CRAGG, GEOFFREY ETHELBERT, Solicitor, Sergt., No. 1745, 5th Battn. Queen’s Royal West Surrey Regt. (T.F.), s. of the late Anthony Richard Cragg. Estate Agent to Sir Jeremiah Colman, Gatton Park, of Warleigh, Eversfield Road, Reigate, Surrey, and Author of “Hints to Young Valuers” and many other works, by his wife, Alice Louise, dau. of the late Norcliffe William Glendinning, of Ambleside; b. Hereford, 25 Feb. 1888; educ. Hoe Preparatory School and Reigate Grammar School; served his articles with Morrison and Nightingale, of Reigate and Redhill, and was admitted a solicitor in July, 1910. He was appointed Deputy Coroner for East Surrey in 1912, and was probably the youngest Deputy Coroner in the country. He had joined the Royal West Surrey Territorials in 1912, and when war broke out was in training with his regiment on Salisbury Plain. He immediately signed on for the period of the war, and was sent to India with his regt. Cragg was one of those who volunteered for service in the Persian Gulf, when, in Aug. 1915, a call was made for a further draft of men from the 5th Queen’s to join the 2nd Norfolks, then in Mesopotamia, and his keenness is shown by the fact that he was willing to revert to the rank of Corpl. in order to go. He took part in the action on 27–28 Sept., and died of dysentery, at Kut-el-Amara, 17 Oct. 1915; unm. Col. Brodrick wrote to Mrs. Cragg: “Your son was a splendid fellow. His devotion to duty at all times was wonderful. We shall miss him terribly, but he died, as he would have wished, doing his duty, and the regt. is proud of him.”

CRAMPTON, CHARLES THEODORE, Stoker, P.O. 294717, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914; m.

CRANE, CHARLES EDWARD, 2nd Lieut., 1st Battn. Duke of Cornwall’s L.I., eldest s. of Charles Arnold Crane, of The Reddings, Cheltenham, by his wife, Georgina, dau. of the Rev. Thomas Walker, Rector of Abbots Morton, Worcestershire; b. Birlingham, co. Worcester, 18 Feb. 1892; educ. Oakfield, Rugby, Cheltenham College, and Sandhurst; gazetted to the 1st Battn. Duke of Cornwall’s L.I. 4 Sept. 1912, and served with his regt. in Ireland in the spring of 1914 in connection with the troublous time in Belfast. On the outbreak of war he went with his regt. to the Front, was wounded in the Battle of the Aisne, 14 Sept. 1914, and died from wounds, at Mont de Soissons Farm, four days later, being buried near Mont de Soissons, between the village of Nampteuil-sous-Muret and Serches, 7 miles from Soissons, and 1 mile from Serches, overlooking the Valley of the Aisne; unm. His commanding officer, Lieut.-Col. M. N. Turner, in writing to his father, paid a high tribute to his worth and courage: “Your boy was absolutely brave and good. We were all so very fond of him, and he was such an excellent officer. He was absolutely fearless, and one of the best.” An officer wrote: “He was hit on 14 Sept, when doing real good, brave work. He did his work before he was hit, and it took a bit of doing. Another good soldier and leader, and another gallant officer! We miss him very much; we all liked him so tremendously.” Sergt. Blaclock declared that “He was always to the front in the call of duty, and the men who have had the honour to serve with him at home or on the battlefield will, I am sure, always feel proud of him, and he will always be remembered as one of the bravest and best.” And L.-Corpl. J. Horan, 1st Duke of Cornwall’s L.I., wrote: “I had the pleasure of serving with your gallant son. All through the famous retreat from Mons it will always live in my memory his kindness to me; that was when we started the advance. He picked me up where I was lying by the road one night and put me in an ambulance wagon, and also another Private; we both owe our lives to him. He was most kind and considerate in all his orders, and would never ask his men to go to any place he would not go himself. We had trying times, especially on 26 Aug., when he took us out of the village Le Chateau. I don’t remember him losing any of his platoons. It was a dreadful ordeal, for they were firing upon us in all directions. His conduct was brilliant in the extreme; it was his coolness that got us out of it. I cannot express his kindness, for on the retreat I have seen him carrying the men’s rifles. He would give us chocolates and cigarettes, or whatever he had he would give to any one. I cannot speak too highly of him.” Numerous other letters refer to him in like terms of admiration and respect.

CRASCALL, COULSON HENRY, A. B. (R.F.R., Ch. B. 2577), 177293, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

CRAVEN, EDWARD, Stoker. 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 7125), S.S. 101858, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

CRAVEN, THOMAS, Deckhand, R.N.R., 1386 D.A., Royal Naval Reserve; b. Cleckheaton, co. York, 26 Feb. 1872; educ. Church Schools, Liversedge, co. York; was in the employ of Messrs. Hillyer, of Hull; joined the Royal Naval Reserve at the outbreak of war, and was drowned in the North Sea by falling overboard during a gale, while surveying on H.M. armed trawler Viola in the North Sea, 7 Nov. 1914. He was buried with naval honours at Lerwick; unm.

CRAVEN, THOMAS, Stoker, P.O. (R.F.R., A. 1917/), 154699, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

CRAWFORD, ALEXANDER PRATT, Private, No. 7049, 1st Battn. Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders, 2nd s. of Charles Crawford, of Leith, Wine and Spirit Merchant, by his wife, Agnes Lumsden (11, Annfield, Newhaven), dau. of the late Peter Seton, of Edinburgh; b. Leith, 17 Feb. 1887; educ. at Trinity Academy, Leith; enlisted 29 Sept. 1904, and was killed in action at the Aisne, 14 Sept. 1914; unm.

