CRAWFORD, RICHARD GILPIN. Rank: LT Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 2124 – 22 Date of Birth 13/01/0000.
Born in Tilbury, Kent, ON. the only son of Mr. & Mrs.W. C. Crawford a merchant of that city. “Dick’ attended Tilbury Separate School, then Upper Canada College in Toronto until 1911 and finally Royal Military College (No. 932), in Kingston. A civil engineer / surveyor prior to the war and a Lieut. In the Essex Fusillers, he enlisted on the 17th of August, 1914 completing his medical at Valcatier, PQ 31 August, 1914 a member of the 9th Battalion C.E.F. He would transfer to the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (PPCLI) in charge of a 60 man reinforcement detail. The 22 year old Richard was not married but engaged to Miss Reva English of Harwich Township.
A letter originally printed in the Tilbury Times, reprinted in the Chatham Daily Planet 25/03/1915, dated 23rd of February describes Richard’s activities in England two weeks after the 1st Division had left for France. “The contingent moved out some two weeks ago, leaving millions worth of stores of the 3rd Brigade.” He goes on to describe his efforts to collect all of these stores from “over a hundred huts, guard them and provide, or rather procure, transport to move to Salisbury and Tidworth..” After some description of some of the stores involved he goes on to say, “There is little chance of our leaving for another month. We expect to go to billets near Dover from Tidworth.” Richard would arrive in France on 23/03/1915 in charge of 60 men for the PPCLI.
“LIEUT. CRAWFORD WRITES LETTER FROM THE FRONT” appeared in the Chatham Daily Planet 26/04/1915. Many letters from men of the 1st Contingent appeared uncensored in local papers in the early months and well into 1915. The letter dated France, March 26th 1915 tells that this is his second day in France after leaving Tidworth, England to the martial music of, “at least two bands and everyone taking us by the hand, we moved out at 11:45”, on way to Southampton.
Their ship with hundreds of other troops left Southampton about “seven o’clock” and the trip across the channel was like sailing on a “mill pond”. While crossing the channel Crawford reported that the ship’s movements, “reminded one of a frightened deer. She would dart out of the harbor, all at once stop’ listen, and then creep along for a while and take to her heels for dear life.” The trip up the river took “six delightful hours” during which Lieut. Crawford and another officer slept on the deck, “a finer sleep I never expected to have”, he said.
As the ship proceeded up the river to Rouen, there was continual cheering, ” you would scarcely know France was in the biggest war of her life”. A closer examination of who was doing the cheering revealed, “there was no young men on the banks”. When the officers focused the binoculars on the people cheering, “there were none of the smiles that mark the French people the world over”, an observation that would be the look of the French soldiers.
In a second letter addressed from, “God Knows Where” , Night of March 28. Now in Flanders a few miles behind the line, “I have 175 men in my charge from two crack regiments of England”. He is with another officer from the P.P.C.I.L. and is anxious to turn these men over to their commanding officer and join their on regiment. After leaving Rouen they have been travelling by train and marching and sleeping wherever they could find a spot, “I had a great sleep on the floor of the coaches”.
Lieut. Crawford was quick to apply the situation of the French to Canada, “Would I be light hearted marching to a trench a few miles out of Tilbury, knowing that it would be worse than death for my people.
Tired of minding the stores Lieut. Crawford has himself transferred to the P.P.C.I.L which as part of the 27th British Division were is moving into the area of Bellewaerde Lake near Ypres on the 23rd of March, 1915.
A telegram from Ottawa arrived at the home of Mr. W. C. Crawford, the 16th of May 1915 notifying him that his son “Dick” had been wounded in the abdomen while serving with the ‘Princess Pats’. Mr. Crawford immediately got into communication with a Miss Howe in England, a great family friend. Miss Howe contacted the War Office to follow-up on Richard’s condition.
It was a sad telegram that she had to send to a worried father informing him that “the wounded Lieutenant had died of his wounds in No.2 Clearing Hospital in France. He had been in the thick of the action since joining the Princess Pats and “gave a good account of himself. He is indeed worthy of being included in the list of the heroes of the present war.”
