Brigadier General John “Jock” Godfrey Spragge DSO, OBE, ED was born May 20, 1907 and attended Trinity College School in Port Hope where he belonged to the Cadet Corps from 1921 to 1924.
He died on 1 July 1978 and is buried in Saint Paul’s Anglican Cemetery Columbus, Brooklin, Durham Regional Municipality, Ontario.
Service Record
- May 11, 1925 – Enlisted as a Rifleman in “A” Company, 1st Battalion, Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada
- May 1926 – Promoted to Corporal
- October 3, 1926 – Appointed Provisional Lieutenant and posted to “C” Company, 1st Battalion
- October 26, 1932 – Promoted to Captain
- April 1933 – Appointed as 2nd in Command “C’ Company, 1st Battalion
- September 1935 – Appointed 2nd in Command “B” Company, 2nd Battalion
- There is a gap here where Spragge joins the Active Battalion for during the Second World War
- April 16, 1942 – Promoted Lieutenant Colonel and appointed Commanding Officer 1st Battalion (Active Service) (Commanding on Normandy Landing)
- August 26, 1944 – Promoted to Brigadier and Officer Commanding 7th Canadian Infantry Brigade (until February 20, 1945)
The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada Regimental Museum and Archive 
As a child I knew General Spragge in Brooklin Ontario. Our families attended Saint Thomas’s Anglican church. He was commonly referred to as Brigadier. For quite a while, I thought his name was Brig Dear. He is at rest in the Anglican cemetery in Brooklin very near to members of my family. RIP Brig Dear.
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Hi Don – Thanks for the comment. I just wanted to confirm though – Findagrave says he is buried in
Saint Paul’s Anglican Cemetery, Columbus, Durham – which seems to be mid-way between Columbus and Brooklin – Is this where you’re referring to?
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Yes, it is the same cemetery. While I was a child in the 1950s Brooklin’s population was approx. 650. It was a village located at the junction of hwys. 7 and 12. At present it is a bedroom community of Toronto comprising almost 35,000 residents. Brooklin was amalgamated with Whitby and nearby Columbus with Oshawa. All of which are part of the Regional Municipality of Durham. St. Thomas’ Anglican Church shared a cemetery with St. Paul’s Columbus. St. Paul’s was deconsecrated long ago. The cemetery is now administered solely by St. Thomas’, although it is still called St. Paul’s. I have family buried within paces of Jock Spragge’s grave. My uncle and Aunt Sydney and Ellen Bailey occupy the graves closest to the Spragges. I hope this rather wordy reply is helpful. Your’s; Fr. Don Bailey
On Thu, 8 Feb 2024 at 15:20, The Queen’s Own Rifles of Canada Regimental
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