CRAWFORD, EDWARD, Lieut., 3rd Battn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 7th surviving and yst. twin s. of the late Robert Crawford, of Stonewold, Ballyshannon, C.E., D.L., Professor of Engineering in Trinity College, Dublin, 1882–87, by his second wife, Anna, dau. of the late Thomas Troubridge Stubbs, of Ballyshannon; b. Stonewold, Ballyshannon, co. Donegal, 23 Nov. 1880; educ. Portora Royal School, Enniskillen, and Cheltenham College; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 4th (now the 3rd) Battn. Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, 30 April, 1906, and promoted Lieut. 14 July, 1908. He went to the Front, Oct. 1914. and was attached to the 2nd Battn. Royal Irish Rifles in Flanders; he was invalided home in Dec. 1914, having contracted frostbite in the trenches. On recovery he again went to the Front, where he was attached to the 2nd Battn. Royal Irish Regt., and died at the British Hospital, Wimereux, France, 27 May, 1915, as the result of gas poisoning and wounds received while in action about 25 May. He was buried in the cemetery at Wimereux; unm.

CRAWFORD, HUGH, A.B. (R.F.R. B., 10852), S.S. 2908, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914; m.

CRAWFORD, RICHARD GILPIN, Lieut., Princess Patricia’s Canadian L.I., s. and only child of William C. Crawford, of Tilbury, Kent co., Ontario, President of the Windsor, Essex and Lake Shore Railway, a member of the Municipal Council of Tilbury for 23 years and Chairman of the Council for 13 years, by his wife, Annie, dau. of Richard Thompson Gilpin, of St. Mary’s, Ontario; b. Tilbury, 12 Jan. 1892; educ. Common and High School in Tilbury, Upper Canada College, Toronto, and The Royal Military College, Kingston, being a Graduate there. He joined the 1st Canadian Contingent in Aug. 1914; left with it for England in Sept. following, and after being attached to the 9th Battn. at Salisbury, England, proceeded to France, 25 March, 1915, and was transferred to Princess Patricia’s Canadian L.I. He was twice wounded in the engagement at Bellewarde Lake, 8 May, 1915, and died in the Clearing Hospital at 2 p.m. the day following. He was buried at Bailleul, France; unm. Lieut. Crawford was recommended for distinguished service in the field by Major-Gen. Snow, commanding 27th Division, Canadian L.I., on account of his bravery in remaining under a very heavy shell and rifle fire to dig out some of his comrades from under their machine guns. The officer commanding Princess Patricia’s Canadian L.I. (Hugh L. Niven) wrote to his father: “Lieut. Crawford was wounded early in the morning of 8 May at Bellewarde Lake by a piece of high explosive shell that lit in the trench where he was attending to his duties. He was carried by four of the men of his company, who were exposed to heavy shell and machine gun fire, to a dug-out some 100 yards in rear. He was there properly bandaged by the medical orderlies and made comfortable. About noon the same day a large high explosive shell fell on the dug-out and Lieut. Crawford was again wounded, this time on his right foot. He was got out of this dug-out at once and taken to another one to the left, and was taken to our dressing station at dusk by the stretcher-bearers, and sent on from there in an ambulance to the closest hospital about 9 miles away, and he died there from his wounds. I saw a great deal of Lieut. Crawford, and I say in all sincerity that this regt. lost one of its most promising officers. His bravery was most remarkable, and his officers and men reported this to me on several occasions. He did not know what it was to be nervous even under the heaviest shell fire, and on the morning of 4 May, when they were shelling his trench, he dug out the machine gun section which were completely buried by a shell, and although several fell within 10 feet of him he never even noticed them, but continued digging as if he were miles away from harm. I was with him at the time, and it was worth while to listen to the men he helped to rescue telling him what they thought of his action. This is only one of many cases where he displayed the greatest gallantry. In fact, he was idolised by his men, and the whole regt. mourns one of the bravest soldiers that ever lived. When he was so seriously wounded he objected to any one making a fuss over him, and was always telling the orderlies to attend to some one else, and, as he was going away, he said he would be back right away, just as soon as he could get out of the hospital.”

CRAWFORD, WILLIAM JOHN, Sergt., No. 7791, 3rd Battn. Coldstream Guards, s. of William Frederick Crawford, Chintz Glazer; b. Camden Town, 8 March, 1889; enlisted 9 April, 1908; served in Egypt, 6 Jan. 1909, to 11 March, 1911, and with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders; was wounded at Landrecies in Aug. 1914, and invalided home, returning to the Front, 7 April, 1915, and was killed in action at Cambrin, 8 July, 1915, by a rifle grenade. He m. at Clapton, 7 March, 1915, Clara Annie (94, Dunlace Road, Clapton, London), dau. of Alfred Leonard Hughes, of London; s.p.

CRAWHALL, FRITZ PORTMORE, 2nd Lieut., 6th Battn. King’s Royal Rifle Corps, yr. s. of the Rev. Edmund Isaac Laroche Crawhall, Vicar of Herriard, co. Hants, and later of Granton, co. York, by his wife, Isabella Duncan, dau. of Capt. James Grant, R.N.; b. Ryde, Isle of Wight, 15 Aug. 1897; educ. “Cordwalles,” Maidenhead, and Winchester College (scholar), and received his commission in the 6th King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 15 Aug. 1914. After the action at Neuve Chapelle on 10 March, 1915, he was officially reported “missing,” but his Capt. stated that he saw him fall dead in a German trench. He was captain of the College VI at Winchester, 1912–13 and 1913–14, and open classical postmaster of Merton College, Oxford.

