Spence, John Milliken (Jack)
Lance Corporal
No. 19845, ‘B’ Company, 13th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles
Killed in action on Saturday 1 July 1916 (aged 20)
No known grave
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Thiepval Memorial, France (Pier and Face 15 A and 15 B)
Comber and District War Memorial
Comber Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Mary’s)
BIOGRAPHY
John Milliken Spence was born on 30 October 1895 in Railway Street, Comber and he was a son of William Henry and Ann (Annie) Spence (nee Milliken) who were married on 19 April 1893 in Fitzroy Presbyterian Church Belfast.
The Spence family lived at 21 Brownlow Street, Comber.
William Spence was a National School teacher and he and Annie had at least five children:
Olive (born 1 March 1894 in Brownlow Street, Comber)
John Milliken (born 30 October 1895 in Railway Street, Comber)
Maria Dorothy (born 10 June 1897 in Railway Street, Comber)
Kathleen May (born 20 March 1899 in Brownlow Street, Comber; died of diphtheria 7 December 1903)
William Gerald (born 3 July 1906 in Brownlow Street, Comber)
John Milliken Spence enlisted in Comber, served with the 13th Battalion Royal Irish Rifles in 108th Brigade of the 36th (Ulster) Division and was killed in action on the first day of the Battle of the Somme.
Lance Corporal Jack Spence (No. 19845) has no known grave and he is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France; on Comber and District War Memorial and in Comber Parish Church of Ireland Church (St Mary’s).