Many British medal collectors focus on medals awarded to people from their hometown. I live in Kansas City, Missouri, so I never thought this was an option until a few weeks ago. I randomly checked Craigslist and found this British War Medal (see above) listed in St. Louis. The seller did not provide the naming, so I messaged him and asked what was imprinted on the rim. The seller replied that it read, "2499723 A. CPL. L. C. SPANGLER C.R.T." I almost fell out of my chair when I checked Spangler's attestation paper and saw that his address of record was 4021 Woodland Avenue in Kansas City, Missouri! This soldier's story is as follows:
Charles Lloyd Spangler, Sr., was born on October 1, 1882, in
Montana, Kansas, to Abraham Jefferson “AJ” and Mary Ellen “Ella” (Moore)
Spangler. Charles was the third of four children born to the couple and he spent
his childhood in and around Labette County, Kansas. On September 8, 1916, Charles’
older brother, William Arthur Spangler, was killed in the line of duty as a
patrolman with the Kansas City Missouri Police Department. As a young man,
Charles worked as both a newsboy and a cook. In January 1918, he traveled from Kansas
City, Missouri, to Toronto, Canada. On January 5, 1918, Charles enlisted in the
Canadian Expeditionary Force and falsely claimed that he was born in Moose Jaw,
Saskatchewan. According to his attestation document, Charles was almost 5’6”
tall, he had black hair, brown eyes, and a dark complexion. He served a total
of eleven months in France with the 13th Battalion Canadian Railway
Troops. On May 8, 1919, Charles married Elisabeth Murphy in West Derby, England,
and three months later their son, Charles Lloyd Spangler, Jr., was born. After
he was discharged from military service on September 12, 1919, Charles and his
family returned to live in Kansas City. According to the 1920 US Census,
Charles and his family were living at 3908 Woodland Avenue and he was working
as a book salesman. Sometime prior to 1927, Charles married his second wife,
Nona Mae (White) Lunceford. One daughter, Ethel Virginia Spangler, was born to
this union. By 1930, Charles and his family were living at 718 West 11th
Street in Kansas City and he was managing a restaurant in Grain Valley. Charles
died of typhoid fever on September 29, 1930, at Research Hospital in Kansas
City. He was survived by his second wife, Nona, and their daughter, Ethel, both
of the home; his son, Charles, Oakland, CA; his mother, Ella, Oakland CA; and
two sisters, Ethel Hendershott, Portland, OR, and Maud Tucker, Oakland, CA. Charles
was laid to rest at Forest Hill Cemetery in Kansas City.
