Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Kelso Ernest Cruwys was the 2nd child of Ernest Cruwys and Sarah Ann McIver when he was born on 23rd May, 1894 at Balmain.[i]   He had an older brother as well as two younger brothers and a younger sister.

It really seems to have hit him hard when his father died on 29th May, 1915, just a week after Kelso’s 21st Birthday - and may have affected some of his future decision.

Four months later, on 30th October, 1915, Kelso married Thelma Margaret Bourne in St Thomas’ Church, Balmain West.  He was a Carter by trade, and Thelma was only 18 years old.[ii]  

They welcomed a baby a son into their little family when Kelso Clifford Thomas Cruwys was born on 12th September, 1916.   But I’m sure Thelma was not happy when just a few months later Kelso decided to join the Australian Imperial Force in order to serve his country in WW1 – or in hindsight it could be concluded that he was possibly running away from what was already an unhappy marriage.

They were living at 46 Carey Street, Drummoyne, N.S.W. when he applied for Enlistment on 13th February, 1917.    At 5’9 in height and almost 23 years old, he had blue eyes and light brown hair.  Because he was a qualified motor driver his expertise would have been greatly valued.   The Army had obtained trucks and jeeps, but very few people were able to drive prior to the war, and that’s one thing the Cruwys family were proficient at.   Their grandfather Colin was originally a blacksmith, but had quickly mastered driving and repairing motor cars, and had taught all his grandsons to drive at an early age. 

Kelso was sent to the 1st Light Horse Regiment at Menangle Park for basic training, before   departing from Melbourne on 10th May, 1917 on the “Boorara”.    However when the ship arrived in Suez on 20th June he was admitted to hospital suffering from mumps. 

Although he was released from hospital two weeks later, it seems that over the next couple of months he was constantly in and out of hospitals in Ismailia and Abbassia, till he was finally sent back to Port Said and Suez.

It appears that Kelso never recover sufficiently for active service and was repatriated back to Australia on the “Wiltshire” in October, 1917 suffering from “hysteria”.

Undoubtedly he was not “cut out” for war service, and in today’s society would probably have been deemed to have Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.   

Kelso Cruwys was discharged from the Australian Imperial Force on 12th November, 1917.

Whilst he was overseas during the previous few months, his wife Thelma had moved to Denmark Street, Merrylands, and this where he returned when discharged from the Army.

The Merrylands Hands of Welcome group met the train when Kelso arrived home,[iii] and then held a reunion for returned soldiers of the district, to which Private Kelso Cruwys and his cousin, Trooper Colin Cruwys, were invited.[iv]   (It seems that when Colin returned to Australia, he and his wife may have been staying with Kelso till they got settled into a home of their own.)

But sadly it seems that Kelso’s marriage to Thelma was already “on the rocks” as by 1920 she had obviously left him, taking their son, 4 year-old Kelso Clifford (Tommy), with her.     Kelso applied for a divorce which was granted twelve months later, on the ground of her desertion. [v]

1921 must have been an extremely hard year for Kelso, as his dear mother Sarah also died that year.

However on his return from the war, Kelso had been granted a Soldier Settlement block within the Peel Shire, at Tamworth.   So he now undoubtedly spent some time in the Tamworth area where he met and fell in love with a young lady called Alma Irene Flanagan.

Kelso and Alma were married on 16th September, 1922 in Tamworth.  He was now 28 and four years older than Alma.  

It is believed that they had four daughters and one son.[vi]   Strangely this son was also given the name of Kelso (as was his first son by Thelma).[vii]   However, this second son had a second name of Neil and both boys lived to ripe old ages.   As per the attached photo, it seems that in later years “Neil” was reunited with his father, uncles and siblings.

Kelso and Alma lived in Tamworth for a few years, but his land grant was forfeited in 1924 due to the non-fulfilment of the conditions imposed at the time of purchase.[viii]

They now came back to 15 Bridge Street, Drummoyne for a few years where he was employed as a Motor Driver.    In 1930 they moved to Maroota (near Wiseman’s Ferry) where it was possibly cheaper to live during the depression years and where he managed to pick up occasional jobs as a labourer.

By 1937 the economy had improved greatly and Kelso now obtained a job as a Tractor Driver and they moved to Castle Hill.   Thankfully it appears that their lives were much more stable from here on as he was still a Tractor Driver and living in Castle Hill ten years and possibly 20 years later.

Kelso died on 1st May 1967 at 72 years old, probably at his home in Castle Hill, with his death being registered at nearby Parramatta.  His beloved second wife Alma died just 11 months later on 23rd April, 1968.

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Sources & References:

[i]   NSW BDM Register – Births - Kelso Cruwys – 23th May, 1894.
[ii]  Marriage Register, Kelso Cruwys and Thelma Bourne – 30th Oct. 1915.
[iii]  Cumberland Argus & Fruit Growers Advocate – 29th December, 1917.
[iv]  Cumberland Argus & Fruit Growers Advocate – 21st February, 1918 - Page 5.
[v]   Daily Telegraph – Divorce Decrees – Cruwys v Cruwys - 17 Mar. 1921 – Page 9.
[vi]  Research by Judith Cruwys-Bowen – about 1995.
[vii]  NSW Births not yet available to confirm children (due to 100 year limitation) however deaths, 10 years apart, confirm both boys were named Kelso.
[viii] Government Gazette of NSW, Friday 21 Mar, 1924 – Page 1653.