Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Ern, Samuel Ernest Crane,  (1882-1918) was in the Boer War and several of his letters were published in the local newspaper, The Kilmore Free Press.

“Torn from my coat, I send to thee

This piece of old and worn khaki

With luck and love from one alone

To you dear Mother and all at Home”

To Mother From Ernest

Dec 12/01 Transvaal, Boer War

Merry Xmas

(Percy Crane photocopied this and sent it to Mavis Jefferies nee Crane with a transcript on the back.)

FROM THE FRONT (Thurs 24 Oct 1901)

Private Ernest Crane, who went to South Africa with the fifth Victorian contingent, writes home under date Sept. 8, from Dundee, and the letter has been kindly placed at our disposal. Private Crane says:-Dundee is a nice place, one of the best I have seen in South Africa. We have been all round the north east of Natal and the south-east of the Transvaal, and through part of Zululand. We have seen some old battlefields -Isandhlwana, Rorke's Drift, and Talana Hill. I think we leave this part shortly. We came over 300 miles in the train from Middleburg to Newcastle in open trucks. The rainy season is coming on, but we are having fairly good weather.

There are a lot of Boers about here, and they gave us a hot time of it for a while. There are a lot of Kilmore chaps here, when Income to know them--Jim Kirby, Harry Fisher and Frank Dodson ; and W. Ross,Temple, Nye and others from Broadford. Three men from about Kilmore have been killed - Thornton, Mahoney and Dow, also Abbott from Glenaroua, and Simmons from Broadford; a good many of our men are away. We expect to get a good deal of shooting wherever we go, as Botha says the Australians have no business out here and that he will make it hot for us. There is some talk of going to Barberton, about 800 miles away, by train but it does not matter where we go we will have a good time. Have not heard if Chas. Hodges has gone home; I do not intend to go until my time is up if I can help it.

On Saturday next, at 7.30 p.m., a meeting will be held at Degan (?) with aim to arrange matters for pro-posed testimonial to late trooper Thomas Mahoney, who lost his life in battle in South Africa.

FROM THE FRONT. Thu 14 Nov, 1901

Private Ernest Crane, of Kilmore, writes home from De Jagger's Drift, under date September 26th, and the letter has been kindly handed to us. Private Crane writes: “We have had a spell of very bad weather for a fortnight, and in all the rain we had to do without blankets as the waggons could not get along. Fancy sleeping in the water and cold out here with only one waterproof sheet-it rains very heavy, too. We got paid a small amount at Volksrust ; it is only the second pay that we have had out here. About a week ago a column was cutup about seven miles from here, and we are going out to see about it. We may not be home for another year, but if we have luck enough we might get back about March. I would like to be home for Christmas, but there is no hope. General French is about here and we are going to take part in a big movement to capture Botha. He is a clever general, no doubt, but he cannot last for ever, and we hope to get him this time; there are 84,000 troops about here to get him, so we ought to shake him up. There are a lot of Boers about here, and we have had a lively time lately, but not much fighting; we may get a little in the next few weeks. I have been appointed forage orderly, and have to see about all the feed for the horses in the company."

There is a  news article about returning home from the Kilmore Free Press Thurs 1 May 1902

The following article is from “CENTENARY OF WW1; KILMORE REMEMBERS” APRIL 11, 2015

SAMUEL ERNEST CRANE Private – 2140

Samuel Ernest Crane was born in Kilmore in 1882, the son of Thomas and Sarah Elizabeth Crane (nee Wortley). He attended the State School at Kilmore. He later enlisted in the 5th Victorian Mounted Rifles as a Shoeing Smith and served in South Africa in 1901.

His occupation before World War One is recorded as an engineer in Kilmore. At age 32 years, Ernest enlisted on 4 March 1915 at Mildura as a private in the 6th Battalion AIF. His prior service was recognised as he was promoted to Corporal in June 1915 and in the same month to acting sergeant.

Samuel embarked on HMAT Wandilla in Melbourne on 17 June 1915. He reverted to private when he landed in Gallipoli in August 1915 and after being wounded he was first transferred to Mudros on Lemnos Island in September, then, via Egypt, to Hampstead Hospital in England in early October 1915. He remained in England for over a year in a training role and was promoted to sergeant.

But Samuel volunteered to return to the Western Front in France in October 1917, on the basis of reverting to private. He took a week’s leave in England in March 1918 and returned in time to take part in the defence of the German Spring Offensive.

Samuel was shot in both feet on 16 April 1918 and died of his wounds on 20 April at Hazebrouk, France. Private Crane was buried in the Arneke British Cemetery at Cassel, France. A memorial service for Samuel was held at the Kilmore Methodist Church on Sunday 19 May 1918.

Samuel’s family received a memorial scroll and his British War Medal, Victory Medal and 1914/15 Star. His name is recorded on the Kilmore War Memorial, Shire of Kilmore Honour Roll, and the Kilmore State School Honour Roll. Samuel’s name is also recorded on the family headstone in the Methodist Section of the Kilmore Public Cemetery.