Virtual
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Australia

Farmer Benjamin Richard, and Annie Millicent Fullarton Crabb had a large family of eleven children, eight sons and three daughters. Benjamin spent his early days at Bendleby, north of Orroroo. He also had worked as a drover and in the Wallaroo mines. At one stage, in the company of six others, he set out to make his fortune finding gold at Coolgardie. However, with the death of three of these friends from lack of water and poor food, Benjamin returned home and without any gold. He was also renown as an outstanding colt breaker and rough rider, as well as being knowledgeable in veterinary care. Following his marriage to Annie, he purchased land in the Rudall area, farming there until 1942.
Annie was the only daughter in the Fullarton family of Clare. Her father was a life-long employee from the early days as a compositor at the 'Northern Argus' newspaper office. Her grandfather, John E. Maynard, was the first pioneer to come to Clare and live on the Inchiquin Flats in 1842.
Howard Aubury Fullarton was the second son born on June 1st 1898 at Luton, near the mid-north town of Clare. His older brother, and the first son was John (Jack) Fullarton, born in 1896 at Bendlebury. Howard’s other siblings included Phillip Stapleton Fullarton, Selina Lavina, Arthur Frederick, Benjamin Richard, William Ernest, Roy Maxwell, Lucy May, Douglas Mervyn Keith and Rhonda Joyce.
Howard and the older children attended the Cleve and the Boore Plains School before he returned to work as a farm labourer.
Three of these young brothers enlisted to serve during the War to End All Wars, WWI. John, known as Jack and Howard enlisted at a similar time on July 21st, 1916, and were allocated consecutive numbers, Jack as 2400 and Howard as 2401. Howard, described as a slightly built young man, had just turned 18 and Jack was 19 years old. Their younger brother, Phillip enlisted days after his 19th birthday in September 1918 and was allocated to B Company. However, with the cessation of hostilities, he was discharged just prior to Christmas that year.
Following their training in camp, a well-attended farewell social was held in the Miltalie School in August 1916 for Howard and Jack. Numerous speeches were made, followed by songs, games and recitations. The two brothers embarked at Adelaide on the 28th August, aboard the HMAS Anchises. They eventually arrived at Plymouth on October 11th 1916, before attending a training camp at Codford. The following month, the brothers were officially allocated their service numbers, with older brother Jack being 2400 and Howard 2401. Soon after arriving in England Howard was hospitalised in February ’17.
From the quieter rural life back home, Howard soon found new, but costly activities, being heavily fined for gambling at Codford. The resultant 21days Field Punishment and hefty fine of 5 pounds 5 /- was a challenge as was the reality of a brutal war in conditions so foreign to him. He was hospitalised at Codford in April before proceeding to France. He was soon caught being absent without leave in August and apprehended at Trowbridge by the Military Police the following day, forfeiting a day’s pay and fined, plus being confined to barracks.
Howard was officially shipped to France, arriving on the 16th September 1917. Less than a month later, He sustained a gunshot wound to his right shoulder on the 12th October, being taken to Boulogne, Hospitalised and then sent back to England to recuperate. He was given two weeks of furlough in the lead-up to Christmas that year. However, his shoulder had not healed well and a bony growth was subsequently removed from his femur before his recovery time was spent at Sutton Veny.
His brother, Jack wrote home from France in October 1917 with that letter being shared through the local newspaper, the Eyre’s Peninsula Tribune in January the following year. As did many young men, Jack tried to make light of the conditions in which they were fighting.
“I will now take the pleasure of answering your welcome letters. Glad to hear you are all well and going strong. Well, we both came out of the last stunt O.K. I am beginning to get an old soldier, been in and out of the line quite a lot of times, and now quite sick and tired of it and not as brave as I was at first. Howard took it all right the first time, but he wishes he had taken notice of my Jotters and stopped longer in Blighty, as he volunteered by come over when he came. Well, it is jolly cold here now, nearly cold enough for snow, and also raining a treat, so you can guess there is plenty of mud, as it only takes a few points here to make mud everywhere. I saw Moore Wilson and Don and Cecil Searle, they were looking well ; also cousin Cyril Solly, When you write let me know cousin Ern. Jackson's address, so that I may be able to see him. I must now close with heaps of love to all. I have not received any birthday parcel, but just received a letter, so I may get it tomorrow."
A week later Jack wrote a second letter, again down-playing the conditions and of Howard’s injury.
