Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From François Berthout

2nd Lt Herbert Walter Crowle,
Australian Infantry Battalion,
3rd Brigade, 1st Australian Division
 
In the fields of the Somme, peaceful and silent under the poppies which grow in red waves, rest in peace, under the rows of their eternal graves, thousands of young men, a whole generation who here fought and paid the supreme sacrifice in the trenches and which side by side, lived and fell united in the mateship in which they still stand proudly and which, now and forever will be remembered and honored for all they did for us, for who they were, men above all and for what they are today, our heroes, our valiant Diggers, our sons, my boys of the Somme on whom I would always watch with respect so that they are never forgotten.

Today, it is from the bottom of my heart, with the highest respect and with gratitude that I would like to honor the memory of one of these young men, one of my boys of the Somme who gave his today for our tomorrow.I would like to pay a very respectful tribute to Second Lieutenant Herbert Walter Crowle who fought in the 10th Australian Infantry Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Australian Division, and who died of his wounds 105 years ago, on August 25, 1916 at the age of 32 on the Somme front.

Herbert Walter Crowle was born on February 29, 1884 in North Carlton, Victoria, and was the son of John William Crowle and Matilda Alice Crowle (née Matthews), of Glen Huntley (late of Hamilton) in Victoria. Herbert was educated at Faraday Street State School, and after graduation, he apprenticed to a builder named Stone and Coy, in Melbourne for four years.Before the outbreak of the war, he met and married Mary Beatrice Crowle and had a son, William, who was affectionately named "Bill" and who was only 7 years old when his father got enlisted. They lived in Bennington Road, Eastwood, South Australia, then to Kermode Street, North Adelaide, where Herbert worked as a master builder.

Herbert enlisted on December 12, 1914 in Oaklands, South Australia, as a Private in the 10th Australian Infantry Battalion, 3rd Reinforcement, and after a two month training period, he embarked with his unit from Melbourne, Victoria, on board HMAT A54 Runic on February 19, 1915 and sailed for the Gallipoli peninsula.

On May 9, 1915, Herbert was disembarked in Gallipoli but a week later, on May 16, he received a slight bullet wound to his left eye and was admitted to the 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station, Anzac, then was evacuated to the hospital in Alexandria, Egypt, on May 23 and following his recovery, in November, he embarked again for Anzac, Gallipoli, However by this time the 10th Australian Infantry Battalion had withdrawn for rest on Lemnos, Greece, so Bert rejoined the unit there then embarked for Egypt.

On December 29, 1915, Herbert arrived in Egypt and was disembarked at Alexandria and a month later, on January 24, 1916, was promoted to the rank of Corporal at Serapeum then to the rank of Sergeant on March 1 and fought in the front line in defense of the Suez Canal, then on March 27, he joined the BEF (British Expeditionary Force) in Alexandria and embarked on board Saxonia the same day with his battalion and proceeded overseas for France.

After a week of a journey on the waters of the Mediterranean Sea, Herbert arrived in France and was disembarked in Marseilles on April 3, 1916 then, on June 6, he entered for the first time in the trenches in the Petillon sector then a month later, on July 22, he rejoined the Somme and the front line at Pozieres which was the first major engagement of the 10th Australian Infantry Battalion and the AIF on the Somme front. Herbert and the 10th Battalion fought with distinction from the July 22 to 25, 1916 in Pozieres but during these three days, they suffered 350 casualties and had to withdraw from the line of fire and marched to Bonneville, Somme, to reorganize and be reinforced.

For his courage alongside his men at Pozieres, Herbert was promoted to the rank of Second Lieutenant on August 5, 1916 and on August 19, alongside the 10th Australian Infantry Battalion, he joined the front line at Mouquet farm but unfortunately the next day he met his fate.

On August 20, 1916, he was wounded by a German machine gun while endeavouring to communicate with an adjacent group of troops and was evacuated to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station behind the lines, at Puchevillers, a few kilometers from Pozieres.

