Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The second of five children, Bob was born in Carbine WA in 1914 to James (Jim) Miller Crawford (1881 at Durham Lead, Victoria) and Mary (May) Ann Beaton (b1881 in Ballarat, Victoria). Jim (a Gold Miner and Mine Owner) and May married in 1912 in Coolgardie WA. Jim had arrived in the WA Goldfields with his father in 1895 - having travelled by boat to Albany, WA then train to the end of the line at Southern Cross, they made it to Coolgardie on foot, pushing a barrow. Jim was a Mail Contractor, Hotel proprietor, Shopkeeper, Farmer and Grazier, Miner and owner of Carbine Gold Mine.

Bob was educated at home in Carbine with a governess, and started working when he was fourteen years of age - Labouring at the Carbine Gold Mine, then cutting and carting bush timber to fuel the mine boilers, and in the 1930s he was gold prospecting briefly. Bob was involved in community activities and played cricket for the Ora Banda and Carbine Cricket Clubs. He became more involved with managing Carbine Station, and in 1937 married Grace Lorraine Brearley (b1915 at Ora Banda nr Kalgoorlie WA), and Grace joined Bob mustering on horseback on Carbine Station. Bob was helping his father unload beer barrels at the Premier Hotel in Kunanalling - which Jim had purchased in the late 1930s - when Jim suffered a heart attack and died.

In May 1942 Bob enlisted in the ACMF (Private; Service No:W72815) and served with 8 Battalion VDC until Demobilistation in 1945.

Bob and Grace sold Carbine Station in 1970 and retired to Cottesloe in Fremantle WA. Bob died in 1998 and Grace in 2008.