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Dec 4, 1886
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Born in Clarkston, Scotland to William James and
Annie T (nee Thomson) Crooks
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Aug 7, 1915
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Attested into the 64th Battalion in
Sydney, Nova Scotia
Ø Number 469389
Ø Next of kin given as Mrs. Annie Wilson Hamilton Crooks, wife, 669
Glasgow Rd., Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland
Ø Previous occupation given as Accountant
Ø Previous military experience given as 4 years with the 8th
Volunteer Battalion, Royal Scots in Scotland
Ø Religion given as Presbyterian
Ø Assigned to “C” Company
His brother Samuel Crooks, MC also joined the 64th Battalion
2 weeks later.
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Oct 1, 1915
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Appointed to the rank of Acting Corporal, this
was originally recorded as “Corporal” but amended later to read
“Acting”.
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Dec 1, 1915
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Appointed to the rank of Acting Sergeant, this
was originally recorded as “Sergeant” but amended later to read
“Acting”.
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Mar 31, 1916
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Embarked the SS Adriatic in Halifax, Nova Scotia
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Apr 9, 1916
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Disembarked in Liverpool, England
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Jul 6, 1916
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Posted to the 40th Reserve Battalion
in Shorncliffe to continue training
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Jul 13, 1916
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Posted to the 21st Battalion
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Jul 14, 1916
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Arrived at the CBD (Canadian Base Depot) in the
Rouelles Camp, Havre, France as part of a draft of 76 reinforcements from England and TOS
(Taken On Strength) the 21st Battalion and reverted to the rank of
Private
His brother Samuel Crooks, MC was with him
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Aug 5, 1916
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Left the CBD and joined the 2nd
Entrenching Battalion in the Halifax Camp
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Aug 22, 1916
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Left the entrenching battalion with his brother
and joined the 21st Battalion resting in the Quebec Camp as part of a draft of
20 reinforcements
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Sep 15, 1916
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During the battalion’s advance on a German
strong point in a sugar refinery as part of the battle for Courcelette, Private William
Crooks was first reported wounded, then reported to have been killed in action. He was initially buried ½ mile south of
Courcelette in a temporary grave.
When the war had ended, the Graves Registration
Commission exhumed his remains and reburied him the Pozieres British Cemetery, Ovillers-La-Boiselle
France
Following the
war the British War Medal, Victory Medal, Plaque (Dead Man’s Penny), Scroll and
Memorial Cross were sent to his widow, Mrs. Annie Crooks, c/o Mr. Joseph Hamilton, 66
Glasgow Rd., Blantyre, Lanarkshire, Scotland. The package had been mailed to various addresses
before being accepted at that address.
A Memorial Cross (shown below) was sent to his mother, Mrs.
A.T. Crooks, 15 Pleasant St., Sydney, Nova Scotia
His brother, Samuel, survived the war and returned
to Nova Scotia
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