“Just a few lines to let you know l am still well and had the luck to come through another big stunt upright, but old Howard got a bit of a smack as I suppose you will have heard before this. I did not see him get it myself, but those who did reckon that he went out of the line laughing. He reckoned before he went in that he was going to get a smack. But he is a lucky fellow, just coming over and getting away again. He may have the luck to miss the winter again. I hope so anyhow. Well, that was lovely parcel you sent me for my 21st birthday. I got it the day we came out of the line. I think it was the best parcel I have ever seen here, it was not even bent or anything, and the cake was a beauty, and as we were hungry just coming out, three or four of my mates and myself had a large slice each, and you can guess we were all slight bilious. It was good of. dad wiring the parcel down; it was a good job done. We have had a lot of rain and cold weather here again, and we have all got colds. I am too cold to write any more. Don't worry about Howard as he will be all right."
Later that month (October 23rd) Howard also wrote from Weir Hospital, Grove Road, Halham London, S.W. It gives small indications of his own war.
“Just a few hoping, it finds you all in the best of health. I am still in the hospital and am doing well. I am afraid I am getting well too quickly, as I shall have to get back to France, among the woosebangs and the mud. Well, there is no news to write about, as I haven't been out anywhere, but I will be out in a day or so. I have not made up my mind where I will go on my furlough. I think it will be Ireland, among the Pats. It would be nice to go home, but not the old Aussies' luck. This fine home could not be beaten anywhere in England. Well, I must close this short note, wishing you the best of luck."
By the 9th of April ‘18, Howard returned to France. Again, within a month he sustained a second gunshot wound to his knee at Etaples and retuned once more to England, being hospitalised at Hareford. Whilst in the Barnet War Hospital, Howard responded to a letter from one of the young women involved in the Red Cross Knitting Club, Miss G Mackley who was the secretary.
“May 24th. 1918. — " Just a few lines to thank you for the parcel that you sent on the 11th of January, and I have only just received it this morning. It has been a long time in reaching me, the cause being that I have been travelling about a fair bit. It has been over to my Battalion in France, and as I was wounded on May 3rd, and sent to Blighty, it was forwarded on to me. Anyway, I have received it, and thanks very much for same. It is very kind of you girls to think of us lads, and it beats me how you got my address. I know Mangalo district very well, but I don't remember you. Well dear Miss Mackley, I left Aussie in August 1916 with my brother, who is older than I am. This is the second occasion that I have been wounded, but old Fritz has not taken the smile off my face yet. They have only been slight knocks, just hard enough to get me to Blighty with, and its O.K. to be out of the strafe for a while, and I love the game like all the A.I.F. soldiers do, anything for a sporting life. My people used to live in Minbrie, but they are now living at Rudall. I think by the time I get a reply back from you I will be in France again, although I am not sure. When you write, please put my Battalion address. I think I will say 'good-bye' for the time, Hoping to hear from you again, as it is always nice to have a line from the old home." Address : — Pte. H. A. Crabb, ' A' Coy, 48th Battalion, A.I.F., France.”
Back home, in June the Rudall Red Cross Circle, of which their mother was part, was busy packing parcels to send to Howard and Jack, plus two other locals, Sapper Will Ross, and Trooper Olarrie Rogers. Howard himself was on furlough from mid-June to early July 1918. Ill health continued to plague Howard over July, exacerbated by him being unsettled and challenging the requirements of army expectations. These included neglecting to obey orders, being out of bounds, creating a disturbance in a public place in Codford village where he was charged with behaving in a disorderly manner and using obscene language, culminating with striking an M.P in the execution of his duty. Inevitably this resulted in 21 days Field Punishment. At the same time his brother Jack was charged with a similar offence but without the language and striking charge. Jack’s Field Punishment was for a less severe seven days. This style of punishment was particularly harsh and could involve the soldier being restrained to a fixed object, including a gun wheel or fence post for several hours. In other instances, the soldier could have their legs tied together and arms stretched outright, earning the nickname of being ‘crucified’.
The punishment had no positive effect as immediately the 21 days were completed Howard went absent from parade without permission, earning a further two days of Field Punishment on the 11th August 1918. Exactly three months later, the armistice was signed between the Allies and Germany at Compiegne in France. At the ‘eleventh hour of the 11th day of the eleventh month’ the war was ostensibly over.
Howard’s physical injuries, his army treatment, youthful years and the harsh conditions of war may have all contributed to his horrific death. Aged just 20, Howard died on the 30/11/18 at Sutton Veny camp (Warminster). Described as an accidental death, Howard had been walking on a railway line in an out-of-bounds area, when despite frantic warnings and blowing of the whistle by the train driver, he was struck from behind. Officially his death was described as ‘accidental’. Despite being immediately taken to a military hospital at Sutton Veney Howard was declared dead on arrival.
On the 6th November, with his remains in a ‘polished Elm coffin with brass mounts’ Howard’s body was borne to the gravesite on a Gun carriage. He was buried with full military honours, his coffin draped with the Australian flag. The site was in consecrated ground in the Tidworth Military cemetery, Grave 349, Section C. The funeral was preceded by a Firing Party from the Australian Machine Gun Training Depot and the Band of the “Royal Scots Greys”. Six of deceased’s late comrades acted as pall bearers. Headquarters A.F.F. Depots in United Kingdom were also represented at the funeral.
