3/19180 Private Francis George Crook
9th(Service)Battalion
Devonshire Regiment
1st July 1916
Born in Witheridge,Devon in 1882. His parents are not known and Francis grew up with grandparents, George Crook
(1832-1912) and Elizabeth Sowden(born in 1831).
In both the 1891 & 1901 census' Francis was living in Witheridge, Devon. George was employed as an agricultural labourer and Francis in the 1901 census was shown as being employed as a carter on a farm.
On 25/10/1901 he enlisted into the Devonshire Regiment at Tiverton as Private 6792, joining in Exeter on 27/10/1901.
Details of his medical carried out at the time of enlistment are as follows;
Previous employment - Labourer, Age 19 years 7 Months,
Height 5 feet 4 inches, Weight 123 lbs, Chest measurement
minimum - 33 1/4 inches maximum expansion - 35 inches,
Complexion Fair,Eyes blue,Hair light brown.
He was posted to 2nd Battalion Devonshire Regiment on 23/07/1902 ,then posted to 1st Battalion on 23/10/1902.
1d good conduct pay was granted to him on 25/10/1903.
Francis was permitted to extend his period of army service to complete 8 years with the colours on the authority of O/C
1st Devons on 01/04/1904.
He was granted 2 good conduct badges on 25/10/1906.
On 21/12/1908 he was posted back to 2nd Battalion.
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He was transferred to army reserve section B on 24/10/1909 and then to section A on 07/02/1910,before then being re-transferred back to section B on 24/10/1910.
During his time in the army ,Francis served in the following places;
South Africa 23/07/1902- 22/10/1902
India 23/10/1902- 20/12/1908
Unknown 21/12/1908- 26/07/1909
Malta 27/07/1909- 08/10/1909
Home 09/10/1909- 24/10/1913(date of discharge).
On 27/03/1912 He married Ellen Louisa Bamson(1877-1928).
When war broke out,he re-enlisted in South Moulton and his date of disembarkation into France was on 06/10/1915.
He was killed in action on 01/07/1916.
He was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the 1914-1918 British War and the Allied Victory medals.
* His headstone has his surname incorrectly spelt as the records show that his surname was spelt without the e.
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