Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Robert King Krantzcke (6781)

Robert King Krantzcke was born in 1898, at Hillsgrove New South Wales [1], and is the last of five siblings to his parents, Charles Frederick Krantzcke and Elizabeth Ann Skinner [2]. Charles Krantzcke, his father, worked as an electrical engineer for all his life [3] and had worked across New South Wales whilst his mother, Elizabeth Ann, worked as a housewife nurturing the five siblings . Krantzcke spent his childhood living at 4 Solander Road, Daceyville, Sydney, New South Wales with the rest of his family [4]. He had attended two educational institutions: Pyrmont SPS for Primary School and Sydney Technical High School for higher education [5].

Robert King Krantzcke had enrolled in Sydney Technical High School, likely in the years of 1910 to 1916 based on his age. During high school, Krantzcke seemed to enjoy metal work and engineering as seen through his exceptional grades [6], hinting at his future career as an electrical engineer. Information on Krantzcke’s life outside of school was limited but teenage boys at the time completed work and chores around the house as well as playing at the park for leisure [7]. Krantzcke grew up as a Christian with the rest of his siblings, following the Church of England for the entirety of his life [8]. Krantzcke left behind his parents and three siblings [9], as he joined the First World War alongside his brother, Ernest Richard Krantzcke, who had enlisted a couple months earlier than him on the 17th of February 1916 [10].

Robert King Krantzcke enlisted for the Australian Imperial Forces on the 30th of May 1916 and embarked for the Western Front six months later on the 17th of November 1916 on the HMAT SS Port Napier [11]. Krantzcke was ranked as a private for most of his time in the war and he had fought in the 22nd reinforcement of the 7th infantry battalion [12]. His main role as a private was to obey his superiors to the best of his ability. Krantzcke had first arrived at Folkstone, England for induction but had spent most of his time overseas in Étaples, Northern France, completing further training [13]. 

He was wounded in action 16th April 1918 with a gunshot wound to his left arm and was admitted to hospital in France, rthrung to his unit on 7th May 1918. He was granted  leave in England from the middle of June 1916 until the end of July when once again he rejoined his unit.

Krantzcke stayed back at Folkestone for 7 months after the war had ended and finally returned to Australia on the 12th of June 1919 through Darwin Port [18]. For his time on the Western Front, Krantzcke earned the Imperial Campaign Medal, the Victory Medal [19], the Amiens battle honour [20], and his name on the Sydney Techinical High Sschool WW1 roll of honour [21].

Robert King Krantzcke survived the entirety of the war, although his brother, Ernest Richard Krantzcke, was not as lucky and was killed in action on the 4th of February 1917 [22]. Krantzcke was at long last reunited with his family on the 12th of June 1919, after being overseas for just under three years [23]. Almost immediately after his return, Krantzcke pursued his desired career from childhood as an electrical engineer [24], following in his father’s footsteps. In 1922, Robert Krantzcke got married to Grace Winifred Barton [25], raising several children in New South Wales [26]. Elizabeth Ann Skinner and Charles Frederick Krantzcke, his parents, passed away in 1927 and 1935 [27], respectively, which would have taken a sizable toll on Robert Krantzcke’s wellbeing. Later on with the outbreak of the Second World War, Krantzcke refrained from enlisting, the reasons for which are lost to history.

Having experienced one of the most eventful times in history, Robert King Krantzcke spent the remainder of his life being an electrical engineer and father until his timely death at the 72 on the 26th of August 1970 at Lakemba for unknown causes [28]. Robert King Krantzcke’s ANZAC spirit will forever linger in the halls of Sydney Technical High School.

Endnotes

[1] Anonymous, Robert King Krantzcke, Virtual War Memorial
[2] Ken Stevenson, KRANTZCKE Robert King, Google Docs (on Drive)
[3] → Ibid
[4] → Ibid
[5] Anonymous, Robert King Krantzcke, Virtual War Memorial
[6] Ken Stevenson, THS 1913 class 2B term 1.jpg, Google Drive
[7] Anonymous, Children's Lives at the Turn of the Twentieth Century, Library of Congress
[8] Ken Stevenson, KRANTZCKE Robert King, Google Docs (on Google Drive)
[9] → Ibid
[10] Anonymous, Ernest Richard Krantzcke, Australian War Memorial
[11] Anonymous, Robert King Krantzcke, Virtual War Memorial
[12] Ken Stevenson, KRANTZCKE Robert King, Google Docs (on Google Drive)
[13] Ken Stevenson, KRANTZCKE RK (01-08), Google Drive
[14] Anonymous, Lance Corporal Robert King Krantzcke, War Memorial Register
[15] Anonymous, 7th Australian Infantry Battalion, Australian War Memorial
[16] → Ibid
[17] Ken Stevenson, KRANTZCKE RK (01-08), Google Drive
[18] Ken Stevenson, KRANTZCKE Robert King, Google Docs (on Google Drive)
[19] Anonymous, The AIF Project: Robert King Krantzcke, Australian Imperial Forces
[20] Anonymous, 7th Australian Infantry Battalion, Australian War Memorial
[21] Anonymous, Robert King Krantzcke, Virtual War Memorial
[22] Anonymous, Ernest Richard Krantzcke, Australian War Memorial
[23] Anonymous, The AIF Project: Robert King Krantzcke, Australian Imperial Forces
[24] Ken Stevenson, KRNTZCKE Robert King, Google Docs (on Google Drive)
[25] → Ibid
[26] Anonymous, Robert K Krantzcke, Ancestry
[27] Ken Stevenson, KRANTZCKE Robert King, Google Docs (on Google Drive)
[28] Anonymous, Robert King Krantzcke, Virtual War Memorial

References

Ancestry, Information on Robert King Krantzcke’s family
https://www.ancestry.com.au/search/?name=Robert+King_Krantzcke&event=_new+south+wales-australia_30094&birth=1898&birth_x=0-0-0&event_x=_1-0-a&location=5027&name_x=1_1&priority=australian 

Australian Imperial Forces, Military Service of Robert King Kranzcke
https://aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=168169 

Australian War Memorial, Research on the 7th Infantry Battalion
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/U51447 

Australian War Memorial, Research on his enlistment
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1739736 

Australian War Memorial, Information on Ernest Richard Krantzcke
https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2449710?image=1 

Department of Defence, Honours/Medals received
https://www.defence.gov.au/adf-members-families/honours-awards/medals/imperial-awards/world-war-one#:~:text=Australian%20personnel%20were%20awarded%20Imperial,Medal%20issued%20to%20British%20personnel. 

Ken Stevenson, Research on Google Drive
https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1T9ImmmWZF7gJBEx0kYtRm8jW4tE-5bUB 

Library of Congress, Life as a teenager during the early 1900s
https://www.loc.gov/classroom-materials/childrens-lives-at-the-turn-of-the-twentieth-century/#:~:text=Chores%20and%20Work,and%20food%2C%20and%20shining%20shoes. 

Virtual War Memorial Australia, Information on Robert King Krantzcke
https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/352360?t=1721708166672&wizard-page-index=0

War Memorial Register, Lance Corporal status
https://www.warmemorialsregister.nsw.gov.au/lance-corporal-robert-king-krantzcke