Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Edward Craddock, one of 5 children was the youngest of 2 sons and had 3 younger sisters. His father John Craddock born at Sunderland in 1885 at the age of 17 was unemployed and took the decision, January 24th 1904 to enlist in the Army. As Private 8736 he was assigned to the Durham Light Infantry 2nd Battalion, as of December 8th 1905 served in India with the 1st Battalion D.L.I. returning to England, March 2nd 1907 and transferred to the Army Reserve, March 6th.
His father met and married at the parish church Middle Hendon, Sunderland, April 4th 1908, Mary Elizabeth Smith born at Clangate Moor, Durham in 1888, with whom over the next 5 years he had 4 children, John Jnr in 1908, Edward 1909, Mary Elizabeth 1911 whilst they were living at 7, Maud’s Lane, Sunderland and Ruth in 1913. When war was declared July 28th 1914 John was recalled to the Colours and assigned under his old military number as Private 8736 Durham Light Infantry to the 2nd Battalion, August 5th 1914. When he departed for France, September 7th 1914, his wife Mary Elizabeth was pregnant with their fifth child.
Edward’s father was killed in Belgium, May 3rd 1915, initially buried at Le Bizet Convent Military Cemetery, Ploegsteert, post war the 88 burials from the United Kingdom and one from Canada who fell between October 1914-October 1915, were exhumed and brought into Strand Military Cemetery, 12.5 kilometres from Ypres, Belgium, October 20th 1920 and re-buried with military honours. Private 8736 John Craddock Durham Light Infantry is at rest grave X. G. 4. Recipient of the 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
His mother who had given birth to his sister Elizabeth Ann just prior to his father’s death, in 1918 re-married at Sunderland to widower Jack E. Cheverton, born 1878 at Horsham, Surrey, who had 6 children of his own. Unfortunately she was widowed for a second time when he died at Sunderland in 1935 aged 57 years. Mary Elizabeth Cheverton-Craddock nee Smith died aged 80 years in 1968, registered at Sunderland, County Durham.
During WW2 Edward Craddock enlisted, assigned as Trooper 3460788 4th Queen’s Own Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps. The regiment was posted to the Middle East arriving December 31st 1940 and as part of the 1st Armoured Brigade, 6th Australian Infantry Division fought in the Greek Campaign as the rear guard in the Corinth Bridge Campaign. Having been overrun and losing over 400 officers and men taken as prisoners of war in June 1941 the regiment was reconstructed in Cairo. Trooper Craddock arrived in Egypt and posted with his regiment to the 1st Armoured Brigade. Their numbers were badly depleted during the Battle of Gazala in May 1942 losing almost an entire squadron and amalgamated in June with a squadron from the 8th King’s Royal Irish Hussars to form the 4th/8th Hussars for the Battle of Alam el Haifa in August 1942 and the Battle of El Alamein.
Trooper 3460788 Edward Craddock 4th Queen’s Own Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps, is deemed to have died in the service of his Country between August 30th-31st 1942, he was 33 years of age and is at rest within El Alamein War Cemetery, Egypt, collective grave XXXIII. G. 23, having been brought into the cemetery for re-burial from I. S. El Himeimat, January 28th 1944. Awards 1939-45 Star, also entitled to the Africa Star, instituted by the United Kingdom, July 8th 1943, for those who served in North Africa between June 20th 1940 and May 12th 1943.
In God’s safe keeping. Rest In Peace.
Edward Craddock is not remembered on a local War Memorial.
