Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Son of Thomas and Elizabeth Cradick. Native of Jesmond, New South Wales.

William is also listed on the St. James' Anglican Church Honour Roll at Morpeth

CRADICK.—In memory of Lieutenant William Rupert Cradick, killed in action, Gallipoli, August 6, 1915, seventh son of the late Thomas Cradick, Plymouth, England, and Morpeth, and Mrs. Cradick, Coogee.

TRIBUTES TO HEROES.
LIEUT. W. RUPERT CRADICK.
UNVEILING OF MEMORIAL TABLET
The memory of the late Lieut. W. Rupert Cradick, one of the gallant Australians who gave their lives for King and Empire at Gallipoli, has been fittingly perpetuated by the erection of a handsome brass mernorial tablet in St. James Church, Morpeth, to which he belonged, and where he regularly assisted in the services of praise. The memorial was arranged  by a special committee, of which the Ven. Archdeacon Regg was chairman , and Mr. W. C .Johnston, hon. secretary and treasurer, and was contributed to by the following bodies: — 2nd Battalion, to which the deceased officer belonged, Maitland Musical Society, Lodge Unity, No. 4, board of directors and staff of the Bowthorne Co-oporative Butter Factory,  Ltd, Parochial Council, and choir of St James Church, Morpeth Cricket Club, Morpeth Tennis Club, Morpeth School of Arts, Merrilees' Club, and several private subscribers, who had learned to appreciate and honour the young Australian hero. The tablet, with dome-shaped top, having raised old English lettering on a fumed oak mount, with fluted pillars in  Dorie design, bears the following inscription. —
'In memory of W. Rupert Cradick, Lieut. 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Brigade, A. I. F., killed in action, Gallipoli, 6th August; 1915. Aged 26 years. He being dead yet speaketh '
The inscnption is surmounted by a cross and the words. 'For King and Country ' The tablet was executed by Mr. J. F. Ellis, of West Maitland. It was unveiled on Sunday morning as an impressive service at St. James, conducted by Ven. Archdeacon Regg, at which there was a large attendance, including Lieut. Colonel Nicholson, M. L. A., who unveilled the  tablet, Mrs. Cradick, Miss Cradick, and Mrs J A ,Bourke, mother and sisters of the late Lieut. Cradick, Mrs. J. E. Chant, sen. (mother of Capt Gordon L. Chant, 2nd Battalion),  Private L. C. Foster (2nd Battalion), the Mayor and aldermen of Morpeth, members of the military representatives of all subscribing bodies, and Wor Bro. G. T. Pender, of Lodge Unity, No 4.
Apologies were received from Lieut -Colonel Dobbin, the Major and Mayoress of West Maltland, and Sergeant Russell Brown. The service commenced with the hymn, 'Brlef Life is  Here Our Portion,' the proper psalms being Psa. xc Domine Refugium and Psa. cxxx. De Profundis. The  lesson read by Mr J. S. Vindin was Wisdom ill, 1-10. After the hymn, 'Rock  of Ages, ' the Ven. Archdeacon Regg delivered an address, in the course of which he said —
'The feature of our service this morning, which has drawn so many to this House of God, in the unveiling of a memorial to one whose memory we wish to preserve, and whose  example we hope will have its mes sage for this and future generations. Without repeating what it was my privilege to say at the memorial service in which most of us took part  less than 12 months ago, I may perhaps venture to say that there are certain elements, of fitness making today's proceedings on which we may for a moment not unprofitably  dwell. To a soldier it is fitting such a memorial should find a place within these walls, for this is a soldier's church — It had its origin on the field battle. -It was in the Peninsular  War, when the sergeant bearing the colours was shot down, Four men rushed forward to prevent them falling into the hands of the enemy. No sooner had they securred them than a shell made its appearance which looked as if it were about to burst. They flung themselves flat on the ground. The shell exploded and killed three men out of the four. The  one saved was Lieut. Close, who was so full of gratitude for his escape that he mado a solemn vow to God that if the end of the campaign found him alive, he would build a church to His honour an glory. This church, though it had been partly destroyed by fire since it was first erected, is the outcome of that vow. Lieut. Close, though following another walk  in life, rallied to the call of King and country. One hundred years afterwards Lieut. Cradick did the same. It is fitting then that the memorial to the one should find a place in a  church oiigmallv built by the other - a soldier's memorial in a soldiers church. In keeping with this we note that the tablet to be unveiled will be confronted by another (To Captain Sheberras, who fell in the Sikh entrenchments at Ferzeshah, Dec. 21 1945), and that too, in memory of a soldier. But while the church in its origin takes us back in thought to the fame of the great Duke of Wellington and the struggles of the Peninsular War, that other tablet recalls the names of Havelock, Lawrence, Colin Campbell and the early stages of  the Indian Mutiny, when the subject of that memorial met his death at the hands of the very race whom those who are now fighting for us hall as their comrades in arms. The place then is fitting, and the time is fitting. This is August 6th, the first anniversary of the charge and capture of Lone Pine — of that feat in which — so the despatches tell us —  'the dash and daring of officers and men were a glory to Australia.'
The Ven. Archdeacon concluded by saying that the manner of the unveiling was fitting, too, for it was to be unveiled by one who was himself a soldier, by one who had himself rendered valuable service in connection with the present war; by one who was a personal friend of him whose memory they were thus honouring. 
Lieut. -Colonel Nicholson, in unveiling the tablet, winch was veiled with two Unlon Jacks, expressed his gratitude for the privilege afforded him of joining in paying tribute to the  memory of a fallen friend and fellow soldier, who in a spirit of self-sacrifice, patriotism and heroism responded, to his country's call. "May his name," said the Colonel, 'be forever  in our hearts enshrined." He went on to say Lieut. Cradick's sacrifice was offered in the glow and thrill of a noble cause, that of liberty, justice, and righteousness. There were  many who had made a greater sacrifice in that cruel war than by giving life itself. They had given the lives of those near and dear to them, and he said "all honour to their  courage, and may God sustain them in their hour of trial." But there was oneconsolation and reward, those who had fallen had died consacrated deaths. Vengeance is mine, saith  the Lord! Australia must avenge the deaths of her sons who had fallen in her service. "May this tablet," said Lieut. Colonel Nicholson, "appeal trumpet tongued to others and prove an incentive to them to emulnte the example of at least one noble Australian, Lieut. William Rupert Cradick. I trust his memory will remain green with us and be as enduring as  this brass memorial, which we have raised to his worth."
Lance-corp, Bugler N. Norman sounded "The Last Post," Miss Linda Skinner at the organ, plaved the Dead March in Saul, and the service concluded with the National Anthem.