CRAWLEY, ARTHUR EDWARD, Private, No. 10723, 1st Battn. Royal Scots, 4th s. of Alfred Thomas Crawley, of 14, Queen’s Road, Peckham, London, Printer, by his wife, Emma, dau. of T. Bennet; b. Bloomsbury, London, W.C., 23 March, 1891; educ. Colls Road L.C.C. School, Peckham; enlisted 10 Aug. 1910; served in India, 7 Oct. 1911 to Oct. 1914, and with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders, 19 Dec. 1914 to 22 Jan. 1915, on which latter date he was killed in action at Veirstraat; unm.

CRAWLEY, HAROLD, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 7549), S.S. 102735, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

CRAWLEY, JAMES, Private, No. 12042, 3rd Battn. Coldstream Guards, 3rd s. of the late John Crawley (died 1900), by his wife, Mary Ann (5, Puddle Dock, Willmington, Dartford, Kent), dau. of John Austin; b. Battersea; was a Farm Labourer; enlisted 9 Sept. 1914; went to France, 17 March, 1915, and was killed in action near Givenchy, 10 Aug. 1915; unm.

CRAYFORD, VICTOR, Private, R.M.L.I., Ch./9027, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

CREAGH, AUBREY OSBORNE, Capt., 120th Rajputana Infantry, Indian Army, s. of Major-Gen. William Creagh, Indian Army, and gdson. of General Sir Michael Creagh, K.H.; b. St. Leonards-on-Sea, 18 Sept. 1883; educ. The Grange, St. Leonards-on-Sea; Southlea; Great Malvern; United Services College, Westward Ho (1897–1900); and Royal Military College, Sandhurst (1901); gazetted 2nd Lieut. unattd. 18 Jan. 1902, and promoted Lieut. 18 April, 1904, and Capt. 12 July, 1911. Left for India in March, 1902, and was attd. to the Suffolks at Karachi, and later transferred to the Cheshires at Quetta. After a year with them he was appointed to the 120th Rajputana Infantry at Poona (10 April, 1903), going afterwards to Baroda; served on detachment duty at Buxa, N.E. Bengal, and commanded a detachment of 50 men of the 120th at Gyantse, Tibet, from Aug. 1909, to May, 1911, where he guarded the British Trade Agency. When war broke out he was on leave in Chumba (beyond Kashmir), and only heard of it on reaching Simla, receiving orders to rejoin his regt. He landed in the Persian Gulf in Nov. 1914, took part in the capture of Basra and the fight at Sahil on 17 Nov., after which the regt. was entrenched at Kurna for several weeks. Capt. Creagh was killed in the Battle at Shaiba, 14 April, 1915, being shot through the head. His commanding officer wrote: “He fell while leading his double company in the fiercest action that has taken place in this campaign; the regt. was well in the thick of it all, and finally participated in the bayonet charge at the end of the battle. Young Creagh has helped to create a name for this regt. which will not be forgotten. The regt. attacked a strong position over very open country, losing nearly 200 in casualties out of about 660.” He was buried on the battlefield; unm.

CREAN, THEODORE, Capt., 1st Battn. Northamptonshire Regt., attached No. 4 Squadron, Royal Flying Corps, only s. of the late Richard Crean, of Manchester, M.D., by his wife, Lucy Mary (Chester), dau. of Peter Bohngard; b. Manchester, 23 Oct. 1880: educ. Stonyhurst, and Gonville and Caius, Cambridge; received a commission in the 6th (Militia) Battn. of the Lancashire Fusiliers, Sept. 1900, and joined his regt. in South Africa in Jan.; served through the South African War, March, 1901 to 1902, receiving the Queen’s medal with five clasps. He then passed into the Regulars, being gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the 3rd Battn. of the Lancashire Fusiliers, 30 April, 1902, and promoted Lieut. 20 May, 1904, and transferred to Northants Regt. in May, 1908, and obtained his company, 14 June, 1913. He was attached to the West African Regt., 27 Oct. 1905 to 28 Sept. 1911, and was employed with the West African Frontier Force from 19 Feb. 1913; returning to England just before the outbreak of war. He was attached to the Royal Flying Corps, 4 Sept. 1914, and was shot down in an aeroplane while signalling to the artillery near Ypres, 26 Oct. 1914. He was buried at Gheluvelt, Flanders; unm. His commanding officer wrote: “Your son had done awfully good work with us, and at the moment of his death was doing splendidly in observing our artillery and signalling to them from the air. They had to fly low owing to clouds and were under a heavy fire. Your son and the pilot were killed instantly.”

CREASER, WALTER, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., Ch. B. 9275), S.S. 106492, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

CREES, ERNEST JAMES, Chief Shipwright, 341595, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

CREIGHTON, ROBERT, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 10097), S.S. 107757, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.

CRESSWELL, ERNEST ALAN, Corpl., No. 2205, 9th Battn. (Queen Victoria’s Rifles) The London Regt. (T.F.), s. of Walter Cresswell, of North Villa, The Vale, Hampstead, by his wife, Jessie, dau. of Robert Henderson, Miniature Painter; b. Elstree, co. Herts, 29 March, 1892; educ. Hampstead, and was a decorative designer of great promise. Immediately war was declared he joined the Queen Victoria Rifles, went to France, 24 Jan. 1915, and was wounded at the capture of Hill 60 in April, 1915, being with Lieut. Woolley (the first Territorial officer to win the V.C.) when he gained that distinction. He had only rejoined his regt. a few days after being in hospital when he was killed in action near St. Eloi, 4 June, 1915; unm. He was buried at Elyenwalle Chateau, in Wood H (35b, Reference Map, Belgium, 28’/40,000). The papers appointing him Sergt. had just been made out when he was killed.

