Cpl 21462 David Wallace Crawford

• Age: 29
• From: Kirkdale, Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 19th Btn
• K.I.A Sunday 30th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

David Wallace Crawford was born in Liverpool on the 04th April 1887 the youngest child of David and Elizabeth Mary Crawford (nee Douglas). David senior had been born in Monkton, Ayrshire, Scotland and Elizabeth in Holyhead, Anglesey. They were married on the 19th March 1872 in St Marys Church, Walton. He had older siblings Mary Douglas b.1873, John Forster born in 1875, Margaret Speirs born in 1879 and sister Eleanor Douglas born in 1881. David was baptised in St. Aidan's Church, Kirkdale, on 11th May 1887, his parents then living at 40 Great Mersey Street, and his father's occupation given as brass founder. 

At the time of the 1891 Census the family were living at 40 Great Mersey Street, Kirkdale, Liverpool, with five children in the household. David senior was aged 46, a marine engineer, mother Elizabeth was aged 44. The family also had a general servant called Ann Jones who was born in Holyhead, Anglesey. Children Mary D. aged 18, John F. 16, Margaret S. 12. Eleanor D. 8, and David junior was 4 years old.   

His parents celebrated their silver wedding anniversary in March 1897, with a large event attended by many friends, and his father's colleagues and employees. David senior was owner of an engineering company, David Crawfod & Co., whose Washington Foundry was in Fulton Street (near the Bramley Moore dock).   

David senior died on the 2nd August 1897 at the age of 53, when David was 10 years old. His funeral was reported in the Liverpool newspapers, describing him as "one of the best-known and highly respected engineers in Liverpool". 

Probate 1898:- 

CRAWFORD David of Great George Road, Waterloo Lancashire engineer died 2 August 1897 probate Liverpool 9 February to Elizabeth Mary Crawford widow, William Matthew Douglas blacksmith and Hugh Douglas bookkeeper. Effects £11,218 16s 3d.  Resworn July 1898 £11,136 17s 3d. 

His funeral was reported in the Liverpool Mercury on Friday 06 August 1897: 

FUNERAL OF MR. DAVID CRAWFORD. - Yesterday afternoon the remains of the late Mr. David Crawford, who died at his residence, Palmyra, Waterloo, in the 54th year of his age, after a short illness, were interred at Anfield Cemetery. The deceased was head of the firm of Messrs. David Crawford and Co., Washington Foundry, and was well known and greatly respected in shipping and engineering circles. Upwards of 200 employes of deceased's firm joined the cortege at Stanley Park, and preceded the hearse to the cemetery gates where a large and re- presentative gathering of persons was waiting. The mourners were Messrs. D. Wallace Crawford (son), J.R. Dent Lynn (son-in-law), John and James Crawford (brothers), John and William Douglas (brothers-in-law), Alexander and Hugh Boyle (cousins), Robert Crawford, Hugh Douglas, Robert Woodburn, Walter Crawford and William Crawford (nephews). 

A token of respect was shown by all the engineering firms along the line of docks and in Bootle having their flags at half-mast. The floral tributes were very numerous, and were sent by deceased's office staff and foremen, also the workmen and apprentices, White Star Company, &c. The funeral arrangements were carried out by John Waugh and Sons, Liverpool. 

David was an engineering student, he’d started his seven year apprenticeship in 1907 with his brother in law John Robert Dent Lynn. John was an engineer and manufacturer of steam winches in Sunderland.

On the 17th July 1900 David's sister Margaret Spiers Crawford married George Fleming who was the scorer of Everton F.C.'s first ever league goals in 1888.  

The 1911 Census shows the family living at "Palmyra" 38 Great Georges Road in Waterloo. His mother Elizabeth Mary is a widow aged 64, born 1847 in Holyhead, Anglesey. She has her daughter Eleanor Douglas aged 29, born in Kirkdale in 1882 with no occupation listed and son David aged 23, born 1888 an engineering student.  

David enlisted on the 04th September 1914 at Liverpool, joining the 19th Battalion of The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private 21462 and gave his age as 27 years and 153 days and his occupation as a student. He was described as being five feet seven and three quarter inches tall, weighed 143lbs, 39” chest, fresh complexion, grey eyes, brown hair and gave his religion Church of England, and NOK his mother Elizabeth, 38 Great Georges Road, Waterloo. He had completed a 7 year apprenticeship in 1907 with J. Lynn, Sunderland.  

Formed on 7^th September 1914 the 19^th Battalion trained locally at Sefton Park and remained living at home or in rented accommodation until November 1914. They then moved to the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 19th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. He was appointed Lance Corporal in May 1915 whilst at Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain. David was promoted to Corporal in October 1915. He arrived in France on 7^th November 1915. 

His mother died on the 19th April 1916, aged 70, while David was in France and was buried on 22nd April. David was granted leave to the U.K. from 05th to 17th May 1916, and so saw his siblings before he was killed. 

Probate 1916:-  

CRAWFORD Elizabeth Mary of Palmyra, Great George's Road, Waterloo Lancashire widow died 19 April 1916 probate Liverpool 27 May to John Forcer Crawford, David Wallace Crawford and John Robert Dent Lynn engineers. Effects £6,527 3s 2d. 

He had reached the rank of Corporal when he was killed in action on the 30^th July 1916, aged 29, at the village of Guillemont, France, during the Somme Offensive. He was still being reported as injured by the 05th August but then confirmed on 04th September as being killed in action on the 30th July 1916.

