Henry Walter Crisp

Submitted by Mt Kembla Minin... on Tue, 10/10/2017 - 10:05

First Name:

Henry

Middle Name:

Walter

Last Name:

Crisp

Date of Birth:

Thursday, June 12, 1879

Mother's Name:

Amy Crisp nee Slee

Father's Name:

Walter Crisp

Date Enlisted:

Wednesday, August 19, 1914

Rank at Enlistment:

Colour Sergeant

Rank at Discharge:

Warrant Officer 2 (Company Sergeant Major)

Unit:

3rd Battalion

Company:

Service:

Infantry

Awards:

1914/1915 Star

British War Medal

Victory Medal

Date of Death:

Friday, November 12, 1965

Place of Death:

Sydney

Details:

Henry Crisp (Service No 81) was born in Dalston, England. Before emigrating to Australia he had served with the Queens Westminster Rifles. He married Minnie Crowley in London on 12th September 1903 and arrived in Australia with his wife and son in June 1913.

At enlistment Henry was 35 years old, worked as a civil (public) servant and lived in Kiama, N.S.W. Henry was immediately given the rank of Colour Sergeant, a non-commissioned title ranking above Sergeant and below Warrant Officer 2. He embarked from Sydney with 3rd Battalion, A Company on board HMAT A14 Euripides on 19th October 1914.

Henry arrived in Egypt in December 1914 and was promoted to Company Sergeant Major on 1st January 1915. Training troops for combat would have been his main duty. The 3rd Battalion landed on Gallipoli on 25th April and Henry saw service for the duration of the campaign.

Henry served until 28th July 1915 when he was wounded in action, and evacuated to hospital for treatment of shrapnel wounds to his head. He was eventually sent on to hospital in England and when he returned to duty he remained in England on training duties.

He was sent to France on 15th October 1917 and served on the Western Front until September 1918.

He returned to Australia on guard duty in October 1918 and was discharged from the AIF on 26th January 1919.

Henry returned to his job with the State Metal Quarry as paymaster in Kiama.

Henry died in Sydney in 1965; his service is commemorated on the Kiama Memorial Arch and Honour Rolls.

Sources:

NAA: C138, C29429