Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

The records obtained from the National Archives of Australia for his war service state that he was 27 years and 2 months old when he enlisted in September 1915. This would have given his a birth date of July 1888. To date, no registration for this date has been identified.

On the 1891 census he is aged 2 and living with William Crumpler aged 37 a cabinet maker and hiw wife Alice aged 35. This is confusing since he also had a sister Ada who was born 10 years previously. Her mother is given as Mary Ann and no father is recorded on her baptism.

By 1901 he is an inmate of the Bethnal Green Workhouse in London aged 12. The occupation is impossible to read since it has been crossed out with heavy black ink. Workhouse records show that Alice Crumpler aged 40 entered the workhouse on May 3 1900. Alice had been livings with William Swinton aged 52 cabinet maker for the past 14 years With her one one child William aged 11 years. An interesting note on this particular entry is “Enquire for Crumpler Mr Smith Cabinet Maker Sheeps Lane”. William’s only sister Ada is buried with a Frances Smith at Highgate Cemetery in London in a private grave.

In August 1893 both William and Alice are admitted to Hackney Union Workhouse. Alice was a laundress born 1834 and William, no occupation, his birth year is given as 1889 born Hackney making him 4 years old. Another record state he was discharged the following day.

The next record found for William as on 17 October 1901 aged 12 at TS Exmouth Training Ship. TS Exmouth was a training ship established in 1877 and was moored on the Thames off Essex. It was managed by the Metropolitan Asylums Board which tended to the needs of London’ sick, poor and destitute. It also oversaw the operations of the Workhouses.

A description was of William is given as 47 inches tall (120 cms), 72 lbs (32 kgs) and a chest circumference of 27 inches (68 cms). He wa discharged from there in November 1903 to SS “John Pender” as a Deck Boy for a wage of £1.10 per month.

By 1907 William is aged 19 and a seaman on board “Howth” arriving in Sydney from Liverpool on the 31 Octobe 1907.

William must have chosen to stay in Australia, because on the 2 September 1915 he enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force giving his age as 27 year 2 months and a labourer by trade. His next of kin is his sister Ada, an original address is crossed out (c/- Girls Cottage Home Ilford, an organisation under the auspices of Barnardos) and later given Stoke Newington in England. He attested at Lithgow and formed part of the 18th Reinforcements of the 3rd Battalion. His right side was tattooed, a girl on his right breast and anchor and crossed flags on the back of his right forearm. By now he was 5 foot 8 inches (172 cms) and 145 lbs (65 kgs) with a chest of 36 inches (91 cms) so by all accounts still a slim man. He was of medium complexion, hazel eyes and brown hair.

Pte William Crumpler SN 6145 embarked with his Unit from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A18 Wiltshire on 22 August 1916. He proceeded overseas to France per SS “Arundel” via Folkestone England on the 13 December 1916. On the 4th May 1917 he was wounded in action with severe a gunshot wound in his right arm. At this time the 3rd Battalion (which he formed part) were fighting in the Somme. He was returned to England where he was hospitalised for over a month. In October 1917 he was returned to France. In June 1918 he was again wounded in action and so returned to England for treatment. He returned to Australia per “Khyber” from Liverpool and disembarked in Sydney on the 15 May 1919.

So, what happened to William when he returned home? There is no record of him on electoral rolls, this was not compulsory for British citizens in this timeframe. A couple of documents in his file give a little insight into where he was though. He had lost his discharge papers, a necessity for soldiers seeking employment. From the Statutory Declarations he stated “While at Parkes I had a mental breakdown and lost all my private property including said Certificate”. This Declaration was made in 1947 from Orange Mental Hospital (Bloomfield). At this time, he is still giving his sister as his next of kin. This certificate was signed for by W Crumpler at Orange Mental Hospital on 14 January 1947. William was to spend the next 20 years at Bloomfield,

Meanwhile in 1941 Ada was looking for her brother. Australia House London writes to the Commonwealth Investigation Branch in the Prime Minister’s Department in Canberra stating that Miss A M Crumpler of 26 St John’s Church Road London is trying to trace William. She sent a photograph and a specimen of his handwriting. Unfortunately, the photo is not included in his war record. Her reply was just his enlistment and the date of his return to Australia.

Ada died in 1958. She was buried on the 10 November 1958 aged 79 in a private grave in consecrated ground at Highgate Cemetery in London. William died in in 1967 aged 81 at Bloomfield of pneumonia and senility. Application was made to Australian War Graves in and accepted in August 2021. In July 2022 a war grave was erected on William Crumpler’s grave commemorating his service to Australia during WW1.

Ada and William never saw each other again.