Kenneth Spring
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
United Kingdom
British Army Kenneth Spring painted in 1948. | |
| Born | 23 October 1921 Dulwich, London |
| Died | 25 December 1997 (aged 76) Sibford, Oxfordshire |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Branch | British Army |
| Years of service | 1941–1975 |
| Rank | Lieutenant Colonel |
| Service number | 331060 |
| Battles / wars | Burma campaign (Second World War) |
| Awards | Officer of the Order of the British Empire, Efficiency Decoration |
Lieutenant Colonel Kenneth Arthur Spring OBE TD (23 October 1921 – 25 December 1997) was a British Army officer, artist and co-founder of the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain.
Spring was born in Dulwich, London, the son of Albert Spring (1884–1961), a former Royal Flying Corps officer and schoolmaster, and the composer, Cecil Dorothy Arburn Chapman (1885–1961).[1] Spring was a descendant of the Suffolk Spring family, and a relation of Lord Risby and Brigadier-General Frederick Spring.[2] He was educated at Alleyn's School, London, where he was a close friend of John Lanchbery, before attending Blackpool Art School.
Military career
On call-up in the Second World War, 22 February 1941, Spring registered as a conscientious objector and was conscripted into the Non-Combatant Corps (NCC); with other members of the NCC, he went on to volunteer for work in bomb disposal in London. In October 1941 he resigned his status as a conscientious objector, and served as a sapper in 15 Bomb Disposal Company, Royal Engineers, between December 1941 and July 1943, when he transferred to the staff of "B” Company, No.2 Training Battalion, Royal Engineers, at Blacon Camp.[3] In March 1944 he was selected for officer training and undertook the Officer Cadet Training Unit commissioning course at Catterick Garrison. On 23 July 1944 he was commissioned into the Royal Regiment of Artillery.[4]
He was posted to India in October 1944, taking command of 35 Battery, 33rd Indian Mountain Regiment, Royal Indian Artillery, part of the 25th Indian Infantry Division.[5] He saw extensive action in the Arakan Campaign 1944–1945 in Burma, during which he was injured. On 30 March 1945 he was promoted to war substantive lieutenant and became adjutant of the 33rd Mountain Regiment. Spring was involved in Operation Zipper and served as the Station Staff Officer, South East Asia Command in Kuala Lumpur during the Japanese surrender. Between November 1945 and June 1946 he was Acting District Officer of Teluk Anson in British Malaya.[6] In this position he established a prisoner-of-war camp for Japanese prisoners in Perak. He returned to England in June 1946 and was placed on the list of the regular reserve of officers. On 22 April 1947 he was released from regular service due to his wartime injuries and transferred to the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve, becoming honorary lieutenant.[7]
He was promoted to acting captain on 17 November 1948 and to honorary lieutenant colonel on 25 April 1974. He was appointed to the committee of the Combined Cadet Force Association, and served as the CO of Alleyn's School CCF between 1960 and 1966. He was awarded the Efficiency Decoration for long service in 1961.[8] Spring relinquished his commission in 1975, and was invested as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Military) the same year.[9]