Unfortunately, his wound became infected (there were no anti-biotics at that time) and despite surgery his condition deteriorated. Hours before he died on August 25, 1916, his condition had deteriorated such that he could not write, so he dictated a letter to his wife, Beatrice and their young son "Bill" back in Australia. A chaplain working at the clearing station wrote the letter on his behalf.

The following letter is one of the most poignant and one of the most moving I have ever read and its reading was not without tears:

"Dearest Beat and Bill,
Just a line you must be prepared for the worst to happen any day. It is no use trying to hide things. I am in terrible agony and I was hit running out to see the other officer who was with me but badly wounded. I ran too far as I was in a hurry and he had passed the word down to return, it kept coming down and there was nothing to do but go up and see what he meant. I got two machine-gun bullets in the thigh another glanced off by my water bottle and another by the periscope I had in my pocket, you will see that they send my things home. It was during the operations around Mouquet Farm about 20 days I was in the thick of the attack on Pozières as I had just about done my duty. Even if I get over it I will never go back to the war as they have taken pounds of flesh out of my buttock and The Stretcher Bearers could not get the wounded out any way than over the top and across the open. They had to carry me four miles with a man waving a red cross flag in front and the Germans did not open fire on us.

Well dearest I have had a rest, the pain is getting worse and worse.

I am very sorry dear, but still you will be well provided for I am easy on that score.

So cheer up dear I could write on a lot but am nearly unconscious.

Give my love to Dear Bill and yourself, do take care of yourself and him.

Your loving husband, Bert."

The original letter is now kept at the Australian War memorial in Canberra.

Five days later, on August 25, Herbert died of his wounds, he was 32 years old.

Today Second Lieutenant Herbert Walter Crowle rests in peace with his men, friends and brothers in arms at Puchevillers British Cemetery, Somme, and his grave bears the following inscription "He gave his all that they should not pass."

In October 1919, his wife Beatrice and his brother William had a large headstone erected over his grave at the time and the Imperial War Graves Commission has maintained the original in Puchevilliers British Cemetery ever since.

In the second and third photo, Herbert is standing in the back row to the left and in the fourth photo, he is sitting smoking his pipe. In the fifth photo, William is standing in front of his brother Herbert's grave.
Herbert, young and brave, it is with bravery and determination that you have served and fought for your country, for Australia and for France alongside your comrades, your brothers in arms by wearing with honor the colors under the same uniform and for the same causes, for peace and freedom but also to offer your wife, your son a better world, a world in peace and for that, with their love in your heart, you did your duty with loyalty and perseverance until your last breath of life in the poppy fields on which so many men gave their lives and did what was right, they fought the good fight and in the trenches of the great war, all did their part and gave all they had to put an end to all wars and today rest in the peace of the sacred grounds of the Somme which were, more than a hundred years ago, a hell of blood and fire in which the dismal roar of shells and men were all that millions of men heard day and night during four years of an endless war that claimed millions of lives.In the mud they dug kilometers of trenches, the last shelter before walking through the battlefield, the final limit between life and death in which these young men lived in mud and blood and could see, above the parapet , death and the apocalypse, the bodies of their comrades who fell before them under the fire of the machine guns who swept the no man's land at an incense rate and who, in showers of bullets and lead, spit death on the waves of men who moved forward with courage but who often had no chance to reach their objectives.United in tight ranks, they marched towards their destinies, watching over each other and with their heads held high, proud and guided by their convictions, they charged, bayonets forward through the poppies, for their loved ones, for the king and their country they went beyond the bravery that a man can give in the darkest hours but together, by their courage, perseverance and tenacity, they wrote history and made their country proud and more than a hundred years later, the Somme, France will never forget Australia, we will never forget our courageous and valiant Diggers who fought with bravery alongside their French and British brothers in arms who fought together for the peace in which we live.We will never forget what they went through and what they sacrificed in this horrible war in which they showed their bravery and remained strong and united in the mateship which symbolizes the courage of Australians and the spirit of ANZAC, of our heroes, my boys of the Somme for whom I feel the greatest admiration and pride and whom I wish to bring to life so that they are never forgotten, so that what they did for the Somme and France is never forgotten.They were young and thanks to them I reached the age of 31, a long life compared to many of them so I want to dedicate mine to them to bring their memories and their stories to life, I will always be there for them and for their families for whom I would always give my energy and my heart because for me, watching over them is a pride that I carry in my heart and my words are nothing compared to what they did for us but I would like to say thank you to all these men, these heroes that I would have liked to meet to shake their hands, with tears of gratitude in my eyes and that I get to know through their stories and to whom I would always express myself with my heart. Thank you so much Herbert, for everything.At the going down of the sun and in the morning,we will remember him,we will remember them.

