George (Crofty or Darby) CROFT

CROFT, George

Service Number: 2006
Enlisted: 10 September 1915, Newcastle, New South Wales
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 30th Infantry Battalion
Born: Minmi, New South Wales, Australia, 28 July 1891
Home Town: West Wallsend, Lake Macquarie Shire, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Hospital Attendant
Died: Killed in Action, Fromelles, France , 20 July 1916, aged 24 years
Cemetery: Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery
Plot III, Row D, Grave No 2, unknown grave found 2010
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Baulkham Hills William Thompson Masonic School War Memorial, Hamilton War Memorial, Sydney United Grand Lodge Honour Roll
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World War 1 Service

10 Sep 1915: Enlisted Newcastle, New South Wales
16 Feb 1916: Involvement Private, 2006, 30th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '16' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Ballarat embarkation_ship_number: A70 public_note: ''
16 Feb 1916: Embarked Private, 2006, 30th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Ballarat, Sydney
Date unknown: Involvement 30th Infantry Battalion, Fromelles (Fleurbaix)

Help us honour George Croft's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Faithe Jones

Son of Francis and Sarah Elizabeth Croft, of 50, Everton St., Hamilton, New South Wales, and the late Francis Croft. 

I ONCE WAS LOST BUT NOW AM FOUND

Member of the St Andrews 198 Lodge

Originally listed as 'No Known Grave' and commemorated at V.C. Corner (Panel No 2), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles; subsequently (2010) identified, and interred in the Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery, France

 

 

Biography contributed by Evan Evans

From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
 
Let us remember a Fallen soldier of The Great War memorialised at Sandgate Cemetery.

On the 20th July 1916, Private George Durant Croft, referred to as Darby, 30th Battalion (Reg No-2006), mental hospital attendant (Watt Street, Newcastle, N.S.W.), from Withers Street, West Wallsend, New South Wales, was Killed in Action by an enemy artillery shell when ammunition carrying in "No Man's Land" during the Battle of Fromelles, age 24.

Born at Minmi, New South Wales on the 28th July 1891 to Francis (died 14.11.1904, West Wallsend, N.S.W., laid to rest at West Wallsend General Cemetery, GENERAL, OLD SECTION, ROW O, PLOT 06, unmarked grave) and Sarah Elizabeth Croft (died 20.3.1933, age 68) of 80 Hannell Street, Wickham, New South Wales and 50 Everton Street, Hamilton, N.S.W. and 95 Beaumont Street, Hamilton, N.S.W., Darby enlisted on the 10th September 1915 at Newcastle, N.S.W.

Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A70 Ballarat on the 16th February 1916.

Disembarked Marseilles, France 23.6.1916.

Reported Wounded and Missing 20.7.1916.

In a letter sent home from Phillip Hoare, miner from Watkins Street, West Wallsend, New South Wales, 30th Battalion, Reg No-2068, states that Darby had been killed be enemy machine gun bullets while crossing "No Man's Land".

Originally listed as 'No Known Grave' and commemorated at V.C. Corner (Panel No 2), Australian Cemetery, Fromelles; subsequently (2010) identified, now resting at Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery, France. Plot III Row D Grave 2.

Place of Association - Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.

Mr. Croft’s name has been inscribed on the Hamilton (Gregson Park) War Memorial, Hamilton Municipal District Roll of Honor, as CROFT, D, Book of Gold, West Wallsend Superior Public School Roll of Honour, West Wallsend Masonic Lodge (St. Andrews No. 198) Roll of Honour, West Wallsend Soldiers' Memorial, Baulkham Hills William Thompson Masonic School War Memorial, Sydney United Grand Lodge Honour Roll and The Capt. Clarence Smith Jeffries (V.C.) and Pte. William Matthew Currey (V.C.) Memorial Wall. George was a member of the West Wallsend Independent Order of Rechabites (Lily of Valley, Tent No. 57). No Roll of Honour located.

I have placed poppies at the memorialised gravesite of mother Sarah Elizabeth Croft in remembrance of the service and supreme sacrifice of her son for God, King & Country. ANGLICAN 1-54. 101.

Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.

For more detail, see “Forever Remembered “
http://www.commemoratingwarheroes.com/cemetery-main-search/

Lest We Forget.

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