The John Spencer Trophy

History

John Hall Spencer (1928-2022) was a Royal Marine, Businessman, Author and Philanthropist. As a regular officer, he served as a commando and at sea in HMS Diadem. After leaving the services, his business career flourished with J Walter Thompson, the advertising conglomerate, where he stayed for 21 years, and later in PR.

John was an avid student of military history, particularly airborne conflict. In middle age he returned to study formally at Oxford, where he made connections between commercial and military approaches to risk, a subject on which he lectured internationally well into his 80s.He is perhaps best remembered in public as an author. 'Battle for Crete', first published in 1962, received renewed critical acclaim when republished in 2021. This was just one of his published historical books and novels.

He was deeply committed to matters of faith and justice and devoted 40 years to the London Federation of Boys Clubs, where he ran the sports side for 400 clubs. He was appointed OBE in 2011, largely for his business charity work helping disadvantaged children in London.

He was a keen golfer, a member at Rye and at Wentworth, where he won the captain's prize on the East course with a gross 78 in 1978. He was captain of the Carlton Club Golfing Society and in 1997 was elected Captain of The Aero Golfing Society.

Source: The Globe & Laurel

Winners