Herbert Walter Crowle enlisted on the 12th of December 1914 at the age of 30. He became a private in the 10th Battalion. Herbert had a wife named Mary Beatrice Crowle and a son named William Herbert Crowle. William was only 10 when his father enlisted for the war. Herbert was born on the 29th of February 1884 in North Carlton, Victoria. He was schooled at the Faraday Street State School. Herbert was a Master builder before enlisting in the war.

Herbert was injured in France and his wounds became infected at a time when antibacterial medicine didn’t exist. Before Herbert died his infection became worse to the point that he couldn’t write so he got someone else to write a letter to his wife and son. Herbert died on the 25th of August aged 32 years. Herbert is buried at Puchevillers British Cemetery.

Herbert Walter (Bert) Crowle 1884 - 1916

Known as Bert, Herbert Walter Crowle's parents were his father John William Crowle and mother Matilda Alice Matthews Crowle, of Glen Huntley (late of Hamilton) in Victoria. He had been apprenticed  to a Builder, named Stone & Coy, in Melbourne for 4 years.  Having moved to Adelaide by the time of his enlistment he was described by vocation as a Master Builder. 

At enlistment he was 30 years 11 months old; married; 5’ 5” tall; 147 lbs of fair complexion; blue eyes; brown hair.  His religion was given as Church of England.

His Next of kin was listed as his wife, Mrs Mary Beatrice Crowle at Bennington Road, Eastwood SA.  They had a son, William (Bill) Herbert Crowle who was seven (7) years old when Bert enlisted. The family were later living in Kermode Street North Adelaide.

Bert also had a brother in Adelaide;  William A Crowle, of Kensington Gardens SA.

He enlisted as a private in the 10th Battalion on 22 December 1914.  He landed at Gallipoli with the 3rd reinforcements before being wounded two weeks later. 

Following recuperation in hospital in Alexandria he embarked once more for ANZAC in November 1915.  However by this time the 10th Battalion had withdrawn for rest on Lemnos, so Bert rejoined the unit there.  He was promoted Lance Corporal in December.

After a period of training and reorganisation in Egypt, the 10th Battalion moved to the Western Front in France. Bert's chronology of service was as follows:

In July 1916 the battalion took part in the battle for Pozières village and then in August, around Mouquet Farm.

By this time the Battalion had endured heavy casualties and as always the junior officers suffered a disproportionately high rate.  It appears that Bert Crowle having demonstrated the requisite ability, was commissioned in the Field.

When the fighting shifted from Pozieres, after the Windmill feature was captured and changed dirrection towards Mouquet Farm, Bert Crowle was leading a platoon.  Later that month Bert Crowle was wounded by a German machine gun while endeavouring to communicate with an adjacent group of troops.  He was evacuated wounded to the 3rd Casualty Clearing Station behind the lines.  

