529 Dvr Charles Alexander James Crawford, MM MiD
2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance, AIF
by Robert Simpson
Charles Alexander James Crawford was born in Maryborough on 23rd January 1887, a son to Thomas Girvan Crawford and Jane Fletcher. Even though he was born in Maryborough, they actually lived at Kilkivan. He was one of a very large family with 15 children being born, 7 boys and 8 girls, from 1869 to 1895. He was the third last child and last boy to be born. As a testament to the parents, most children lived to adulthood. Thomas had been born in Ireland in 1840 and had married Jane in Queensland on 31st January 1868. His parents, John Crawford and Elizabeth Girvan were born in Ireland and married there in 1830. Jane had been born in Tenterfield in 1853, a daughter to George Fletcher and Elizabeth Jane Bergen (Burgin) who had been married in 1852 in Drayton. Not much is known of their early life in Queensland due to lack of records, but by the 1903 Electoral Roll they were living at Jimmy’s Scrub, Kilkivan. A note in the newspaper stated “The public are cautioned against giving credit in my name, without my personal authority”, dated in 1875. Thomas was a timber-getter. He passed away in Maryborough on 15th February 1905 due to stomach cancer and is buried in the cemetery there. Charles first appears in the 1913 Electoral Roll as a labourer, living at Elgin Vale via Nanango.
Charles enlisted on 11th November 1914 as Private 529 in the 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance. He was listed as a teamster, was a natural born British subject of age 28 years and 10 months. His next of kin was his mother, Mrs J Crawford of Kent St Maryborough. He had never served before and enlisted in Brisbane at Pinkenba. Charles was 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighed 152 pounds, chest measurement of 36.5 to 38.5 inches, of dark complexion with grey eyes and dark hair. His religious denomination was listed as Wesley (maybe Wesleyan Methodist). He enlisted for the duration of the war and 4 months afterwards.
On 2nd December 1914 his rank was changed to Driver. He embarked with the 2nd Light Horse Brigade, 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance on 16th December 1914.
On 20th December 1915 he was admitted to hospital and transferred to 4th Auxiliary Hospital at Cairo with mumps. He was discharged from isolation at Heliopolis and re-joined the 2nd Light Horse Field Ambulance on 12th January 1916.
Noted in General Routine Order No. 181 on 4th August 1916, he was awarded the Military Medal for gallantry and devotion to duty in the field at Ismailia.
His award reads:-
No. 529, Driver CHARLES ALEXANDER JAMES CRAWFORD, 2nd Australian Light Horse Field Ambulance.
For distinguished gallantry. On 9th August, 1916, at BIR-EL-ABD, in company with Captain D. D. Jamieson, Driver Thomson and Private Davis, went with a sandcart to the left flank. Leaving the nearer wounded, they passed through the line which was rapidly retiring, reached two wounded men in the front. Under heavy rifle and shell fire, loaded them into the cart with great difficulty, as bursting shells were frightening the horses and causing them to plunge.
Captain Jamieson having searched in front to make sure there were no more, the party returned, with their harness in a tangled condition, picking up three other wounded on the way back.
His mother was sent a letter on 25th April 1917 a copy of the extract from the London Gazette on 20th October 1916 relating to the conspicuous services rendered by Charles for which he was awarded the Military Medal:- “ HIS MAJESTY THE KING has been graciously pleased to award the Military Medal for Bravery in the Field to the undermentioned soldier:-
No. 529 Driver CHARLES ALEXANDER JAMES CRAWFORD”.
Another letter on the same date refers to the London Gazette of 1st December 1916 which related to the award of a Mention in Despatches “In accordance with the final paragraph of the Despatch dated 1st October, the following were mentioned for distinguished services rendered during the period of General A. J. Murray’s Command of the Egyptian Expeditionary Force:-
No. 529 Driver CHARLES ALEXANDER JAMES CRAWFORD”.
He was to be a Lance Corporal from 5th November 1916 at Hill 70 and was on detachment on the 11th. At his own request he reverted to the rank of Driver on 12th June 1917 at El Fukhari. At Cairo on 10th July 1917 he was charged with being absent without leave in that he overstayed leave from 1200 on 9th July to 1200 on 10th July 1917. His award was that he was admonished and forfeited 2 days’ pay. On 1st September 1917 he was detached for duty with the 5th Brigade Transport Park. On the 21st he re-joined his unit from this temporary attachment. From the field on 7th November 1918 he was sent to Moascar for embarkation for 1914 leave and arrived there on the 8th.
After returning on HT Argyllshire on 1st February 1919 from Cairo to the 3rd Military District, he was discharged in the 1st Military District on 15th April 1919.
Charles signed for his oak leaves (1 large and 1 small emblem) for his Mention in Despatches on 3rd September 1920. His Mention in Despatches certificate was also posted to him in November 1920 and it was signed by Winston Churchill.
