CRANE, John Thomas
| Service Number: | 4804 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 30 October 1915 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 25th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Drayton, Queensland, Australia, 20 September 1881 |
| Home Town: | Toowoomba, Toowoomba, Queensland |
| Schooling: | North State School, Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia |
| Occupation: | Butter-cutter |
| Died: | Dysentery & Pleurisy, Sidney Hall Military Hospital, Weymouth, Dorset, England , United Kingdom, 17 May 1917, aged 35 years |
| Cemetery: |
Melcombe Regis Cemetery, Dorset, England Plot III, Row C, Grave No. 2707, Melcombe Regis Cemetery, Weymouth, Dorset, England, United Kingdom |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Goondiwindi War Memorial, Toowoomba Roll of Honour WW1, Toowoomba War Memorial (Mothers' Memorial) |
World War 1 Service
| 30 Oct 1915: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4804, 25th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 12 Apr 1916: | Involvement Private, 4804, 25th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: RMS Mooltan embarkation_ship_number: '' public_note: '' | |
| 12 Apr 1916: | Embarked Private, 4804, 25th Infantry Battalion, RMS Mooltan, Sydney |
Help us honour John Thomas Crane's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Evan Evans
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland
Died on this date – 17th May…… Jonathan Thomas Crane was born at Drayton, Toowoomba, Queensland on 20th September, 1881.
He married Catherine Jane Boodle on 24th February, 1909 in Queensland.
Births were registered in Queensland to the following children of Jonathan Thomas & Catherine Jane Crane (nee Boodle) – George Thomas Crane (born 23rd January, 1910; died 23rd January, 1910); Jessie Margaret Crane (born 19th January, 1911) & May Catherine Crane (born 10th August, 1913).
On 13th November, 1915 John Thomas Crane enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) as a 33 year old, married, Butter-cutter from Klein Street, Toowoomba, Queensland.
Private John Thomas Crane, Service number 4804, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on RMS Mooltan on 12th April, 1916 with the 7th Infantry Brigade, 25th Infantry Battalion, 12th Reinforcements.
May Catherine Crane, youngest daughter of Jonathan Thomas & Catherine Jane Crane (nee Boodle), died on 2nd May, 1916.
Private John Thomas Crane embarked from Fremantle, Western Australia on RMS Mooltan on 28th August, 1916 & disembarked at Plymouth, England on 21st September, 1916.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
He proceeded overseas to France via Folkestone on 16th November, 1916 on S.S. Victoria from 7th Training Battalion. He was posted to Base at Etaples, France on 17th November, 1916 & proceeded from there on 30th November, 1916 to join his Unit. Private Crane joined 25th Battalion on the Field on 2nd December, 1916 from Reinforcements.
Private Crane was admitted to 7th Field Ambulance then transferred to 39th Casualty Clearing Station on 9th December, 1916. He was transferred to Ambulance Train on 14th December, 1916 & admitted to 25th Stationary Hospital at Rouen, France on 15th December, 1916 with Dysentry. Private Crane was transferred to England on Hospital Ship St Andrew on 2nd January, 1917.
On 3rd January, 1917 Private Crane was admitted to 3rd Southern General Hospital (Cowley Section) in England with Dysentry (slight). He was discharged from 3rd Southern General Hospital on 12th February, 1917.
He was marched in to No. 2 Command Depot at Weymouth, England on 13th February, 1917 from Larkhill, Wiltshire.
On 22nd February, 1917 Private Crane was admitted to The Sidney Hall Military Hospital at Weymouth, England with Amoebic Abscess & was reported to be seriously ill.
Mrs C. J. Crane, Klein Street, Toowoomba, Queensland was advised by Base Records on 2nd March, 1917 that Private John Crane had been admitted to Hospital on 22nd February with an Abscess severe. Mrs Crane was advised again by Base Records on 20th March, 1917 that Private John Crane’s condition was stationary.
On 2nd April, 1917 Base Records advised Mrs C. J. Crane that Private John Crane was improving. She was advised again on 10th May, 1917 that Private John Crane was slightly improved.
Mrs C. J. Crane was advised by Base Records on 17th May, 1917 that Private John Crane was progressing favourably.
Private John Thomas Crane died at 4.10 am on 17th May, 1917 at Sidney Hall Military Hospital, Weymouth, Dorset, England from Dysentery & Pleurisy.
He was buried in Melcombe Regis Cemetery, Weymouth, Dorset, England where 82 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
Three of Private John Thomas Crane’s brothers also enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force – they all returned home to Australia.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/a---c.html
Click images to start slideshow.