His wound became infected (there were no anti-biotics at that time) and despite surgery his condition deteriorated.  Hours before he died on 25 August 1916, his condition had deteriorated such that he could not write, so he dictated a letter to his wife, Beatrice and their young son Bill back in Australia.  A chaplain working at the clearing station wrote the letter on his behalf.  It remains one of the most poignant letters of its kind and is often quoted.

“Dearest Beat and Bill,

Just a line you must be prepared for the worst to happen any day. It is no use trying to hide things. I am in terrible agony & I was hit running out to see the other officer who was with me but badly wounded. I ran too far as I was in a hurry and he had passed the word down to return, it kept coming down and there was nothing to do but go up and see what he meant. I got two machine-gun bullets in the thigh another glanced off by my water bottle and another by the periscope I had in my pocket you will see that they send my things home. It was during the operations around Mouquet Farm about 20 days I was in the thick of the attack on Pozières as I had just about done my duty. Even if I get over it I will never go back to the war as they have taken pounds of flesh out of my buttock & The Stretcher Bearers could not get the wounded out any way than over the top and across the open. They had to carry me four miles with a man waving a red cross flag in front and the Germans did not open fire on us.

Well dearest I have had a rest, the pain is getting worse and worse.

I am very sorry dear, but still you will be well provided for I am easy on that score.

So cheer up dear I could write on a lot but am nearly unconscious.

Give my love to Dear Bill and yourself, do take care of yourself and him.

Your loving husband, Bert.”

(“This letter of farewell, with another letter from the chaplain, are held at the AWM.”)

In October 1919  Beatrice (his wife) and William (his brother) had a large headstone erected over his grave at the time and the Imperial War Graves Commission has maintained the original in Puchevilliers British Cemetery ever since. [AWM P04864.001]

Bert Crowle was 32 years old. His name is listed on the Roll of Honour (panel 58) in the Commemorative Area at the Australian War Memorial, Canberra, ACT, along with over 60,000 others from the First World War opposite the Pool of Reflection.

See the link in the sidebar to his story as told at the Australian War Memorial Last Post certemony.

Service timeline:

14/12/1914                 Completed medical – fit for service
12/12/1914                 Enlisted  at Oaklands
14/12/1914                 Commanding Officer appointed Herbert  to 10th Infantry, at Oaklands

19/2/1915                   Embarked Port of Melbourne on board HMAT A54 Runic

9/5/1915                     Taken on strength from 3rd Reinforcements, 10th Battalion - Gallipoli
                                  The 3rd Reinforcements joined the unit after the landing.

16/5/1915                   Bullet wound to left eye,  Gallipoli Peninsula
                                  Just prior to the major Turkish attack on 19th May 1915

16/5/1915                   Admitted to 1st Australian Casualty Clearing Station, Anzac

23/5/1915                   Evacuated Anzac - eventually admitted to hospital in Alexandria

29/5 – 15/11/1915       "Serving with unit since Gallipoli" annotated in his records.

1/12/1915                   Taken on strength by the 10th Battalion.

1/12/1915                   Appointed Lance Corporal – Mudros, Greece

29/12/15                     Disembarked at Alexandria

24/1/1916                   Promoted Corporal - Serapeum (Egypt)

1/3/1916                     Promoted Sergeant

4/3/1916                     Sergeant – Front line Canal Defence

27/3/1916                   Proceeding to join British Expeditionary Force – Alexandria

3/4/1916                     Disembarked  at  Marseilles, France

5/8/1916                     Promoted  2nd Lieutenant - France.  

21/8/1916                   Wounded (2nd time) in fighting around Mouquet Farm

2/10/1916                   buried at   Puchevillers British Cemetery
                                                  7 ¼ miles South-South East of Doullens
                                                  Plot 3; Row A; Grave 11

MEDALS:
1914-15 Star (2942); British War medal (9481); Victory medal (9433);
Memorial Plaque and Memorial Scroll (355913).

Biography by Steve Larkins

Service Record sourced and submitted by Julianne T Ryan.   13 August 2014.   Lest we forget.