There was some confusion as to whether or not Lieut. Crawford had sustained a fatal wound. An article in the Chatham Daily Planet 28/05/1915, “Lieut. Crawford May Be Alive”, raised some hope since the injury and death had not been published in the regular casualty list.
The following days paper cast a pall over the previous days optimism with a printing of several letters from France received by Dick’s parents in Tilbury. The first dated 9th May, 1915 from Nursing Sister Katherine Mathers, nurse in charge of No. 2 Field Hospital. Sister Mathers writes,” I write to say your son, Lieut. R. G. Crawford, P.P.C.L.I., has been brought in here (Clearing Station General Headquarters, British Exped. Force) VERY severely wounding in the abdomen.” The sisters concludes her letter with,”Your son shall have every care and attention. I write in haste as we are VERY busy”.
The following day W.T. Kempster, Chaplain of the 9th Field Hospital, 3rd Division, in France, writes to Mrs. Crawford. “Dear Mrs. Crawford: You will have heard from other sources that your son Lieut. R. G. Crawford, P.P.C.L.I. has died from wounds received in the recent heavy fighting.” Chaplain Kempster goes on to say to say that he was with Richard when he died. He goes on to say, “he felt deeply for you and his father and please mention, he said, my little girl Reva.”
The following is the last letter written home by Lieut. Crawford, printed in the Chatham Daily Planet 29/05/1915, along with the two above.
“Reserve, May 6th 1915.
Dearest Father:
Best of health and have been fighting hard.
The poor regiment has been badly cut up lately. Fifteen days in trenches. . . . 70 men and 3 officers.
One days shelling (day before yesterday) was concentrated from both sides and on our front for over 12 hours, 150 men and 3 officers, including the colonel who was rather badly wounded. Small percentage of men killed. We expect to march away back for two weeks rest almost at once.
We have gone through their gas and I know that if their battalion comes into close quarters with us that very few prisoners that will be taken after their disgusting gas. Of course I know that as an officer, I should not say this but I know how the boys feel and how I feel.
I hope to be able to give you a good account of what has been taking place here the last two weeks, very soon. A lot of good movements have taken place and hard fighting. I am certainly not seeing it from a back seat at present. Had a bath today,cold but great. First time I had cloths off in three weeks.
Love to all.
Dick
P.S. Have been able to keep cool up to the present and am much pleased about it.”
Three days later Richard “Dick” Crawford would die of wounds at No. 2 Stationary Hospital.
CRAWFORD, RICHARD GILPIN Initials: R G Nationality: Canadian Rank: Lieutenant Regiment: Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry (Eastern Ontario Regiment) Age: 23 Date of Death: 09/05/1915 Additional information: Son of William C. and Annie Gilpin Cawford, of 51, Water St., Chatham, Ontario. Native of Tilbury, Ontario. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: I. 10. Cemetery: BAILLEUL COMMUNAL CEMETERY (NORD) CWGC.
Richard would be Mentioned In Dispatches 30/11/15 by Field Marshal Sir John French for, “Gallent and distinguished service in the field”. The War Book of Upper Canada College – 1923.
A large memorial service was held at St. Andrew’s Church, Tilbury for Lieut. Crawford on the 31st of May. Chatham Daily Planet 1/06/1915.
A letter received by W. C. Crawford from Lieut.Col. Rogers, Commandant, St. Martin’ s Plain, England related some additional details concerning Lieut. Crawford’s death, was printed in the Chatham Daily Planet 8/07/1915. He had enclosed some letters received from Major Pelly and also from the Adjutant of the P.P.C.L.I., he also mentions a letter from the men of Richards platoon that he should have already received.
Lieut. Col. Rogers thanked Mr. Crawford for, “the Pump Gun which you have so very kindly turned over to me – I shall treasure it amongst my most treasured possessions.” He is sorry that it would be impossible under the present situation to suitably mark the grave with a stone marker. There is neither a fitting place at present nor the financial resources for a 6 foot 6 inch high cross as suggested by Mr. Crawford, not to mention the “$125 – $130” to letter and install such a monument.
