Critchlow-William-Henry-Cecil

To honour those who served their country

“In this their finest hour”

WW1

1914 - 1918

9943

Sergeant

William Henry Cecil Critchlow

1896 - Born Manchester, Lancashire

Son of Nellie Roe Critchlow

1901 Census - Aged 5, Lived at Grindley Brook, Whitchurch, Shropshire with his Aunt.

Lived with an Aunt upto enlisting.

Occupation when enlisting given as ‘Market Gardener’.

His army record has his birth as 1894, he would have been under age in 1912 at 16 years old, so he gave his age as 18 years 9 months (born 1894).

British Army Enlistment Papers

(Click on image or above link to enlarge)

Cheshire Regiment

1st Battalion

‘D’ Company

Service

William’s hospital records in RED

1912/08/26 - Stationed Home

1913/10/02 - Report by commanding Officer:-

“Very Hard Working and Willing, Reliable”

1913/12/11 - Stationed India

1914/08/04 - The 1st Battalion was stationed at Londonderry as part of the 15th Brigade of the 5th Division.

1914/08/16 - Mobilised for war and landed at Havre and engaged in various actions on the Western Front including;-

1914:-

Aug. 23rd - The Battle of Mons and subsequent retreat
Aug. 26th - The Battle of Le Cateau and the Affair of Crepy-en-Valois
Sep. 6th - The Battle of the Marne
Sep. 13th - The Battle of the Aisne
Oct. 8th - The Battles of La Bassee and Messines
Oct. 23rd - William was listed as being at "3rd Northern General Hospital, Sheffield" on the 23rd October 1914. This man was entitled to wear a "Wound Stripe" as authorised under Army Order 204 of 6th July 1916. The terms of this award being met by their naming in this list. (DT25111914)
Nov. 11th - The First Battle of Ypres.

1915:-

Apr. 17th - The Capture of Hill 60.
Apr. 23rd - The Second Battles of Ypres

1916:-

Battles of the Somme
Jul. 20th - The Attacks on High Wood
Sep. 3rd - The Battle of Guillemont
Sep. 18th - The Battle of Flers-Courcelette
Sep. 25th - The Battle of Morval
The Battle of Le Transloy.

1917:-

Apr. 9th - The Battle of Vimy Ridge
Apr. 23rd - The Attack on La Coulotte
May 3rd - The Third Battle of the Scarpe
Jun. 28th - The Capture of Oppy Wood
Oct. 1st - The Battle of Polygon Wood
Oct. 4th - The Battle of Broodseinde
Oct. 9th - The Battle of Poelcapelle
1917/10/07 - British Expeditionary Force, France, Entrained Rouen. Detrained Le Havre. William’s Medical Records of 31st Ambulance Train. Trip No.137. To Hospital and HM Ambulance Transport Essequibo.
1917/10/19 - William admitted to hospital with Gunshot Wound to left forearm. Ward ‘D’ No. T5281. (NLS 1917_Wlist14)
1917/10/19 - Discharged from Hospital
Oct. 21st Stationed Home
Nov. 2nd - Entitled to wear a "Wound Stripe" as authorised under Army Order 204 of 6th July 1916. The terms of this award being met by being named in this list.

1918/05/25 - Posted from 1st Battalion to 3rd Battailion

Rank now a Sergeant

3rd Battalion, Cheshire Regiment

1918/11/11 - At 5:00 am, an armistice with Germany was signed in a railroad carriage at Compiegne. At 11am on 11 November 1918 “the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month” a ceasefire came into effect. Now known as Armistice Day or Remembrance Day.

1919/06/20 - Army discharged as ‘Physically unfit for further war service’.

Awarded Silver War Badge.

The Silver War Badge was issued in the United Kingdom to service personnel who had been honourably discharged due to wounds or sickness during World War I. The badge, sometimes known as the Discharge Badge, Wound Badge or Services Rendered Badge, was first issued in September 1916, along with an official certificate of entitlement.

The sterling silver lapel badge was intended to be worn in civilian clothes. It had been the practice of some women to present white feathers to apparently able-bodied young men who were not wearing the King's uniform. The badge was to be worn on the right breast while in civilian dress, it was forbidden to wear on a military uniform.

1921/05/16 - Receipt of British War Medals


1914-15 Star	British War Medal	Victory Medal	Military Medal

Post War

After being discharged from the army William went to Ireland and worked for the Royal Irish Constabulary in Limerick it was during this time that he met Cecily.

1922 - William married Cecily Slattery, at Marylebone, London

1922/10/19 - William Henry Cecil Critchlow, age 26, and his wife Cecily Critchlow, age 19, of 23, Duke Street, Manchester, sailed from London to Melbourne, Victoria, Australia in the SS Beltana, P & O Branch Service.

1928/08/05 - Birth of daughter Patricia, Singapore

1931/09/04 - Mr W.H.C. Critchlow, his wife and daughter, sailed from London to Singapore in the SS Naldera, P & O S. N. Co.. Occupation Crown Agent.

1939/06/30 - Mr W.H.C. Critchlow, his wife, daughter (age 10) and son (age 4), sailed from London to Singapore in the SS Carthage, P & O S. N. Co.. Occupation Crown Agent.

1939/06/01 - Mr W.H.C. Critchlow, his wife, daughter (age 10) and son (age 4), sailed from Southampton to Singapore in the SS Carthage, P & O S. N. Co.. Occupation Crown Agent.

WW2

1939 - 1945

Civilian

Singapore

Occupation in Singapore was given as a British Crown Agent

1941/12/08 - The Japanese declared war on Great Britain by attacking North Malaya.

1942/01/31 - By this time the Japanese were very close to the Island of Singapore and William was able to get his wife Cecily, daughter Patricia and son James on the “Empress of Scotland” and they were evacuated. The ship was renamed in October 1942 as at the time of Cecily’s evacuation she was called “Empress of Japan”.

Cecily chose to disembark at Durban, South Africa. Their places were taken by a group of sailors, who presumably needed to get back to England as quickly as possible.

Japanese Internee

1942/02/15 - Captured Singapore

1942/06 - Changi Jail Roll (Occupation Government Servant)

Roll for 1943 - Believed to be a Prison Officer

Transferred to Sime Road

1945/09 - Liberated Singapore and joined Cecily in Durban, they decided to go to England to live but unfortunately William’s health had deteriorated.