David Alfred Crockett
Army Form W3009 Field Return form
Newcastle Evening Chronicle Monday 02/04/1945
David was born in 1921 and worked for the Evening Chronicle Newspaper as a compositor night worker in the Lino type section of the printing works.
He was the son of George Alfred Crockett, born Warrington, Lancashire, 28th January 1878, Newspaper Printer Retired, died 1962, and Margaret Emily, [nee Atkinson], Crockett, born Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 29th December 1879, they were married in 1909.
In 1911 they were residing at 29 Whitefield Terrace, Heaton, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne, Heaton, Northumberland. By 1920 they had moved to 98 Whitfield Terrace.
By 1928 were at 28 Denewell Avenue, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England.
We believe they had four children? however in 1939, George P.Crockett, born 18th March 1913, Printer Copy, Kenneth N. Crockett, born 10th Jun 1915, Clerk Builders, Ivy E. Cail (Crockett), born 2nd June 1917, a Waitress, all residing at 28 Denewell Avenue, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Northumberland, England.
David enlisted at Newcastle-upon-Tyne at the Royal Artillery Barracks.
The photograph shows the "Crossed Keys" Divisional badge of the 2nd British Infantry Division, which was part of General Slim's British Fourteenth Army. He was in the 506th Field Company Royal Engineers.
For this speedy advance credit to the Royal Engineers. One hundred and eighty diversions were made round blown bridges, fifty bridges repaired to take our heavy traffic, five hundred road blocks were cleared and seven light aircraft strips built.
Source : Burma Star Association
David was killed between 1 am and 8 am on the 15th March by a small party of Japanese infantry who had infiltrated into the area [MR 461458], where a Field Emergency bridge had recently been constructed at Taukshagon, they also wounded a sapper at the same time.
David Alfred Crockett is remembered in Heaton on H91.02, H91.06, and H91.41 and in Newcastle on NUT069 and on NUT125