A brother, Dennis George also enlisted. He was a labourer of Kent St. Maryborough and listed his mother as next of kin, also at the same address. As Private 3578 in the 7th Infantry Brigade, 7th Field Ambulance Australian Medical Corps “A” Section they embarked on 24th May 1915 on HMAT Ascanius A11. Dennis was wounded in 1917 with a gunshot wound to the back which was described as mild. He was promoted from Driver to Lance Corporal, then Temporary Corporal and finally to Corporal. He returned to Australia in September 1919, was discharged and he was entitled to the trio of medals. Dennis passed away in Brisbane in 1950 and is buried in Lutwyche cemetery.
On 15th January 1921 he married Jane Robertson Vary. Jane had been born on 15th January 1895 in Queensland, one of eight children to William Vary and Elizabeth Agnes Bailey, and the first of two daughters. William came from Scotland, arrived in Brisbane in 1874 and married Elizabeth in 1884 in Queensland. Elizabeth came from England and arrived in Maryborough in 1882. They lived in Saltwater Creek Road as recorded on Electoral Rolls from the early 1900’s and he was listed as an engineer. William passed away in 1911 and is buried in the Maryborough cemetery.
In 1922 Charles and Jane are living in Kilkivan at a property called Balmoral, and Charles was a farmer. They had a daughter, Rita, born on 12th March 1922 in Maryborough. By 1925, Charles had changed occupations and was a timber-getter. On 21st July 1925 a son was born, James, also in Maryborough. James attended Kilkivan State School when he turned 5 years old. Both Rita and James served in WW2. Rita served in the Australian Army Medical Women’s Service as Private QX 59845 (Q26711), enlisted on 18th January 1944 and was discharged on 3rd July 1946. James joined the 26th Battalion on 1 June 1945 as Private QX64042 and was discharged on 17th December 1946. Unfortunately Rita’s service record is not open, so not much information is known of her wartime experiences. Her Discharge certificate lists her as being in the Australian Army Medical Women’s Services from 16th December 1942 to 17th January 1944 and the A.A.M.W.S. (A.I.F.) from 18th January 1944 to 3rd July 1946. She had no overseas active service and 1296 days active service in Australia and was employed as a nursing orderly. There were no decorations or awards during that service and she was not issued a war badge. In James’ Attestation Form he was listed as a sawmill hand, single, age 19 years and 10 months, he had not been convicted by a court and had an educational qualification of 7th Grade standard. He listed next of kin as his mother, living at Kilkivan. His religious denomination was Methodist. On another form, he was described as age 20 years and 2 months, height 5 foot 8 inches, fresh complexion, auburn hair and small scars on his left leg. He embarked on Kanimbla from Sydney on 23rd March 1946 and arrived in Rabaul on the 31st. In April he was marched out to the 22nd Battalion and then transferred to A Company 26th battalion on 16th June. James may not have seen action as hostilities ceased in August, but the Battalion spent September 1945 to March 1946 in Rabaul for garrison duty. His service record states he was in New Guinea from 23rd March to 17th July 1946 and was with HQ 1 Salvage Depot, then 2 Division Salvage Unit, then 1 Advance Ammunition Depot. It also states his unit for discharge purposes was the 26th Battalion. He embarked on the Westralia on 12th July 1946 and arrived in Brisbane on the 17th. It appears he was previously granted an exemption in 1943 at Nambour. His form states he was not eligible for any medals. After the war James was a carpenter and lived in various locations around the Wide Bay.
Jane Crawford passed away on 19th October 1937 in Maryborough and was buried in the same plot as her husband in Monumental Section C plot 554, along with a daughter, Catherine, who had died in 1902 at the age of 22 years. Elizabeth Agnes Vary passed away on 17th September 1943 and is buried beside her husband in the Maryborough cemetery.
Charles and Jane were still at Kilkivan and he had the same occupation until after the 1954 Electoral Roll. Then he retired and they moved to 20 Coral St Urangan before 1958. They remained there. Before or during 1960 he must have been admitted to Wahroonga Nursing Home as on 13th August 1960 he passed away in Maryborough at Wahroonga and was buried in the cemetery in the Garden of Rest section in Plot 48 on the 15th. His death notice appeared in the Maryborough Chronicle on 15th August 1960 –
CRAWFORD – Charles Alexander James M.M., M.I.D.
At Wahroonga Hospital, Maryborough, on August 13, 1960, Charles Alexander James, beloved husband of Jane Robertson Crawford, of 20 Coral Street, Urangan, formerly of Kilkivan, beloved father of Rita (Mrs E. J. Crawford, Baddow), James (Gympie), father-in-law of Mr E. J. Crawford (Baddow); brother of John (Cairns), Sarah (Mrs Rossiter, Rockhampton), Faith (Mrs Sinclair, Maryborough). Aged 73 years..
Jane moved to Maryborough sometime between 1968 and 1972 and lived at 44 Richard St. Rita and her husband lived next door at number 42. Jane passed away in January 1985 and is buried in the same plot as Charles.
Charles’ medals are Military Medal, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal with oak leaf. He also applied for and received a Gallipoli Medallion.
ANZAC Biographies
On our website you will find the biographical details of ANZAC (as well as British) servicemen & women
whose medals or other memorabilia form part of the collection belonging to the
Maryborough Military & Colonial Museum,
Maryborough, Queensland, Australia.