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Private William George Crawford

 

William George Crawford was born on 27 March 1892 at Dickeystown, Glenarm, County Antrim, the second of three children of farmer James Crawford and his wife Elizabeth Agnes (née McRoberts). His mother died when he was just two years old. By the time of the 1911 Census he was living at Dickeystown with his father and step-mother and working on the family farm.

Crawford enlisted in the North Irish Horse on 23 July 1913 (No.857). He embarked for France with C Squadron on 20 August 1914, seeing action on the retreat from Mons and advance to the Aisne.

In June 1916 C Squadron combined with F Squadron and the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons Service Squadron to form the 2nd North Irish Horse Regiment, serving as corps cavalry to X Corps until September 1917, when the regiment was disbanded and its men transferred to the infantry. Like most, Crawford was posted to the 9th (Service) Battalion, Royal Irish Fusiliers – renamed the 9th (North Irish Horse) Battalion – on 20 September, joining it in the field at Ruyaulcourt five days later. He was issued regimental number 41488.

Crawford was wounded in the right foot and leg during the Battle of Cambrai, probably in the fighting for the village of Moeuvres on 22 and 23 November 1917. Evacuated to the UK for treatment, he saw no further active service during the war. On 29 August 1918 he was discharged, being no longer physically fit for war service (paragraph 392xvi, King's Regulations). He was granted a pension due to his wounds.

After the war Crawford returned to farming at Dickeystown. He died there on 29 March 1968.