Jump to content
Free downloads from TNA ×
The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

2/Lt Hugh Cruttwell, RGA, kia 12/10/1917


rugbyremembers

Recommended Posts

2/Lt Hugh Lockwood Cruttwell of Royal Garrison Artillery, 118th Siege Battery.

Died at Ypres, buried at the Huts Cemetery Dikkebus acc to CWGC

Address is club records given as 75 Charlwood St, SW

Am ny more information on man, unit action life before teh war.

36 when he died. So school, uni, career info sought.

Many thanks, Forumistas

Link to comment
Share on other sites

mention in the war diary on the Long Trail as being from Norwich (but his birth in Q4 1881 is registered in Chepstow registration district)

http://www.1914-1918.net/Diaries/wardiary-118siege.htm

MIC indicates he was originally a Gunner. Commissioned 22nd April 1917.

Widow c/o S Waterhouse Esq, Woodside, Sutton on Hull, E Yorkshire

H L Cruttwell appears on the war memorial at Leatherhead St John's School

http://www.leatherheadweb.org.uk/warmemorials/stj_1419_2.htm

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2nd Lieut Hugh Lockwood Cruttwell, RFA

Educated at Denstone College from May 1895 to 1900 (Heywood Scholar, Prefect 1899, House Captain, 1899).

Employed as Engineer in London and afterwards in India

2nd Lieut., RGA, 22 April 1917

Recommended for the Military Cross

Killed by a shell at Lillebeke on 12 Oct 1917 while serving with 188th Siege Battery, RGA

"A few days later our infantry launched another attack. We were enfiladed all morning by a gun from the south; but no serious casualties until 9:30 a.m., when a shell dropped behind Number 1 gun, wounding Lieut. Hanson and six of the gun detachment. Lieut. Cruttwell, who was at the rear billets, was immediately 'phoned for, and came up with a gun detachment which had only gone off duty at Zillebeke on the previous day. The came up so speedily that they were in time to assist in getting the wounded safely down the line, when Mr. Cruttwell took Mr. Hanson's place as Section Commander. He had only fired two rounds when a hostile shell dropped right on top of the Section Commanders post. Mr. Cruttwell was killed outright, five gunners seriously wounded and a signaller buried."

Sources: Denstone College Register 1873-1930; Occasional Gunfire: Private War Diary of a Siege Gunner.

Regards, Dick Flory

Link to comment
Share on other sites

his sister married in 1918 and the parents appear to have moved to Cheshire.

http://www.flightglobal.com/pdfarchive/vie...20-%200268.html

one of his brothers, Victor Arthur Cruttwell, is at Denstone on the 1901 census. 2nd Lt, Cheshire Reg as at 26th Dec 1914.

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/306...upplements/5717

I believe another brother was Lt Commander Cecil G Cruttwell

http://www.gazettes-online.co.uk/issues/32.../10413/page.pdf

http://www.london-gazette.co.uk/issues/32894/pages/51

whose son was a civilian casualty in WW2

http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...asualty=3144784

In the 1901 census, Hugh is a Civil Engineer visiting a family called Pullen in Lewisham, London. He's name is misspelt as Hugh L Crutteshall

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Johnny

This is awesome stuff. Many thanks indeed.

Stephen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

the father's full name was Clement Alfred William Cruttwell. Mother was Loiusa Harriet Northey Cruttwell. According to the Oxford Alumni directory Clement was the second son of Charles James Cruttwell of London. BA in 1871, MA in 1875. Elder brother also went to Oxford and he too became a vicar - Charles Thomas Cruttwell, BA 1871, MA 1873. Rector of Denton, Norfolk.

Can't help but think that there's a link to Hugh Percival Cruttwell (1918-2002), the director of RADA and husband of the actress Geraldine McEwan of Miss Marple fame. Possibly this Hugh named after the Hugh you're looking for?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If HPC born in 1918, suspect that he is offspring of one of his two brothers, Victor or Cecil, and indeed named in honour of their dead brother.

best wishes and many thanks

Stephen

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
the father's full name was Clement Alfred William Cruttwell. Mother was Loiusa Harriet Northey Cruttwell. According to the Oxford Alumni directory Clement was the second son of Charles James Cruttwell of London. BA in 1871, MA in 1875. Elder brother also went to Oxford and he too became a vicar - Charles Thomas Cruttwell, BA 1871, MA 1873. Rector of Denton, Norfolk.

Can't help but think that there's a link to Hugh Percival Cruttwell (1918-2002), the director of RADA and husband of the actress Geraldine McEwan of Miss Marple fame. Possibly this Hugh named after the Hugh you're looking for?

This from the Guardian obit of 2002. I note he too was a rugby player

Grandfather's vicarage in Woodchurch seems to correspond to HLC parents move to Cheshire, but to be checked. Simgapore birth bears investigation and father in insurance rather than army...

When Hugh (Percival) Cruttwell was born, in Singapore just as the first world war was ending, it must have seemed more likely that he was destined for the church than the theatre. His father worked for an insurance company, but both his grandfathers were vicars, and one relative on his mother's side had risen to be Bishop of Adelaide.

He spent his early childhood in Shanghai, with his two older brothers and younger sister, before being sent to King's School, Bruton, at the age of eight, returning in school holidays to his grandfather's vicarage in Woodchurch, outside Liverpool, where his mother settled. At school - to the surprise of anyone who knew him in his later years - his command on the rugby field earned him the nickname "killer Crutt-well".

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 years later...

This thread is very good and has been very helpful to me. I am researching the biographies of all the people recorded on the Grange Hill War Memorial in West Kirby, Wirral. Hugh is on that memorial and also on the Frankby parish memorial, where his father was vicar. In addition to your above information, I have two articles from the "Birkenhead News" about Hugh. I am just writing up his biography and will publish it on my blog entitled "An Imperishable Record". You should be able to see all the details thereon by the end of today. I will acknowledge you fellows on the site. Thanks very much.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Stephen

The war diary for 118th Siege Battery states:

'An attack was launched by us at 5.25am + was successful. The gun in new position was got ready for action. About 10am after the attack the two guns at Zillebeke were shelled by the enemy + Lieutenant Cruttwell was killed and Lieut Hanson wounded. 9 OR were also wounded at the same time.'

I hope this is of assistance.

Kind regards

Colin

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From Denstone College's WW1 memorial.

DSC06917.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 4 years later...

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...