19^th Battalion Diary 30^th July 1916

MALTZ HORN FARM

BATTLE begun. ZERO hour 4:45 am. The Battalion reached its objective, but suffered heavy losses, and had to evacuate its position owing to no reinforcements.

Everard Wyrall gives details of the attack in his book The History of The King’s Regiment; 

"The 2nd Attack on Guillemont- 29th July 1916 the 89th Brigade the 20th King's were to attack on the right and the 19th on the left. During the evening of the 29th the night was dark and foggy when the Battalions moved off and the 19th with Lt Col G Rollo commanding, when passing the South east of the Briqueterie they were heavily shelled first with H E and then with a new kind of asphyxiating Gas shell which had curious results, at first it had no nasty effect but about 8 hrs later men began to fall sick with violent headaches and pains in the stomach. All ranks had to wear gas masks which in the darkness and mist made the going terribly difficult. It was indeed wonderful that they were able to reach their Assembly point at all. But they did and by 2.45 a.m. on the 30th July 1916 the Btn was assembled having suffered about 30 Casualties on the way up ready for the Zero hour at 4.45 a.m.

It is known that the two left Companies of the 19th under Capt. Dodd and Capt. Nicholson advanced in touch with the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers on their left although they suffered many casualties from Machine gun Fire did not encounter many Germans and reached their final objective about the time allocated, beginning at once to dig in south of the orchard on the South east corner of Guillemont.  

On the left of the 19th the Scots Fusiliers most gallantly forced their way through Guillemont to the eastern side of the village but were soon overwhelmed by the enemy and few returned. 

At 8 a.m. finding that the village was not held the two left Companies of the 19th received no word from the rear or either flank believed themselves to be totally isolated so were forced to fall back and dig in, their position being untenable.

At midday the effective fighting strength of the 19th Btn was just 7 Officers and 43 other ranks" 

When darkness fell on the battlefield the 30^th Division held a line from the railway on the eastern side of Trones Wood , southwards and including Arrow Head Copse, to east of Maltz Horn Farm. On this line the division was relieved by the 55^th Division during the early hours of the 31^st July.

Casualties in the 19^th Battalion were 11 Officers and 435 Other Ranks 

The events of 30^th July 1916 were regarded at the time as Liverpool’s blackest day. There follows an extract from The History of the 89^th Brigade written by Brigadier General Ferdinand Stanley which gives an indication of the events of the day.

Guillemont

Well the hour to advance came, and of all bad luck in the world it was a thick fog; so thick that you couldn’t see more than about ten yards. It was next to impossible to delay the attack – it was much too big an operation- so forward they had to go. It will give some idea when I say that on one flank we had to go 1,750 yards over big rolling country. Everyone knows what it is like to cross enclosed country which you know really well in a fog and how easy it is to lose your way. Therefore, imagine these rolling hills, with no landmarks and absolutely unknown to anyone. Is it surprising that people lost their way and lost touch with those next to them? As a matter of fact, it was wonderful the way in which many men found their way right to the place we wanted to get to. But as a connected attack it was impossible.

The fog was intense it was practically impossible to keep direction and parties got split up. Owing to the heavy shelling all the Bosches had left their main trenches and were lying out in the open with snipers and machine guns in shell holes, so of course our fellows were the most easy prey.

It is so awfully sad now going about and finding so many splendid fellows gone. 

During the period where David was declared as Missing, records show that between 11th August and 3rd September they sent at least ten telegrams asking for news of their missing son David. These telegrams were asking for his whereabouts, which hospital he was in, any news at all. His distraught sister Eleanor anxious that the Army are communicating at the correct address for her, wrote a letter to the Officer in Charge. She wrote

“(I am) desperate for news of my brother for whom I would do anything on earth and the suspense is cruel. Is there anything or anywhere I can apply for news”

An enquiry was made to the International Red Cross in Geneva through the Swiss Consul, M. George G. Weiss, 29 Marine Crescent, Waterloo. A reply was sent on 29th September 1916 stating that they held no information on David.

His death was announced in the Liverpool Echo on 18th September 1916:

"July 30, killed in action aged 29 years, Corporal David Wallace Crawford, K.L.R., younger son of the late David Crawford, of "Palmyra", Great George's Road, Waterloo. - 15, Grosvenor Avenue, Great Crosby [Eleanor's address]."

David's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial in France.

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916. 

On 01^st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

He earned his three medals, which Eleanor signed for.

She received his outstanding Army pay and a War Gratuity of £9-10s. No pension card has been found, indicating that David had no dependents.

Probate records show:

David Wallace Crawford of Palmyra, Great Georges Road, Waterloo, near Liverpool corporal 19th battalion King's Liverpool Regiment died 30 July 1916in France. Probate Liverpool 16 June to Eleanor Douglas Crawford spinster. Effects £3864.18s. 1d.  

David is also commemorated on the following Memorials:

Waterloo and Seaforth Civic Memorial

Hall of Remembrance, Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 10 left. 

University of Liverpool, Victoria Hall

And on the family gravestone in Anfield Cemetery -

                            ALSO OF
                     DAVID WALLACE
                   YOUNGER SON OF
  DAVID & ELIZABETH MARY CRAWFORD
                    KILLED IN ACTION
             AT GUILLEMONT, FRANCE
      JULY 30TH 1916, AGED 29 YEARS
       "GREATER LOVE HATH NO MAN
          THAN THIS, THAT A MAN LAY
    DOWN HIS LIFE FOR HIS FRIENDS"

We currently have no further information on David Wallace Crawford, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.