CROOKS, Thomas Ray
| Service Number: | 1305 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 December 1914, Served in Boer War, Tasmanian Rifle Regiment |
| Last Rank: | Second Lieutenant |
| Last Unit: | 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
| Born: | Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, 11 October 1884 |
| Home Town: | New Lambton, Lake Macquarie Shire, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Coachsmith |
| Died: | Sydney, New South Wales, Australia , 19 May 1932, aged 47 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Sandgate General Cemetery, Newcastle, NSW Was laid to rest at Sandgate Cemetery with a military funeral. PRESBYTERIAN-13SW. 42. |
| Memorials: | Hamilton War Memorial |
World War 1 Service
| 3 Dec 1914: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1305, 13th Infantry Battalion, Served in Boer War, Tasmanian Rifle Regiment | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 Jan 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Corporal, 13th Infantry Battalion | |
| 11 Feb 1915: | Involvement Sergeant, 1305, 13th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '11' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Seang Bee embarkation_ship_number: A48 public_note: '' | |
| 11 Feb 1915: | Embarked Sergeant, 1305, 13th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Seang Bee, Sydney | |
| 11 Jun 1915: | Promoted AIF WW1, Sergeant, 13th Infantry Battalion | |
| 4 Mar 1916: | Promoted AIF WW1, Company Sergeant Major, 13th Infantry Battalion | |
| 10 Mar 1916: | Transferred AIF WW1, Company Sergeant Major, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1) | |
| 6 Aug 1916: | Wounded AIF WW1, Company Sergeant Major, 1305, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1), Battle for Pozières , GSW right arm | |
| 21 Aug 1917: | Honoured Military Cross, 'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of a carrying party. he handled his party with marked ability throughout, thereby ensuring that the front line was continually kept supplied with grenades.' Source: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 133 Date: 21 August 1917 | |
| 14 Sep 1917: | Promoted AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1) | |
| 22 May 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, Second Lieutenant, 45th Infantry Battalion (WW1) |
Help us honour Thomas Ray Crooks's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
From Sue Guinan, Tasmania in the Great War
Lt THOMAS RAY CROOKS, MC
Born 1884 Hobart the son of William and Martha Crooks married a 30 year old coachsmith he enlisted Liverpool New South Wales and embarked with the 13th Battalion was commissioned whilst overseas and returned to Australia 13th March 1918 and died 1932 in Sydney.
Military Cross
'For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty when in command of a carrying party. he handled his party with marked ability throughout, thereby ensuring that the front line was continually kept supplied with grenades.'
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
Served in The Great War, resting at Sandgate Cemetery.
88 years ago today, on the Friday afternoon of the 20th May 1932, 2nd Lieutenant Thomas Ray (Roy) Crooks (M.C.), 45th Battalion, coach smith from Collaroy Road, New Lambton, New South Wales and 12 Dent Street, Islington, N.S.W., Boer War veteran (Tasmanian Rifle Regiment), was laid to rest at Sandgate Cemetery with a military funeral, age 47. PRESBYTERIAN-13SW. 42.
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136587168
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article136587131
http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article165379054
Born at Hobart, Tasmania on the 11th October 1884 to William S and Martha Crooks nee Ray; husband of Edith Mary Crooks nee? (married?, died 1963?), Thomas enlisted December 1914 with the 13th Battalion at Liverpool, N.S.W.
Wounded in action - 6.8.1916 (SW right elbow), admitted to hospital 15.7.1917 (epididymo-orchitis), Mr Crooks returned home 22nd May 1918, and was discharged the next day as a disciplinary case, services no longer required (service record states reasons).
Mr Crooks has been remembered on the Lambton Park Citizens' Memorial Gates, Lambton and New Lambton Municipal District Roll of Honor, Hamilton (Gregson Park) War Memorial, Wallsend Soldiers’ Memorial and the Wallsend Municipal & District Roll of Honor.
Sadly, once again, a gallant soldier of the 1st A.I.F. had been resting in an unmarked grave, forgotten, so July 2019 I placed a cross adorned with poppies on the gravesite, taken a photo of the grave and uploaded the photo onto the Northern Cemetery website as a permanent record of his service.
http://sandgate.northerncemeteries.com.au/index.php/war-heroes/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=103&aso=exact&s_f=id&data_search=459353#grave-photo-1
I will be submitting an application to Veterans’ Affairs for a Commonwealth War Graves Plaque to honour his service for God, King and Country.
Lest We Forget.
Click images to start slideshow.