|
|
| Corporal John Lancashire CRESWELL (6546) | |
|
2nd Battalion Honourable Artillery Company Date of birth: 21st December 1892 Date of death: 3rd April 1917 Died of wounds aged 24 Buried at Euston Road Cemetery, Colincamps Plot IV Row G Grave 8 |
|
| John Lancashire Creswell was born at 17 Darlaston Road, Wimbledon on the 21st of December 1892 the fourth son of Frank Stenhouse Creswell, a merchant shipper, and Emily (nee Scholes formerly Colbeck) Creswell of 17 Darlaston Road, Wimbledon in London. He was educated at Rokeby School, Wimbledon, at the Grange School, Eastbourne and at Lancing College where he was in Heads House from January 1907 to December 1909. On leaving school he worked at his father's office from 1910 to 1912 and then moved to Lisbon to work as a clerk and then as a merchant in the cork trade from 1912 until he returned to England on board the SS "Demerara" landing at Liverpool on the 16th of December 1914. On his return he applied for a commission but was rejected on medical grounds. Instead he enlisted as a Private soldier on the 3rd of January 1916 at Armoury House, the Headquarters of the Honourable Artillery Company, and was posted for training to the 3rd Battalion. He was 5 feet 10 inches tall and wore glasses. On completion of his training he was posted to the 2nd Battalion of his Regiment for overseas service and left Southampton on the 1st of October 1916 landing at Le Havre on the 3rd of October. He joined his battalion at the front the following day. He was promoted to Lance Corporal (unpaid) in the field in January 1917. On the 30th of March 1917 the 2nd Battalion Honourable Artillery Company relieved a battalion of the Border Regiment in front line trenches which ran between Mory and Ecoust St Mein. Shortly after dusk on the 31st of March an advanced post on the Mory-Bullecourt Road was heavily shelled causing a number of casualties. This was followed by a large German infantry attack and the defenders were driven out. A little later an attack was also made on another post, commanded by Lieutenant C.H. Rolfe, but this was successfully repulsed. At 2am on the 1st of April A Company was ordered to recapture the lost post. They were to do this under the portection of a barrage but the attack failed due to heavy machine gun fire. C Company was then ordered to attack but the result was the same and they were forced to fall back. In all the HAC had suffered casualties of 2 officers and 28 men killed with total casualties of nearly 200 during these actions. John Creswell was badly wounded on the 1st of April 1917 and was evacuated to No. 44 Casualty Clearing Station where he died from his wounds two days later. His Company Sergeant wrote:- βI always regarded him more of a pal than as one of my section. He was an absolute brick in his patience and cheerfulness. When he was brought in he was very cheerful indeed in spite of his pain and showed no end of patience when his wound was being dressed. I am sincerely sorry for your loss which is mine too.β Another wrote:- βHe was well liked and respected by all who knew him. He was always cheerful and practical and a very sincere and helpful friend. In the line he was all that could be wished for in a man-brave, calm and very practical and resourceful. I am very grieved at the loss of so great and excellent a friend as he was to me and my greatest sympathy is with you.β He is commemorated on the war memorial at Aldeburgh in Suffolk. |
|
| Heads House |
Back