Gordon Caldecott Posted 1 April , 2004 Share Posted 1 April , 2004 65323 Sapper Edward George Crowther 128 Coy RE. Killed in action aged 19 on Saturday 27th Novemeber 1915, in Wine Ave, France. Born in Kingston upon Thames. If anyone is at all interested, I have be lucky enough to research this soldiers full military service, and would be more that happy to share this information with anyone who has an interest in the RE during the Great War. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 9 January , 2005 Author Share Posted 9 January , 2005 Part One. Sapper Edward George Crowter Royal Engineers The seeds for this article were sown, one Sunday morning in January 2001 at a car boot sale at Farnborough. I have like the rest of us, been fascinated by the Great War, so, as my wife and I looked over the seemingly endless stalls of tat and junk, it caught my eye…… A large framed portrait of a soldier in uniform, instantly I knew it was from the Great War period, a closer inspection of the stall revealed a beautifully framed Memorial Scroll. The frame is one of gold leaf. I asked the seller what the story was with these two items, and he informed me that a friend of his had rescued they both from a skip!!! I bought these items for what I think you’ll agree is a very reasonable price of £40. Over the next few months I began to piece together the story of Sapper Edward George Crowter. 65323 Sapper Edward George Crowter 128 Field Company Royal Engineers, killed in action 27th November 1915. Son of Edward Evelyn Crowter and Lilly Eliza Crowter, he had a young brother Wilfred. All of whom lived at 78 Deacon Road, Kingston Upon Thames. Edward stood at 5` 8.5” tall and weighed 139ibs with a good physical condition. Brown hair and brown eyes. His occupation is given as painter. He joined the Royal Engineers in London on the 25th January 1915, on the 30th Jan he was posted to 128 Fd Coy, and trained at Chatham. On the 28th August 1915, he embarked for France. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 9 January , 2005 Author Share Posted 9 January , 2005 78 Deacon Road, Kingston Upon Thames. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen Nulty Posted 10 January , 2005 Share Posted 10 January , 2005 Here's your man on the 1901 census. Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big jar of wasps Posted 21 April , 2005 Share Posted 21 April , 2005 Edward George Crowter Edward George Crowter, was born at 2 Lowther Road `Holm Lea`, Kingston Upon Thames, Surrey on the 11th May 1896. The son of Edward Evelyn Crowter and Lilly Eliza Crowter (nee Crumpter), he had a younger brother Wilfred C Crowter. He was educated at Richmond Road School. For many years was a member of The Church of the Good Sheppard Choir, and was well known in St Luke’s Parish. He was also one of the original members of Kingston United Football Club, playing in defence. Having left school he worked as a sign painter in Kingston. At some point the moved with his parents and brother to 78 Deacon Road, Kingston, (just round the corner from Lowther Road. On the 25th January 1915 aged 18 years and 9 months he joined the army, at Lochabur Street London. He enlisted in the Royal Engineers and given the Regimental number 65323. His service papers give the following details. Height 5` 8.5”, weight 139Lbs, chest 34”. With good physical development, brown hair and brown eyes. His vision was 6/6 in both eyes. On the 2nd February he began his training at the Army School of Engineering, Chatham, Kent. Further training at Rye, Bordon Camp, Henley Upon Thames, his employment was as a painter. On the 27th August 1915, he embarked with 128 Field Company Royal Engineers (23rd Div) for France, from Southampton. Arriving on the 28th, at Le Havre. The Division concentrated in the Tilques area near St Omer. On the 7th Sept, they moved to Bailleul. The next day saw the Coy employed in trench construction. On the 14th Sept they moved to Rue Marle near Armitieres. The unit war diary gives the following account, for the 23rd November 1915. Enemy very quiet, his artillery action was confined to the occasional bombardments. Weather bitterly cold. 27th November Unit employed in front line underpinning front parapet. One Sapper killed and one wounded. Edward being killed and a Sapper called Brett, being wounded. Edward was killed in Wine Ave, a communication trench leading to the front line. I have not been able to ascertain his exact cause of death, but feel sure that it was either a shell that killed him, and wounded Brett, or maybe a sniper. As the next trench along, which runs parallel with Wine Ave (Wellington Ave), saw a Sapper called King being killed by a sniper. Edward is buried in X Farm Cemetery, Armitieres. Which is very close to were Wine Ave would have been. One of Edward’s Officers had the following to say about him, when writing to his parents. “I had only just taken command of this section, but at once recognised Edward’s good soldiering qualities”. Edward served just 307 days in the army and only 91 in France. He is commerated on the Kingston Cenotaph and in St Luke’s Church, just round the corner from his home, on Deacon road. This is but a very brief summary of all the research I have done on Edward, there’s nearly enough for a short book on him. His life and military service, etc. I have no idea of what happened to Edward’s medals or personnel effects, which where sent home to his parents. But I don know the location of his Memorial Plaque and a large framed portrait of him, both of which were rescued from a SKIP!!! I just hope that his medals didn’t meet a similar fate!! I think you’ll agree, the saving of these two items is a happy ending to a sad story. His picture and scroll, now hang on a wall in my home. I never knew Edward or his family, but feel they would be happy in the fact that his sacrifice has not been forgotten, and someone cares, even after all these years!! I put forward Edward’s name be read out on the anniversary of his death, at the services which were carried out everyday in 2001 at the Menin Gate, Belgium, and am pleased to say that my wish was carried out by the Last Post Committee Association, on the 27th November, 86 years after his Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
