Soldier Record

A native of Leeds, Robert Spink left school at 12 and worked at a mineral water manufacturers until he was 15. His heart, however, was set on getting into the Army and one day he decide to take the King's shilling. To get into the Army he gave his age as 18, although he was actually only 16. On his Army records, he was still two years older than his real age.

He served for 26 years without a break in the York and Lancaster Regiment, seeing service in the 1914 - 1918 war in France and Belgium, and he was twice mentioned in despatches for his courage at the battle of Hooge in 1915 and at Ypres in 1916. During those years he rose to the rank of regimental sergeant-major.

Subsequently, he left the fighting ranks to become a recruiter at Darlington for 21 years. When he retired from the Army the Darlington Recruiting Officer, Capt. J. A. Kinsley, paid the following tribute to him as a soldier: "He certainly has been one of the finest Army recruiters I have ever come across and his record of service will take a lot of beating."

During his retirement, he retained his interest in the Army, and the thousands of men he has recruited for the colours, through his work for the Legion. He was an expert on the pensions and benevolent side of the Legion's work.

He was married at York on July 30, 1907, when he held the rank of corporal, and his daily rate of pay was 11s 8d a week. "There was no marriage allowance in those days," he said, smiling, but money was worth more and we got along all right.

He was a member of the Ministry of Labour disablement committee, Darlington District War Pensions committee and Darlington British Legion Benevolent committee. For several years he was Poppy Day organiser for Darlington and was presented with a national certificate of appreciation. He is a life member of the British Legion.

During the last war his wife, Eva, did canteen work with the W.V.S. buffet at Darlington Bank Top Station, the Darlington Y.M.C.A. and Darlington Memorial Hospital. For many years she was been a member of the committee of the women's section of the British Legion. She was a keen worker for the British Legion Club and for several years a Poppy Day worker.

LEGION MAN DIES AT 82

A life member of the Darlington branch of the British Legion, Mr. Robert Spink, of 34 Selby Crescent, died last night after a long illness.

An Army man all his life, Mr. Spink spent 43 years in the Regular Army before turning to recruiting. He was the recruiting officer for Darlington for many years, and outside his job, devoted much of his time to the work of the British Legion, helping ex-servicemen obtain war pensions and helping with the organisation of the Poppy Appeal.

He held many positions with the Darlington branch of the Legion, including those of president and secretary and was awarded a gold badge for his services. Mr. Spink, who was 82, leaves a widow, five daughters and three sons {taken from a newspaper cutting}.