CRESSWELL, JOHN LESLIE, Private, R.M.L.I. (Ports.), 15838, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

CREW, WILLIAM THOMAS, Private, R.M.L.I. Ch./9398, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.

CRICHTON, GERALD EDGECUMBE, Private, No. 1928, 4th Battn. Australian Imperial Force, 2nd s. of the late William Crichton, of 18, Rotton Park Road, Edgbaston, Birmingham, by his late wife, Bessie Eleanor, dau. of the late George Edgecumbe; b. Edgbaston, 8 Oct. 1886; educ. Edgbaston Preparatory School and King Edward’s School, Birmingham; went to Australia in Dec. 1907, and settled at Galong, N.S.W.; joined the Commonwealth Expeditionary Force in Feb. 1915, and was killed in action in a Turkish trench during the attack in Lone Pine district, Gallipoli, 6–7 Aug. 1915; unm.

CRICHTON, HUBERT FRANCIS, Major, Irish Guards, only s. of Col. the Hon. Charles Frederick Crichton, of Mullaboden, Ballymore, late Grenadier Guards, by his wife, Lady Madeline, née Taylour, 2nd dau. of Thomas, 3rd Marquis of Headfort, K.P., P.C., and grandson of John, 3rd Earl Erne, K.P.: b. 95, Eaton Square, London, 17 Dec. 1874; educ. Eton and Sandhurst, and was gazetted to the Grenadier Guards, 15 Jan. 1896. He was promoted Lieut. 12 March, 1898, and two years later transferred to the Irish Guards, becoming Capt. 6 Oct. 1900, and Major, 25 March, 1908. He served with the Nile Expedition, 1898, being present at the Battle of Khartoum (medal with clasp), and in the South African war, 1902, when he was employed with the Imperial Yeomanry in the operations in Cape Colony; for this he received the Queen’s medal with two clasps. From 19 May, 1900, to 31 Dec. 1901, he had been Adjutant of the Irish Guards, and from 23 Oct. 1902, to 14 Feb. 1905, was A.D.C. to the Commander, 1st Army Corps. Aldershot. The Irish Guards formed part of the original Expeditionary Force to go to France, and Major Crichton was killed in action at Villers Cotterets, 1 Sept. 1914. He was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of 7 Sept. 1914, for gallant and distinguished service in the field. He m. London, 14 July, 1903, Esther, dau. of Llewellyn Saunderson, of Kingstown, co. Dublin, and had two daus.: Doris Madeline, b. 29 May, 1904; and Enid Irene Adelaide, b. 27 Feb. 1907.

CRICHTON, JOSEPH MICHAEL SMITH, Private, No. 2199, 16th Battn. Australian Imperial Expeditionary Force, 4th s. of Alfred James Crichton, of Sunderland, by his wife, Ann (28, Sidecliff Road, Roker, Sunderland), dau. of Joseph Michael Smith; b. Sunderland, co. Durham, 16 March, 1889; educ. at Redby School, and went to Australia in April, 1912, where he took up farming. After the outbreak of war he joined the Commonwealth Expeditionary Force in April, 1915, went to Egypt with the 16th Battn. in July, and was killed in action on Lone Pine, 8 Aug. 1915; unm. He had volunteered with some other Australians and Indians on some very hazardous work when he met his death. His Adjutant said of him “That he always did excellent work, but, more particularly on the day of his death.”

CRIPPS, GEORGE, A.B., 206557, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

CRIPPS, SPENCER HARRY, Petty Officer, R.N.V.R., London 1/3501, Drake Battn. Royal Naval Division, only s. of William Henry Cripps, of Bradford-on-Avon, Draper; b. Buckingham, 24 June, 1882; educ. Bath; served in the South African War (medal), and on the outbreak of the European War, joined the R.N.V.R. in Sept. 1914, and was killed in action at the Dardanelles, 25 May, 1915. Lieut. Edward H. S. Bligh wrote: “He has been a great help to me ever since I first took charge of the 16th Platoon, and it did not take me long to single him out; it was not long before I was able to recommend him for the promotion he so well deserved. Just before his death I had lost him from the platoon, as he had been put in command of another platoon, and he was at the head of his men when he came under heavy fire and fell dead on 25 May, with a bullet through his brain. I was able to go out after dusk and to bury his body.” He m. at St. George’s Church, Brondesbury, 13 Feb. 1915, Winifred Louise, dau. of John Butler, of 8, Blenheim Gardens, Cricklewood; s.p.

CRISP, JAMES FREDERICK, Seaman, R.N.R., 3607C, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

CRITCHER, ALBERT, Private, R.M.L.I., Ch./17494, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

CRITCHLEY, SIDNEY HERBERT, Shipwright, 2nd Class, 345723, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

CROCK, THOMAS, P.O., 2nd Class (R.F.R., B. 4674), 158554, H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

CROCKER, FREDERICK CYRIL, Sergt., No. 1865, No. 4 Platoon, 6th Battn. Northumberland Fusiliers (T.F.), s. of Lieut. John Crocker, of Claremont, Portishead, Somerset, formerly of Lerwick and Stornoway, R.N., Divisional Officer of Coast Guards, Southend Division, by his wife, Annie, dau. of the late James Bardsley; b. Stornoway, Isle of Lewis, 22 Dec. 1887; educ. Tate School, Wexford, and Anderson Institute, Lerwick, Shetland, and prior to the outbreak of war was an Officer of Excise at Gateshead. He joined the Northumberland Fusiliers at the beginning of 1914, volunteered for Imperial service when war began, was severely wounded in action at St. Julien, 26 April, 1915, while leading the platoon in a bayonet charge after his platoon officer, Lieut. Garton, had fallen, and died in the East Suffolk Hospital, Ipswich, 1 June, following. He m. at Glasgow, 10 June, 1911, Janet, dau. of Peter Macleod, of Stornoway, and had two daus.: Patricia Joan Mary, b. 28 April, 1912; and Annie Valerie, b. 4 Feb. 1915.

