Spring was born in Dulwich, London, the son of Albert Spring (1884-1961), a former Royal Flying Corps officer and schoolmaster, and the composer, Dorothy Spring - born Cecil Dorothy Arburn Chapman (1885-1961). Spring was a descendant of the Suffolk Spring family, and a relation of Lord Risby and Brigadier-General Frederick Spring.
He was educated at Alleyn"s School and the University of London.
At the outbreak of the Second World War, Spring registered as a conscientious objector and was conscripted into the Non-Combatant Corps (National Cadet Corps). He served as a sapper in 15 Bomb Disposal Company, Royal Engineers between December 1941 and July 1943, when he transferred to the staff of “B” Company, Number.2 Training Battalion, Royal Engineers at Blacon Camp. In March 1944 he was selected for officer training and undertook the Officer Cadet Training Unit commissioning course at Catterick Garrison.
On 23 July 1944 he commissioned into the Royal Regiment of Artillery.
He was posted to India in October 1944, taking command of 35 Battery, 33rd Indian Mountain Regiment, Royal Indian Artillery, part of the 25th Indian Infantry Division. He saw extensive action in the Arakan Campaign 1944–1945 in Burma, during which he was injured.
On 30 March 1945 he was promoted to war substantive lieutenant and became adjutant of the 33rd Mountain Regiment. Spring was involved in Operation Zipper and served as the Station Staff Officer, South East Asia Command in Kuala Lumpur during the Japanese surrender.
Between November 1945 and June 1946 he was Acting District Officer of Teluk Anson in British Malaya.
In this position he established a prisoner-of-war camp for Japanese prisoners in Perak. He returned to England in June 1946 and was placed on the list of the regular reserve of officers. On 22 April 1947 he was released from regular service due to his wartime injuries and transferred to the Territorial and Army Volunteer Reserve, becoming honorary lieutenant.
He was promoted to acting captain on 17 November 1948 and to honorary lieutenant colonel on 25 April 1974.
He relinquished his commission in 1975, and was invested as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Military) that same year. Spring was also awarded the Efficiency Decoration for long service in 1958.
Shortly after returning to England, Spring started to teach art at his alma mater, Alleyn’s School, having received tutelage from Sir William Coldstream, whom he met whilst serving in the Royal Artillery. In 1956, he helped Michael Croft to found the National Youth Theatre.
Spring was also an art lecturer and teacher at Camberwell College of Arts and Goldsmiths, University of London.
In the 1960s Spring moved to Oxfordshire to become a master at Bloxham School. Spring married Doreen Healy in 1947 and together they had two children:
David Spring (1948-1982), married Elizabeth Gibbs
Michael Spring (b1953), married Penelope Johns Taylor
He died on 25 December 1997 in Oxfordshire and is buried in Bloxham.
With other members of the National Cadet Corps, he went on to volunteer for work in bomb disposal in London, and in October 1941 resigned his status as a conscientious objector.
