Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Joseph William Craggs was the eldest of 3 children, 2 sons and a daughter, all of whom survived. His father William Sheldon Craggs of Satley, County Durham, born 1860, the son of William Craggs quarryman/mason, married at Muggleswick, County Durham in 1893 to Jane Ann Thompson born 1870 at Waskerley. Joseph William was born 1895 followed by John Sheldon, June 26th 1896 and Lilian Susannah in 1902. William had followed in his father’s footsteps and worked from home, at Satley, for his own account as a stone mason. In the census of 1911 he is listed only with John (14) who is specified as unemployed, while Jane Ann and daughter Lilian Susannah are entered as visitors at her parents' farm, Horsley Hope Mill, Joseph William was living at Tow Law and employed by farmer Joseph Curry of Woodburn, as a cowman.
Aged 20 years 9 months Joseph William left his work as a horseman at Derwent Grange Farm, Castleside, enlisted at Consett, December 11th 1915 and was transferred to the Army Reserve. Mobilised April 26th 1916 he was posted as Private 31866 to the 16th Battalion Durham Light Infantry joining his regiment at Penkridge Bank Camp for training in preparation for being drafted to the front. Private Craggs departed with his regiment from Folkestone, August 8th 1916, arriving at Boulogne that same day. He remained at base camp until August 28th when he was posted to the 12th Battalion, 68th Brigade, 23rd Division, joining them in the field 2 days later at Armentieres where they had been in reserve for most of the month. Having returned to the Somme, October 7th 1916, assisted by a tank they attacked the Tangle, a complex of trenches and machine guns, east of La Sars, taking 70 German prisoner for the loss of 30 men killed and 80 wounded. After the battle the battalion left the Somme for Ypres on the Belgian salient. Private Craggs, November 9th 1916, is recorded as having been wounded, however, this did not require any significant treatment, he was checked at duty. The battalion spent the winter of 1916 and spring 1917 in and out of the mud filled trenches of the salient. May 15th 1917 whilst on active service Private 31866 Joseph William Craggs received a shrapnel wound and succumbed to his wounds on the battlefield from where he was taken and interred at Vlamertinghe Military Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, near Ypres, Belgium, grave VI. M. 6. He was 22 years of age and single.
Having nominated his mother Jane Ann as sole beneficiary she received all monies due to him and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal sent to her at Horsley Hope Hill, Waskerley. She commissioned at a cost of 16 shillings 4 pence an additional inscription to be added to his military headstone, it reads, “Ever Remembered by Father, Mother, Brother & Sister Thy Will Be Done.”
John Sheldon Craggs would have been eligible for military service, however, no record has been found. He married Gertrude Lonsdale, born July 26th 1898, in 1923, with whom he had 2 sons, Joseph William, May 30th 1924 and John, July 21st 1928. Living at Lanchester in 1939 with his wife and children he was employed as a blast furnace barrow-man. John Sheldon Craggs of 2, Moorland View, Castleside aged 54 years, died July 1st 1950 at the Emergency Hospital, Shotley Bridge, leaving effects in the sum of £564 16s 5d to his widow Gertrude.
Lilian Susannah Craggs did not marry and died at Lanchester in 1922 aged 20 years.
William Sheldon Craggs died July 25th 1935 aged 75 years registered district of Lanchester. Jane Ann Craggs nee Thompson aged 79 years in 1949, Durham Central.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Joseph William Craggs is remembered at Muggleswick on M48.02 and M48.03
He is also remembered in The DLI Book of Remembrance page 119