CROCKFORD, CHARLES, P.O., 1st Class., 198167, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.

CROFTON, CHARLES WOODWARD, Major, 9th (Service) Battn. Worcestershire Regt., formerly North Staffordshire Regt., s. of the Rev. Henry Woodward Crofton, formerly H.M. Chaplain at Rangoon and Simla, by his wife, Janette, dau. of Charles Butter, of Ingateston, Essex (attd. 5th Dragoon Guards as Medical Officer in Battle of Waterloo); b. Rugby, 8 Nov. 1864; educ. Haileybury and Oxford Military College, and received his commission as Lieut. from the Militia to the North Staffordshire Regt. (the old 98th), 25 Nov. 1885, and became Capt. 6 March, 1895, and Major, 14 March, 1905. He served in the Dongola Expedition (Egyptian medal with clasp), 1896, and was Station Staff Officer of the first grade in India from 6 July, 1902, to 31 May, 1904, and Brigade Major from 1 June, 1904, to 31 March, 1905. He had retired 6 Dec. 1913, but after the declaration of war immediately placed his services at the disposal of the War Office, and on 31 Aug. was gazetted to the 9th Worcesters as second in command to Lieut.-Col. M. H. Nunn. He went out with the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force, and was killed in action at Suvla Bay, 10 Aug. 1915. A brother officer wrote: “I can assure you your husband was a great credit to our Army, fearless and brave. He was never happy unless in a position to be at the head of our regt., and at the time he was killed we were in a very tight corner, and it meant at the time British determination to withhold the severe Turkish attack, and he was one of those to show a great example to the men.” Major Crofton m. at Mussoorie, India, 26 Dec. 1901, Catherine Mary (Culverley, Goda Road, Littlehampton), dau. of the late Charles Frederick Waverley Stowell, and had two children: Hugh Charles Henry, b. 19 Feb. 1915; and Kathleen Louisa, b. 23 Dec. 1902.

CROMIE, MAURICE FRANCIS, 2nd Lieut., 3rd, att. 2nd, Battn. Hampshire Regt., 2nd s. of the late Capt. Charles Francis Cromie, C.M.G., 37th Regt., Consul-General for Congo Free State at the time of his death, by his wife, Joanna Angela (Alresford, Hants), dau. of Julian Bargus Yonge, of Otterbourne, Hants, J.P., M.A. [Cadet of Yonge of Puslinch, Devon]; b. London, 29 July, 1895; educ. Blundell’s, Tiverton, and Dover College, where he was in the O.T.C.; obtained his commission, 15 Aug. 1914, and was killed in action at Gallipoli, 4 June, 1915: unm. His commanding officer wrote: “Lieut. Cromie’s loss was really a bitter blow to the regt. I had only known him a few days, and he had charge of the machine guns. When we went up to the front trenches prior to the assault he came twice with me on expeditions, and was so keen and cheerful about it all that I got him to come and live in my dug-out, and there we stayed together until the day. How it happened I do not know, but what I do know is that his guns arrived in the nick of time and later were instrumental in saving the situation.”

CRONK, FRIEND, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 3574), 187623, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

CRONK, WILLIAM GUY, 2nd Lieut., 3rd Battn. (The Buffs) East Kent Regt. att. King’s Royal Rifle Corps, only s. of William Henry Cronk, of Suffolk Place, Sevenoaks, by his wife, Winifred Ruth, dau. of Lieut.-Col. C. N. Kidd; b. Sevenoaks, co. Kent, 28 April, 1893; educ. Eton and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 3rd Battn. East Kent Regt., 14 March, 1914, and attd. to the King’s Royal Rifles; went to France early in Oct., and was killed in action two miles S.E. of Zonnebeke, 26 Oct. 1914, while leading his platoon in an attack on the enemy trenches; unm.

CROOK, ALBERT GEORGE, A.B. (R.F.R., B. 5113), 196640, H.M.S. Good Hope, lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

CROOK, JOSEPH, Painter, 2nd Class, M. 3641, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

CROSBY, JOHN CLIFFORD, A.B., Ch. J. 2146, H.M.S. Cressy, only s. of the late Robert Crosby, Constable, North Riding Police Force, by his wife, Eleanor (112, Holden Street, Grangetown, Yorkshire), dau. of James Pease; b. Halifax, 18 May, 1892; educ. Grangetown Council School; joined the Navy, 11 Aug. 1908, and was lost in the North Sea when H.M.S. Cressy was torpedoed, 22 Sept. 1914; unm.

CROSLAND, JOHN HENRY, A B. (R.F.R., B. 1661), 205430, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

