CWGC Headstone
Medal Index Card
Newcastle Journal Saturday 08/09/1917
Darlington and Stockton Times Saturday 12/03/1911
George Crowe was born in 1897, the youngest of 4 boys to George Crowe Senior, born 1st March 1860, Kelloe, died 9th March 1911, and his wife Jane Ann, [nee Bulman], born 1866 at Wolsingham, died on the 3rd March 1933, 2nd daughter of George Lindsay Bulman and Isabella Bulman, at Low West House Farm, East Hedleyhope, near Tow Law. They were married in October 1891.
The other three brothers were William Crowe, born 12th May 1894, died 8th December 1961, [married a Mary Davies, born 31st October 1896, died 1965], in 1916, they had four children, George Crowe, born 15th July 1915, died 1987, Olive Crowe, born 20th September 1916, died 1994, Anne Crowe, born 5th May 1926 died 1957 and one other not known. In 1939 they were residing at 1 Brown Houses, Tow Law Durham. His effects in the sum of £322 were left to his widow Mary.
Thomas Goodburn Crowe, born 10th December 1896, died October 1956, married an Elizabeth [nee Davis], born 4th July 1902, in 1922. They had 2 children, Ethel born 23rd June 1924 who married a man named Brewer and one other not known, in 1939, they were residing at 2 Dyke Nook Cottage, Lanchester, Durham, and Joseph Elliott Crowe born in 1892, who died on the 16th September 1916 in the first use of the Tanks in combat.
George Crowe was training to be an Engineer, but was working at the Family farm at Low West House Farm with his brothers William and Thomas. Joseph was residing at his widowed Aunts house, Jane Holroyd, at 23 Bridge Street, Tow Law.
George Crowe Senior was killed in a tragic accident when George was helping to unload heavy furniture from a wagon, when he slipped and fell under a wheel which run over his chest killing him instantly.
By 1911, Joseph had moved to 62, High Street, Tow Law. The rest of the family were still residing at the Low West House Farm.
George Cave enlisted at Crook, in April 1916 and was assigned service number 31413, for basic training, to the 11th Reserve Cavalry Regiment at Tidworth. [Men who enlisted into the cavalry, either as volunteers or conscripts, served with the cavalry reserve to carry out their basic training. Many were not, however, posted to a cavalry regiment overseas but were converted into infantry or other corps before being sent there], which in early 1917 was absorbed into the new 5th Reserve Regiment. George was transferred as Private 40454 to the Yorkshire Regiment and departed to France where he was posted to the 8th Battalion who were in action on the Ypres salient in Belgium. The battalion participated at the Battle of the Menin Road Ridge, 20th September to the 25th and Polygon Wood 26th September to the 3rd October 1917.
Private 40454, George Crowe Yorkshire Regiment was killed in action 29th September 1917, and interred at Menin Road South Military Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium, grave III. B. 1. He was 19 years of age and single.
His mother received all monies due to him, and his awards of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The news of George’s death came within a matter of days of the 1 year anniversary of his brother Joseph Elliott Crowe’s demise, declared as presumed to have died in action on the Somme, on or since September 16th 1916 and who also has no known grave.
George's War Medal was returned to the Medal Office to be re-issued with the correct details in 1921.
George Crowe is remembered at Tow Law on T57.01 and at Satley on S116.01
