Name
Herbert Harry Crawley
15/02/1897
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
20/12/1916
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
31480
Machine Gun Corps
164th Coy.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
VLAMERTINGHE MILITARY CEMETERY
V. A. 10.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
UK & Other Memorials
Langleybury Village Memorial, Hunton Bridge, Not on the Kings Langley memorials
Pre War
Herbert Harry Crawley was born on 15 February 1897 in Kings Langley, Herts, the son of Walter (Wallace) Crawley (b. 1864) a Railway Platelayer and Agnes Crawley (1866 – 1902) (nee Seabrook). He was one of six children, Wallace E. (b. 1887), Rose E. (b.1889), Albert E (b. 1891), Charles (b. 1893), and Harold F. (b. 1901). He was baptised on 4 April 1897, in the Parish Church, Kings Langley.
On the 1901 Census Herbert aged 4, was living with his parents, and five siblings, in Railway Cottages, Langleybury, Herts. His grandmother Sarah Seabrook and his cousin Charles Seabrook were also living with them.
In 1902 his mother Agnes died aged 36. His father Walter remarried in March 1910, at St Paul’s Langleybury, Herts, to widow Marie Josephine (formerly Bainier (nee Spaetig)). They had one child George Walter Crawley in 1911.
On the 1911 Census the family were living at Fog Cottages, Kings Langley Station, Abbots Langley, Herts. 14 year old Herbert was then working as an assistant boot repairer.
Wartime Service
Herbert enlisted in Watford, Herts and joined the Bedfordshire Regiment with the service number 23184. He was later transferred to the 164th Company, Machine Gun Corps, (Infantry) with the new service number 31480 and was promoted to Lance Corporal.
He served on the Western Front and was killed in action on 20 December 1916. He is buried in the Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium. Grave Ref; V. A. 10.
Additional Information
He has a family inscription on his headstone. “GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN”.
His stepmother Maria received a war gratuity of £4 and pay owing of £5 11s 9d. She also received a dependant's pension of 5s a week.
His half-brother Flight Sergeant George Walter Crawley (1189146) was killed in WWII. He served with the Royal Air force (VR), No.1 Base Signal Radar Unit (B.S.R.U.) was aboard the Tank Landing Ship HMS LST-420 when it struck a mine outside Ostend Harbour, Belgium, on 7 November 1944, with the loss of 320 lives, only 31 survived.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne, Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