CROSLEY, CECIL, 2nd Lieut. and Acting Adjutant, 5th (Service) Battn. Royal Irish Fusiliers, formerly 5th Lancers, s. of John Mechi Crosley, of 5–6, Great Winchester Street, E.C., Stockbroker and member of the London Stock Exchange, by his wife, Mary May, dau. of E. Candler, of Bexhill; b. Purley, co. Surrey, 29 Oct. 1892; educ. Uppingham School, and then proceeded to the McGill University, Montreal, with the idea of taking up engineering. Abandoning this, he returned to England in 1913 and joined his father. He had joined the Reserve of Officers, 23 July, 1913, and on the outbreak of war was given a commission as 2nd Lieut. in the 5th Lancers, Aug. 1914 and trained with them at Dublin. Being anxious, however, to go to the Front, he transferred to the 5th Royal Irish Fusiliers in May, 1915, and went out to the Dardanelles with them. He took part in the historic landing at Suvla Bay, was appointed Acting Adjutant early in August, and was killed in action at Keretch Tepe on the 16th of that month; unm. Shortly before his death. Lieut.-Gen. B. Mahon wrote; “Your Commanding Officer and Brigade Commander have informed me that you have distinguished yourself by good conduct in the field. I have read their report with much pleasure and have forwarded it to higher authority for recognition;” and Capt. E. M. Ilwaine wrote to his father: “From the moment we landed (at Suvla Bay) under shrapnel fire I was struck by your son’s coolness. He volunteered to remain beside the barge in which we came ashore, organised a party and unloaded the ammunition and stores in it, although the Turkish gunners had got the range and were shelling it steadily. Whenever I saw him during the few rests we had I found him cheery and apparently quite happy in his work, and I noticed that he had quite obtained the confidence of the men of his platoon, who followed him willingly. Personally I soon learned to put absolute trust in his knowledge and judgment, and he took over the command of the company when I was wounded. Two of our officers who were wounded after I was, both made exactly the same remark to me while on the hospital ship, ‘Crosley is doing good work.’” And later (12 Feb. 1916) he wrote again; “I have received a letter from one of our officers—Bennett—who was near your son when he was killed. With the exception of Bennett all the officers present were wounded, went to hospital in Alexandria or Malta, and rejoined the regt. in Serbia direct from hospital. I quote Bennett’s letter. The occasion he refers to is the one mentioned in Sir Ian Hamilton’s despatch, when he says that the 5th Battn. held on to the ridge until only one officer was left, and then retired when ordered to do so from the rear. I might mention that Cecil was appointed Adjutant—after Kelly, the Adjutant, was hit—some days previously.” On Monday, 16 Aug., we advanced up a ridge overlooking the Bay of Saros. This ridge was Keritch Tepe Sert, and sloped down to the water’s edge. Our officers going into action were Johnson, Crosley, Bartley, Duggan, Fitzgerald, Blood, Figgis Kidd and myself. Kidd followed B Coy, with first half of D, and I followed with the remaining two platoons of D. I met Crosley when we got into position, and he instructed me to send D along to Kidd and take command of B, as both Duggan and Blood had been hit. B Coy. were lining a ridge and firing half left. The remainder were a little ahead and lining the ridge facing inland, also holding a small trench at right angles to the ridge and on the sea side of it. It was in this little trench that Crosley, Hartley, Sergt.-Major Mulligan and many others were killed. I was not actually in this place, but Fitzgerald and Kidd explained it clearly afterwards. Crosley, Hartley and Mulligan were all hit in the head. At about 8.30 p.m. we were instructed that we were to withdraw, and that two naval boats—which had helped us with their fire all day—would commence to shell the enemy at 8.45 p.m. The enemy were on a little knoll and entrenched about 20 or 15 yards in front of the trench we held. We withdrew in good order. Fitzgerald and Kidd were in the little trench all day, and, indeed, Fitzgerald got a bullet through his helmet at the same spot, for it was very closely sniped. Crosley was not up in this position for long, but was passing along the line and learning how matters stood. When I reached the position and was talking to Crosley two aeroplanes were overhead dropping bombs about, and he told us that the fumes from one bomb were all about him as he bandaged up Blood, who was hit in the shoulder. I chatted to him for a time, and he wanted me to take one of his famous automatic pistols, but as I had a rifle I refused. From where we were on to the ridge the ground sloped right to the sea, and this slope was covered with thick scrub, which scrub was fairly full of snipers, so we had a fire on both sides and plenty of shells. Crosley was, of course, very cheery, and his last word to me was ‘Keep down and don’t expose yourself. There are all sorts of things flying about here.’ I left him arranging about water and ammunition with Mulligan. I heard from Kelly, in Alexandria, something of how well Crosley had done, and from all he told me I am not surprised to see his name in the Despatch. He would seem to have merited that honour highly. This is the only first hand information I have been able to secure. If I obtain any more I shall forward it to you.” He was mentioned in Gen. Sir Ian Hamilton’s Despatch of 11 Dec. 1915 [London Gazette, 28 Jan. 1916]. At Montreal he was instrumental in introducing and organising Rugby rules for the University football matches and was prominent in boxing, winning the amateur middle-weight championship of Canada. On his return to England he became a member of the London Rowing Club, and represented that club in eights at Henley and other Regattas.

CROSS, DANIEL, Private, No. 81195, 2nd Battn. Canadian Expeditionary Force, s. of the late (—) Cross, and gdson. of Daniel Cross, of Harleston, co. Northants; b. Harleston, 9 July, 1894; educ. there; went to Canada in March, 1911, and settled at Killarney, Manitoba; joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force after the outbreak of war, and came over with the first contingent, going to the Western Front in April, 1915. He died on Active Service in No. 11 General Hospital, Boulogne, 25 Aug. 1915, of appendicitis. He was buried in the English cemetery there; unm.

CROSS, DAVID RONALD, M.C., Lieut. 16th (The Queen’s) Lancers, only s. of Adam Cross, of Brixworth Hall, co. Northampton, by his wife, Annie, dau. of David Guthrie; b. Midlothian, 18 Oct. 1889; educ. Marlborough and Christ Church, Oxford, at which latter he took his degree with honours. He was gazetted 2nd Lieut. 16 Lancers, 16 Aug. 1911, and promoted Lieut. 16 April, 1913. On the outbreak of war he went to France with his regt., was wounded in Oct., but after being in England for a few weeks rejoined, and was killed in action near Ypres, 21 Feb. 1915; unm. Lieut. Cross was twice mentioned in F.M. Sir John French’s Despatches [London Gazette, 20 Oct. 1914, and 17 Feb. 1915], and was awarded the Military Cross [London Gazette, 18 Feb. 1915]. He was a smart rider to hounds, and was well known in the Pytchley country. In 1914 he won his two regimental races at the Curragh, Lord Annaly’s Cup at the Pytchley point-to-point races, and at Punchestown the two military steeplechases in April.