big jar of wasps Posted 21 April , 2005 Share Posted 21 April , 2005 ....death. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leppings Posted 12 July , 2005 Share Posted 12 July , 2005 Should be visiting X-Farm cemetery in a month or two to visit my great Grandads resting place again. If you dont have any I would be more then happy to take a few pictures of Edward George Crowter's headstone for you?. Regards. Andrew In memory of Pvt William McGarrigle 20/1448 1st Tyneside Scottish KIA 09/03/1916 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 30 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 30 December , 2005 Hi Lepping, did you ever get to X Farm? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spike10764 Posted 30 December , 2005 Share Posted 30 December , 2005 Sorry guys, I can see none of the images other than Big jar of wasps 2nd one with the medal on it The others look like this Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 31 December , 2005 Author Share Posted 31 December , 2005 Hi Spike, yes I see what you mean, don`t know whats happened there. I`ve also got a picture of him, but for some reason, the site won`t let me post it? Very strange?? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 16 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 16 October , 2006 A picture of Edward...... I have no idea of what happened to Edward’s medals or personnel effects, which where sent home to his parents. But I do know the location of his Memorial scroll and a large framed portrait of him, both of which were rescued from a SKIP!!! I just hope that his medals didn’t meet a similar fate!! I think you’ll agree, the saving of these two items is a happy ending to a sad story. His picture and scroll, now hang on a wall in my home. I never knew Edward or his family, but feel they would be happy in the fact that his sacrifice has not been forgotten, and someone cares, even after all these years!! I put forward Edward’s name be read out on the anniversary of his death, at the services which were carried out everyday in 2001 at the Menin Gate, Belgium, and am pleased to say that my wish was carried out by the Last Post Committee Association, on the 27th November, 86 years after his death. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Teamski Posted 16 October , 2006 Share Posted 16 October , 2006 It's neat to remember those you don't know. I think about the two guys I have the medals of who didn't make it through the war. Those medals are a memorial in their own right. I display them with a short bio of the members themselves at local shows. Seeing people read about them gives me a real sense of satisfaction in that they are being thought of well after they are gone.... -Ski Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 17 October , 2006 Author Share Posted 17 October , 2006 Hi Ski, Glad you found my thread of interest. Gordon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SilverSoldier Posted 18 October , 2006 Share Posted 18 October , 2006 Gordon. Well done for spotting those two items in connection with 65323 Sapper Edward George Crother 128 Coy RE, and retrieving them. Very interesting story on him too. Remembered with Honour. RIP. I have an interest in the RE. My wife's Grandfather 328998 Frederick George Bloom RE. Inland Waterways and Docks was casevac from France/Flanders a couple of months before the end of WW1, to a Military Hospital in Shoreham, Sussex suffering severe trauma/Shell Shock. Transferred to the Brentwood Mental Asylum one month later, where he subsequently died. I know very little else of him unfortunately. Have his MIC, very little on it and his Death Certificate. Terry W. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian turner Posted 18 October , 2006 Share Posted 18 October , 2006 Gordon, Thanks for this topic. Quite close to home for me, as my paternal grandfather was a sapper in the RE - joined Nov 1915 at Wimbledon, not a million miles away from Kingston. He survived, albeit with a pensionable disability from the effects of Trench Fever. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gordon Caldecott Posted 5 December , 2007 Author Share Posted 5 December , 2007 Hi Guys, glad you enjoyed my thread. I`m sure you`ll join me in my joy that his medals have in fact turned up as well!!! Gordon. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrfish Posted 20 January , 2008 Share Posted 20 January , 2008 I'm sure that as a happy ending to this thread you'll all be pleased to hear that as of yesterday, Edward's medals and the photo & scroll have been reunited. I'm thrilled to let you know that Gordon now has Edward George Crowter's medals as well as the picture and scroll he got from the car boot sale. Together again after Lord knows how long. Now if we can only find his Plaque... mr fish ><((((*> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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