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Jun 22, 1895
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Born
in County Antrim, Ireland
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Mar 8, 1913
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Embarked the SS
Canada at Liverpool England
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Mar 16, 1913
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Disembarked at
Halifax Nova Scotia and declared his destination as being Winona Ontario. He declared his occupation as being a Farm
Labourer
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Nov 7, 1914
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Attested into the 21st
Battalion at Kingston Ontario
Ø Number
59218 (temporary number 415)
Ø Next
of kin given as Mr. TW McGarry (relationship not given, but Thomas William McGarry was the
Member of the Provincial Parliament for Renfrew at this time)
Ø Previous
occupation given as Laborer
Ø No
previous military experience given
Ø Religion
given as Roman Catholic
Ø Assigned
to “D” Company
o This
was later reorganized into “B” Company
His medical notes
his eye colour as being Blue, while on discharge in 1919, his eye colour is noted as being
Black
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May 6, 1915
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Embarked the RMS
Metagama at Montreal Quebec
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May 15, 1915
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Disembarked at
Devonport England and proceeded to the West Sandling Camp, near Hythe, Kent
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Sep 14, 1915
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Embarked the St
Seiriol at Folkestone
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Sep 15, 1915
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Disembarked at
Boulogne France and proceeded to St Omer
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Oct 15, 1915
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Sentenced to 5 days
FP (Field Punishment) #2 for being absent from the 1.45 pm parade at La Clytte
It is of interest
to note that the Battalion was forming up in order to proceed into the front line trench,
and that he was only 1 of 37 men punished for being absent from that parade
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Apr 6, 1916
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Admitted to the CCS
(Casualty Clearing Station) with a bullet wound to left foot, which entered from above,
during the fighting at the St Eloi Craters
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Apr 8, 1916
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Transferred to No 3
Canadian General Hospital at Boulogne
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Apr 14, 1916
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Invalided to England
aboard the Hospital Ship Cambria
Posted to the
CCAC (Canadian Casualty Assembly Centre) while in hospital
The Part II
Orders entry for this shows his rank as Pte
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Apr 15, 1916
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Transferred to the
Bagthorpe Military Hospital at Nottingham
On admission to
hospital, his rank is shown as L/Cpl, but I could find no entry in the Part II Orders or
in his Casualty Forms for this appointment. From
this date, until July 19, 1917, his rank is shown as L/Cpl
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Jun 4, 1916
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Transferred to the
Ontario Military Hospital at Orpington
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Jun 15, 1916
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Surgery performed to
remove bone and bullet fragments from his foot
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Jul 15, 1916
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Transferred to the
Canadian Convalescent Hospital at Bromley Kent
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Jul 18, 1916
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Transferred to the
Military Convalescent Hospital at Epsom
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Jul 31, 1916
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Medical Board at
Shorncliffe determines that he will be fit for duty after 6 weeks of Physical Training
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Aug 2, 1916
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On Command to the 1st
CCD (Canadian Convalescent Depot) at Monks Horton for Physical Training
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Sep 2, 1916
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Granted 10 days
leave
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Sep 14, 1916
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At duty from leave
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Sep 15, 1916
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Transferred to the 9th
Reserve Battalion at Shorncliffe
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Sep 27, 1916
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Posted to the 21st
Battalion
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Sep 28, 1916
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Arrived at CBD
(Canadian Base Depot) at Havre France and TOS (Taken On Strength) the 21st
Battalion
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Oct 14, 1916
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Rejoined the 21st
Battalion in the field
The Battalion had just moved into
billets in the town of Divion in the Hallicourt-Bruay-Divion Billeting area
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Feb 13, 1917
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Attached to 4th
Brigade HQ as Bomber Sgt
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May 19, 1917
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The Battalion’s
War Diary announced his being awarded the Military Medal for his actions during the
fighting for Vimy Ridge. He was presented
with his medal on this date by Lieut Gen Sir J Byng KCB, KCMG, MYO
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Jul 9, 1917
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Awarded the Military
Medal per the London Gazette #30172
The Citation reads
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to
duty. This NCO was in charge of a party bringing up ammunition and bombs to the
forward area in daylight. When the party was subjected to heavy shrapnel and HE
shell fire, with great coolness and skill he rallied the party, and led tem through
without a casualty, and succeeded in establishing a very important forward dump.
AFW 3121 17-4-17
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Jul 19, 1917
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Promoted to rank of
Sgt to replace Sgt Cage 404512, who was Killed in Action on this date.
His previous rank
is shown as Pte
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Sep 19, 1918
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Granted 14 days
leave
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Oct 7, 1918
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Rejoined Battalion
from leave
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Jan 31, 1919
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The Battalion’s
War Diary notes that Sgt Crossey is entitled to wear the ribbon for the 1914-15 Star
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Apr 3, 1919
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Embarked the SS
Western Australia at Havre
Disembarked in
England and proceeded to the Witley Camp
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Apr 4, 1919
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TOS “P”
Wing at CCC (Canadian Concentration Camp) at Witley pending return to Canada
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Apr 30, 1919
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The
Battalion’s War Diary notes that he was presented with his Military Medal by Brig-Gen
R Rennie CB, CMG, MVO, DSO on parade at the Witley Camp.
For some reason this is the second
presentation of this medal to Sgt Crossey. See
the entry above for May 19, 1917.
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May 14, 1919
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Embarked the RMS
Caronia at Liverpool
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May 22, 1919
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Disembarked at
Halifax Nova Scotia and proceeded by train to Kingston Ontario
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May 24, 1919
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Discharged from
the CEF at Kingston Ontario
Ø War Service Badge Class “A” issued, number 277404
Ø Proposed residence on discharge – Renfrew Ontario
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Jun 20, 1919 From
the Renfrew Newspaper
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Jan 24, 1921
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Entered the
United States at Detroit Michigan with the stated purpose of visiting his cousin, A
Cybalsky at 184 Fort St. E, Detroit. He
estimated that he would remain in the USA for a period of 2 weeks. He gave the name of A Ritza of Renfrew Ontario as
a contact person in Canada
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Aug 5, 1921
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British War
Medal and Victory Medal sent to him c/o the Post Office at Renfrew Ontario
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May 7, 1923
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Married to
Anastatia Ritza at Renfrew Ontario
On the
marriage registration form he lists his occupation as Automobile Mechanic
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