CROSS, EDWIN, Officer’s Cook, 2nd Class, 141381, H.M.S. Hogue; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

CROSS, WILLIAM CHARLES, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 4853), S.S. 104223, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in action off Coronel, off the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.

CROSSIN, EDWARD, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 6960, H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.

CROUCH, JOHN WILLIAM, Ordinary Seaman (R.N.V.R.), 5/193 (Sussex), H.M.S. Hawke; lost when that ship was torpedoed in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.

CROUSAZ, CECIL FRANCIS, Lieut., 1st Battn. South Staffordshire Regt., yst. s. of William de Prelaz Crousaz, of 8, de Beauvoir Terrace, Guernsey, jurat of the Royal Court, Guernsey, by his wife Emma Arnold, dau. of John LeCappellain; b. Guernsey, 7 Dec. 1888; educ. Elizabeth College (Sandhurst entrance), Guernsey; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 1st Battn. South Staffordshire Regt. 6 Nov. 1909, and promoted Lieut. 28 March, 1912. He served with both the 1st and 2nd Battns. of his regt. in South Africa and Gibraltar, and was killed in action at Zonnebeke, near Ypres, 31 Oct. 1914. Buried at Hooge; unm. His commanding officer, Col. R. M. Ovens, wrote to his father: “Your boy was in command of our scouts and was a most valuable officer—energetic and keen, and a splendid disciplinarian. His exceptional strength and keenness made him a great asset to his regt. I last saw your boy leading his men forward near Gheluvelt Village, under a heavy fire, and encouraging them by voice and example. He was a brave and determined soldier.” He won the featherweight boxing championship at Aldershot in 1913.

CROWTHER, LESLIE TAYLOR, 2nd Lieut., 1/5th Battn. The Duke of Wellington’s West Riding Regt. (T.F.), 3rd s. of Norman Crowther, of Viso House, Huddersfield, by his wife, Gertrude, dau. of John Henry Sykes, of Huddersfield, J.P.; b. Viso House, Huddersfield, 27 Sept. 1892; educ. Wild’s, Huddersfield, and after leaving school taught there for a time, and after his death his master wrote: “Leslie was such a splendid boy, so vigorous and cheerful, so conscientious and reliable, and it must have been so constant a joy to you both to see how by his own steady efforts he was making his way to a good position in life, and winning the respect of all with whom he had to deal.” He had joined the 1/5th (Territorial) Battn. of the West Riding Regt. in 1909, and volunteering for Imperial service after the outbreak of the war, was gazetted 2nd Lieut. in the same, 21 Oct. 1914. He went to France with his regt., and was killed in action at Fleurbaix, 15 June, 1915, during a reconnaissance. His company officer, Lieut.-Col. Wilson, wrote: “When I recommended your son for a commission I felt certain I was doing the right thing, and I am pleased to say he has turned out a thoroughly efficient officer and keen soldier. The N.C.Os. and men in his platoon had become very much attached to him, and would follow him anywhere. Our loss is also very great. Every officer in the battn. admired and loved him.... He was always keen to go patrolling, and did his work well” and the following particulars were given by Lieut. A. B. Stott, who writing 16 June said: “Yesterday afternoon a reconnaissance was decided on. The party was to consist of Capt. Wheatley, Lieut. Leslie Liddell, and two men. During the evening Capt. Wheatley’s foot went very sore, so I took his place. Just before we left Leslie asked to be included in the party.... We got about 120 yards out from our trench quite easily. As the grass was very dry I then decided to go on alone with a man for about 40 yards more. I left Leslie and Liddell to guard our left flank. We were just about to return to them when we heard revolver shots, and a German patrol in full flight. Unfortunately. this was not the only patrol out, and another German patrol threw a bomb which gave Leslie his death wound. There was naturally some trouble to get him back to the lines, but he was carried in by a stretcher party, covered by a strong party of men, but he was dead before the lines were reached. The Doctor said that nothing could have saved him, and that he must have been unconscious almost from the first. He was buried the same day in the corner of a field, a quarter of a mile behind the firing line, where the officers and men of the 5th and 7th Duke’s have been buried, and lies near to his old school friend, 2nd Lieut. L. M. Tetlow. Ten officers and 20 men of his own company attended to the simple ceremony which marks these occasions, together with a number of men of his old A Coy., and Col. Wilson officiated at the service.... As my sub. in old C Coy., and as a platoon commander in D Coy., he has always been a splendid and devoted officer.” The D.C.M. was afterwards conferred on Sergt. Convoy for this act, he being in charge of the stretcher bearers.

CROXSON, HENRY THOMAS, 1st Class Ship’s Corpl., No. 350161, H.M.S. Formidable, s. of the late Jonathan Croxson, of Ipswich; b. Ipswich, 31 Dec. 1869; educ. there; entered the Navy, 31 July, 1888, and was lost on H.M.S. Formidable, 1 Jan. 1915. He received the Long Service and Good Conduct medal, 27 Nov. 1903. He m. at St. Matthew’s Church, Ipswich, 26 Oct. 1896, Mary Ann (156, Cauldwell Hall Road, Ipswich), dau. of John Hindle, of Ipswich, and had one dau.: Ethel May, b. 23 Feb. 1898.