Inevitably, an inquest was conducted into Howard’s horrendous death. Sergeant Dougal McMillan explained that he had officially identified Howard’s body, and that he was based at the Sandhill camp. Adding to the distress of fellow soldiers, friends and family was the clear statement that ‘The railway from Sutton Veney to Sandhill camp is out of bounds to all Troops.’
Sapper Dawson also detailed that the train he was driving was an engine with four loaded coal wagons. Where the line curved, he had slowed and blown the whistle, then seen Howard just ten yards in front and on the rail line, walking in the same direction as the train, seemingly oblivious to the approaching train. Despite again blasting the whistle and applying the brakes, there was insufficient time to bring the heavy load to a stop and prevent the resultant carnage. Other sappers working on the train as fireman and shunter also testified to the short timeline and frantic efforts of the train driver. Howard’s sickening wounds were officially described as ‘Contus of abdomen with rupture of Biscera’ and that he was brought in dead to the hospital. Predictably, his death was described as ‘accidental’. Regardless, those involved would be forever traumatised by his death, especially as Howard had survived the war and the armistice had been signed three days previously.
Back home, the shocking news was shared through the Eyre’s Peninsula Tribune just prior to Christmas. “Sincere regret was expressed by residents throughout the Franklin Harbour, Cleve, and Rudall districts, when news came through that Pte. Howard Crabb, second son of Mr and Mrs B. R. Crabb, of Rudall, had died as a result of an accident whilst on active service abroad. The late Pte. Crabb enlisted with his brother at Cowell, and left Australia with the 5th Reinforcements to the 48th Battalion on August 28th, 1916. He had been twice wounded whilst fighting at the front, and it is very hard for his parents to learn that he met his death in such a manner two days after the armistice was signed. He was very keen to get away to the war, and after patiently waiting to reach 18 entered camp immediately. His age at the time of his death could therefore not have been more than 20 years. He was born near Kadina and lived with his parents at Miltalie for a number of years. His parents now reside at Rudall. He was very highly respected by all who knew him. His elder brother Jack is on active service abroad, and a younger brother, Phil, was in camp and has been discharged since the armistice was signed.”
Howard’s mother’s grief and incomprehension of how his death could have occurred post hostilities seemed bottomless. In her distress she wrote desperately seeking more detail of how the death could have possibly happened. In her search for details, the League of Loyal Women also tried to follow up with attempts for more information.
Annie received Howard’s remaining possessions from Bulla and Baromba, just ordinary belongings of shaving and mending gear (called a ‘housewife), pocket knife, pen knife, wallet and coins, cigarette case, balaclava and personal letters, photos and stamps. Eventually the family also received a photo of Howard’s grave. His medals, the 1914/15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal were later posted to the family in December 1919.
Older brother, Jack returned to Australia on the 6th September 1919. Following his marriage to Mary-Ann (Doris) Hanton on the 3rd November 1920 at the Kadina Methodist Church, a son was born on the 20th April 1922 in Cleve. He was named Howard Ronald, in memory of the uncle he would never meet, but who was always remembered.
Eyre's Peninsula Tribune Friday 19 May 1922, BIRTH. CRABB.—On the 20th April, at Mrs Gillings' Nursing Home, Cleve, to Mr and Mrs J. F. Crabb, Cherry wood—a son (Howard Ronald).
Howard’s father, Benjamin lived to his 90th year and died in April ’50. He was buried in the Cheltenham Cemetery where Annie later was also buried in 1961. A headstone is also placed in memory of their mourned Howard, whose death caused so much heartache and also their younger son, Private Roy Maxwell, a Rat of Tobruk, who served with the 2/10th in WWII and was accidentally killed on July 23rd 1941. A further son, 60-year-old William also rests now with his parents.
Following his death, Howard’s family continued to remember their beloved son for several decades.
Eyre's Peninsula Tribune Friday 20 December 1918, DIED ON ACTIVE SERVICE. CRABB— Died at Sutton Veney Military Hospital, as the result of an accident, on November 13th, 1918, Pte Howard A. F. Crabb, second son of Mr and Mrs B, R. Crabb, of Rudall.
Kadina and Wallaroo Times Saturday 29 November 1919, IN MEMORIAM. CRABB.-In loving memory of our dear friend Pvte. Howard Crabb, accidentally killed in France, November 30, 1918. A man not of words, but of actions, He was one of God's bravest and best; He died an Australian hero, Fighting for freedom and rest. T. and E. Haynes and family, Wallaroo Mines.
