wife Martha. The 1901 census lists John as one of 11 children, all residing at 14, Charles Street, in the Parish of Kimblesworth. A decade later he is noted as following in the footsteps of his father and working below ground as a pony putter at Kimblesworth Colliery, County Durham.

The outbreak of the Great War witnessed a large number of Kimblesworth lads attest for the armed forces. In common with small and close-knit communities, their progress was often detailed in the contemporary local press, none more so than the Chester-le-Street Chronicle and District Advertiser which repeatedly mentioned Spirit and his comrades. Sent to France in 1916, Spirit witnessed early service attached to “Y.50” Trench Mortar Battery, Royal Field Artillery, part of 50th Division; the War Diary entries held in file WO95/2820 covering the period August 1915 to January 1919 confirms that his unit was heavily engaged on the Somme with the three Divisional T.M.B.’s (X.50, Y.50 & Z.50) proving their worth in abundance when required to flush out stubborn enemy resistance.

Awarded the first of his Military Medals and raised Corporal, Spirit returned home to Kimblesworth in September 1917 and was named in the local paper as one of six former workers of Kimblesworth Colliery who were publicly presented with a gold watch by the Workmen and Officials War Relief Fund Committee. The ceremony - held on site - gathered together a host of ‘local lads’, including Spirit, Private J. Mowas, Corporal R. Rumfitt, Bombardier J. J. Reynolds, Lance-Corporal H. W. Thompson and Private Herbert Booth, all of whom had been awarded the Military Medal for conspicuous bravery.

Missing in Action
Spirit took leave and visited his parents for a final time in March 1918, being likely at hand when news came through regarding the death of his brother-in-law, Corporal W. Taylor, of the Royal Field Artillery, who was killed in action on the opening day of the German Spring Offensive. Returned to the front, Spirit was himself captured not long thereafter, the Red Cross records stating: ‘No news since May 18’. He was subsequently reported missing in the local press in June 1918, later confirmed Prisoner of War.

Held at a work camp behind the German front line, Spirit soon had the good fortune to meet a few of his old Kimblesworth pals, including Private W. Walker, M.M., and Private Herbert Booth, M.M. - with whom Spirit had shared the presentation platform at the local colliery less than a year previously. The life of Walker in the camp and his subsequent ‘boys own’ escape alongside Booth was later relayed by the Chester-le-Street Chronicle and District Advertiser on 12 July 1918:

‘He had the misfortune in one of these engagements to be taken prisoner, and had to undergo great hardship and privation. He was put behind the lines and made to work for the Germans, assisting to make railways in order that they might get their guns up to slay his own people. In this work as a prisoner of war he received very poor food, just a slice of bread and some soup. It was then that they [Walker and Booth] made up their minds that they would not continue any longer, and Walker, along with three others, were prepared to escape or die in the attempt... On 25th June they left the German cage and made their way to the British lines, and had to take the greatest precaution in so doing. Although only a comparatively short distance away, it took them twenty-eight days before they ultimately found their way to the French lines. Unfortunately, one of the Kimblesworth lads, Pte. Booth, was injured, but he was now safe in a French hospital.’

Upon his homecoming to County Durham, Private Booth, M.M., explained to the local press how he and his fellow escapees [Private W. Walker, M.M., Corporal J. Mulgrew & Corporal R. Gibbon] had selected a very dark night and made a hole under the barbed wire with their hands; they reached French lines and were promptly mistaken for Germans and bombed with a blast to the head rendering Booth unconscious.

Escape Attempt
Likely inspired by news of Booth’s successful escape and crossing of Allied lines, Spirit determined to make his own quest for freedom - almost certainly following a similar plan in terms of execution and timing. Killed in the attempt, the Chester-le-Street Chronicle and District Advertiser of 18 October 1918 adds more detail:

‘The parents of Corpl. John Spirit, D.L.I. (sic), M.M., who reside at 14 Charles Street, Kimblesworth, received the sad intelligence on Wednesday morning that their son, who was made a prisoner, died from wounds received. It will be remembered that this young soldier was presented by the villagers with a gold watch on winning the Military Medal. He was taken prisoner at the same time as Pte. H. Booth, and when the latter left the German internment camp Spirit was quite well. It is presumed that on attempting to escape he was shot.’

According to official records, Spirit was not shot, rather the paperwork of the Prisoners of the First World War, International Committee of the Red Cross, states: ‘PA 35491 11/9/18 Spirit John Cpl. 50 Trench Mortar RFA Y Battery Born 9.1.93 Durham Died 24.7.18 following grenade wounds.’

Attempting a similar night escape to that undertaken by Private Booth, M.M., it appears likely that a sentry threw a grenade at Spirit and other men in his party; more effective than a single rifle round, a grenade would have illuminated a confused scene with more than one escapee. The UK Army Register of Effects confirms that Spirit died whilst a Prisoner of War in German hands; awarded a Second Award Bar to the M.M. a few months later, he is buried in St. Erme Communal Cemetery Extension, Aisne, France.