CROZIER, JAMES CYRIL BAPTIST, 2nd Lieut., 2nd Battn. Royal Munster Fusiliers, only s. of the late Rev. Henry Wilcocks Crozier, Vicar of St. Matthew’s, Stockport, M.A. (T.C.D.), by his wife, Susan Sinclair, dau. of James Spence, J.P., Birkenhead, and gdson. of the Rev. Baptist Barton Crozier, of Rockview House, Ballyhaise, co. Cavan, B.A.; b. Bowden, co. Chester, 24 Oct. 1890; educ. Loretto School, Edinburgh, leaving there for Edinburgh University, where he studied medicine for two years. He was gazetted to the 3rd Royal Scots (Special Reserve), 10 July, 1912, from which regt. he was transferred to the 2nd Battn. Royal Munster Fusiliers, 10 June, 1914, and was killed in action during the retreat from Mons, near Etreux, 27 Aug. 1914; unm. In a letter to Archbishop Crozier, Primate of All Ireland, Capt. H. S. Jervis (a prisoner in Germany) described in detail the trying day through which the regt. passed on 27 Aug., being eventually cut off from the main body, and proceeded: “B Coy. extended at once, and an attack on the enemy’s position commenced. Your nephew was on the left—or east—of the attacking company, and was very much to the fore; a part of A Coy. extended the line eastwards, continued by my men (D Coy.) The enemy was holding a railway cutting in front of us, so D Coy. tried to rush this, the remainder of the men in that part of the field helping with rifle fire. Owing to lack of cover all my men in this part of the field save two were shot down before the hedge was reached, and the attempt failed. Crozier pushed on ahead of his men, clambered out of a hollow lane which he had just reached, and recklessly exposing himself in the open, shouted out, ‘There they are; come on, men,’ at the same time pointing out the enemy. As he ceased speaking he fell, killed instantaneously by a bullet through the body. It was noticed that he never moved once he fell. It is, therefore, a sad consolation to know that his death was painless, and he died with words on his lips which any of his brother officers would have been proud to be their last also.”

CROZIER, WILLIAM KERR, L.-Corpl., No. 9576, Machine Gun Section 2nd. Battn. Royal Scots, eldest s. of the late Walter Wright Crozier, by his wife, Robina (13, Tolbooth Wynd, Leith), dau. of the late William Kerr, of Leith; b. Portobello, 22 March, 1887; educ. Couper Street School there; enlisted 1905; served three years with the Colours, then passed into the Reserve, and worked as a Plaiter’s Labourer; rejoined on mobilisation 4 Aug. 1914; went to France Sept. 1914, and was killed in action at Loos, 25 Sept. 1915; unm. Sergt. C. Hiles wrote: “When we charged the Germans he was in charge of a machine gun team. His gun was put out of action and poor Will came back to me for another gun. He had to cover over 600 yards of ground beaten by murderous shell and rifle fire, for this act he has been recommended for the D.C.M. After getting his gun he went back to the trenches we had captured from the Germans. Just as he was about to enter the trenches he got wounded. He got his gun in action, and when he was found he was beside my gun. He was a good soldier and a very promising non-commissioned officer, and had he lived he would probably have been promoted.”

CRUIKSHANKS, ALEXANDER, Stoker, 1st Class, K. 12869, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

CRUISE, PETER, Stoker, 1st Class, S.S. 111533 (Ports.), H.M.S. Aboukir; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.

CULLINAN, ROBERT HORNIDGE, B.A., Barrister-at-Law, Capt., 7th Battn. Royal Munster Fusiliers, 2nd surviving s. of John Cullinan, of 6, Bindon Street, Ennis, Solicitor, by his wife, Martha Frances, dau. of the Rev. Francis Faris, Rector of Dovena, co. Wicklow; b. Ennis, co. Clare, 9 Aug. 1881; educ. Tipperary Grammar School, and having obtained Senior Erasmus Smith Exhibition, entered Trinity College, Dublin, in Oct. 1899. Here he gained numerous honours and prizes in History and Political Science and Logic, and obtained on leaving a Senior Moderatorship with gold medal for History and Political Science. He was called to the Irish Bar in Trinity Term, 1904, and was a member of the Munster Circuit. On the outbreak of war he offered his services and secured a commission in Sept., being gazetted Lieut. to the 7th Munsters, 18 Nov. 1914, and as Tempy. (afterwards confirmed) Capt. 27 Feb. He was killed in action after the landing at Suvla Bay, 8 Aug. 1915; unm. Major Drage, commanding C Coy., wrote: “Capt. Cullinan, C Coy., with D on its left, and the 6th Munsters on the right of it, had to advance early on Saturday afternoon along, below and parallel to a high ridge, on which were many skilful Turkish snipers. Your son, on the 7th, commanded the first line of C Coy., and went on leading his men under heavy fire most determinedly and gallantly, till he got to an open patch, where he was struck down, mortally wounded. 2nd Lieut. Bennett bravely went to his side, to find Capt. Cullinan riddled with five or six bullets and dead.” And Major Hendricks: “I was in the firing line with him not half an hour before he was shot. We were in a thunder storm together and were wet to the skin. Suddenly I received an order to reinforce our other battn. on a flank, and sent Major Drage’s company, to which your son belonged, to carry out the duty. Your son died, as he had lived, a noble hero, never thinking for one moment of himself, telling the men to go on and leave him. He was then shot through the head. His death was practically instantaneous. After the 12 months I have known your son, I must say I looked on him as a dear pal, and one of the best officers in the regt. He had endeared himself to one and all.” At Dublin University he was a member of the Rugby football club, and played for the first fifteen for three years, obtaining his colours in the year 1900–1, and was also record secretary of the University Historical Debating Society.