Eyre's Peninsula Tribune Friday 28 November 1919, IN MEMORIAM. CRABB —In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Pte Howard A. F. Crabb, who was accidently killed November 30th, 1918. Forget him ! No, we loved him too dearly. The lips need not speak For our hearts mourn sincerely; Tears often fall which seldom are seen. Love in our hearts for him to-day Is as fresh as in the hour he went away. —Inserted by his loving father, mother sisters and brothers.
Advertiser Saturday 29 November 1919, CRABB.—In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Private Howard A. F. Crabb, who was accidentally killed November 30, 1918.
When we see our boys returning
Our hearts are filled with pain,
To think you are not there, dear Howard,
And will never come home again.
—Inserted by his loving father, mother, sisters, and brothers.
Eyre's Peninsula Tribune, Friday 3 December 1920, IN MEMORIAM. CRABB. — In loving memory of our dear son, Gunner H. A. F. Crabb, 48th Battalion, who was killed Nov. 30th, 1918, at Sutton Veney, England. In our hearts your memory lingers, Sweetly tender, fond and true, And there's not a day, dear Howard That we do not think of you. Friends may think that we've forgotten When at times they see us smile, But they do not know the sorrow Those smiles hide all the while, — Inserted by his sorrowing mother and father.
Eyre's Peninsula Tribune Friday 2 December 1921, CRABB— In, loving memory of our dear son and brother, Private H. A. F, Crabb (48th Battalion), aged 20 years, killed at Sutton Veney, November 30th, 1919, Some time, someday our eyes shall see The face we hold in memory, . And God shall link the broken chain Still closer when we meet again. —Inserted by his loving Father and Mother, Brothers and Sisters.
Eyre's Peninsula Tribune Friday 30 November 1923, IN ME MORIAM, CRABB. — In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Private Howard Crabb, 48th Battalion, died Sutton Veney, England, November 30th, With aching hearts, with tearful eyes. One’s thoughts go where one dear one lies. And breathe those sacred words once more Not lost, but only gone before. —Inserted by his loving father, mother, brothers and sisters.
Eyre's Peninsula Tribune Friday 4 December 1925, IN MEMORIAM CRABB — In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Pte. Howard Crabb, late 48th Battalion, A.I.F., killed November 30th, "Loved, remembered, longed for always." — Inserted by his loving father, mother, sisters and brothers.
Eyre's Peninsula Tribune Friday 3 December 1926, IN MEMORIAM CRABB.— In sad, but loving memory of our; dear son and brother, Private .Howard A. F. Crabb, - No. 2401, 48th Battalion, A.I.F.. who was accidentally killed on November 30th, 1918, whilst on active service abroad. With tenderness, love, and regret, We who love you will never forget. — Inserted by his loving father, mother, brothers and sister.
Eyre's Peninsula Tribune Friday 2 December 1927, IN MEMORIAM CRABB— In loving memory of our dear son ana brother, Pte, Howard A. F. Crabb, 48 Battalion, who was killed, November 30th, 1918. To dearly loved to be forgotten. Inserted by his parents, brother and sister.
Eyre's Peninsula Tribune Thursday 25 November 1943, IN MEMORIAM. CRABB. — In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Pte Howard Grabb, late 48th Battalion, 1st A.I.F, killed November 30th, 1918, age 20 years 4 months. The years pass by, but memories stay, As near and dear as yesterday. - —Remembered always, by his father and mother, Mr and Mrs B. Crabb, sister and brother-in-law, Selina and Jack Forgie.
Eyre's Peninsula Tribune Thursday 14 December 1944, CRABB— In loving memory of our dear son and brother Pte Howard Crabb, 48 Battalion A.I, F., killed Nov 30th,1918 Things have changed in many ways, but one thing changes never, The memory or those happy days when we were all together, —Always remembered by his mother, father, sisters and brothers.
Eyre's Peninsula Tribune Thursday 6 December 1945, IN MEMORIAM. CRABB —In loving memory of Pte Howard Crabb, 48th Battalion, 1st A.I.F., accidentally killed November 30th, 1918. . This is a day of remembrance, t A day we shall never forget, Of one we will always remember, When the rest of the world forgets. Always remembered by his loving sister, brother-in-law and nephew, Selma, Jack and Howard Forgie, Kilroo.
Eyre's Peninsula Tribune Thursday 2 December 1948, IN MEMORIAM. CR4BB la loving memory of our dear son and brother, H. A F, Crabb (Howard). 48th Battalion. A.I F., who lost his life November 30th, 1918. Life moves on, but memories star Loved by all — Ever remembered by Dad and Mum
Eyre's Peninsula Tribune Thursday 30 November 1950, MEMORIAM. CRABB—In sad but loving memory of our dear son and brother, Private Howard A. F. Crabb No. 240. 48th Battalion, A.I.F. "Lest we Forget" —Ever remembered by mum, sister and brother.

Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.