Major Pelly described the situations around the death of Lieut. Crawford. He was, “wounded early in the morning of May 8th at Bellewaerde Lake”. The young officer had been hit by a piece of high explosive shrapnel while he was in a trench, “attending to his duties.” He was removed some 100 yards from where he fell by four of his men, “who were exposed to heavy shell and machine gun fire to a dugout”.
While in the dugout he was properly bandaged by the Medical Orderlies and made as comfortable as possible. “About noon the same day a large high explosive shell fell on the dugout and Lieut. Crawford was again wounded, this time in the right foot. Even though he was seriously wounded he objected to anyone making any “fuss over him”.
Once it was dark he was taken to a dressing station by stretcher bearer and then by ambulance to the nearest hospital 9 miles away, “he died there of his wounds.”
The year after the untimely death of Lieut. Crawford, an article appeared in the Chatham Daily Planet 15/06/1916 with the provocative headline “PRINCESS PATS DRIVEN TO DESPERATION WHEN ON OF THE OFFICERS WAS CRUCIFIED”. The article developed from an extract of a letter written by R. P ADAMS of Saskatoon to W. A. HUTTON of Tilbury.
Private Paddy Burns Account of the Death of Lieut R. R. G. Crawford.
As told by R. P. Adams.
The year after the untimely death of Lieut. Crawford, an article appeared in the Chatham Daily Planet 15/06/1916 with the provocative headline “PRINCESS PATS DRIVEN TO DESPERATION WHEN ON OF THE OFFICERS WAS CRUCIFIED”. The article developed from an extract of a letter written by R. P ADAMS of Saskatoon to W. A. HUTTON of Tilbury.
“Saskatoon, June 3, 1916
W. A. Hutton Esq.,
Tilbury, Ontario.
Dear Sir.
I was talking to private Paddy Burns of Unity, Sask. , a returned soldier, who fought under the late Lieut. Crawford, one of our Tilbury boys, we should all be proud of, and I think it should be made known throughout our community of his bravery and heroic work as told by Private Burns.
He says Lieutenant Crawford who was wounded by a piece of shell, while fighting at Chateau Hooge, proved himself a hero from start to finish, always thinking of his men and exposing himself to give them orders, and encourage them on to victory.
Just before the great battle, one of the Princess Pat’s officers, who was wounded was found crucified by the Germans, and this drove both officers and men to desperation.
The Germans had a very large army, at least twenty men to every one of the allies, but the Princess Pat’s drove them back five miles and no one could have stopped them had they been supplied with munitions and men, but they got neither, and their ranks were wiped out to only 80 men, who were nearly all wounded, out of the hundred men in Lieut. Crawford’s platoon, only ten came back alive.
The last order that he was able to give was: “Fire like blazes boys; we have them going now.’
General French in addressing the remainder of the Princess Pat’s, after the battle, said they were offered up as a sacrifice in order to save the British empire, and they had bee found not wanting, invincible, impregnable, stone-wallers.
Lieut. Crawford passed away about twenty-four hours after he was wounded, saying the sacrifice was not too great for his King and country.
This is just as I got it from one who fought under our young hero and he sys, he cannot find words to express himself, for Crawford was not only a leader but a fighter, and would not ask men to do what he would not do himself.
Paddy says that only ten minutes before he was wounded he called to the second lieutenant to keep down or he would be hit. But it was a hard struggle, and while his men a shell struck him passing through his stomach. He was taken back to hospital. There he asked the doctor if it were possible for a man to live in his condition. The doctor replied evasively, that it all depended on how badly he was lacerated. It was soon learned that there was no hope.
You may publish this, if you wish, as I am sure the sad facts will be of interest to all who knew the heroic young soldier.
Yours sincerely.
R. P. Adams.
Transcribed by J. R. Hind 25/06/205.
There is no doubt that at least some of the accounts in this letter Pte. Burns was not likely privy to and at least some elaboration of the events has been made by Pte. Burns and Mr. Adams.
See Attestation record CRAWFORD R G Lt. copied.
See CRAWFORD R G Lt. Memory of.
Upper Canada College – “Roll of Service 1914 – 1918”.
