Gilly Roots…Crumplin…The South…The Surrey Hills.

This is my grandfather William Henry Crumplin, he was a First World War Veteran who was awarded medals for bravery, but apparently he never like to talk about it……So it’s left to me to do so! 

This is my grandfather William Henry Crumplin, he was a First World War Veteran who was awarded medals for bravery, but apparently he never like to talk about it……

Gilly Roots’ roots on my mother’s side are firmly planted on the Surrey/Hampshire border around Guildford, where most of them still live today……But a few have flown the coup as far as Australia!

This section is dedicated to my Auntie Lil, at 86 she is as bright as a button and without her help l would be struggling, God bless Auntie Lil (my mother’s sister). 

My grandfather…William Henry Crumplin.

William Henry CRUMPLIN (1896-1961)

Born 1896 (birth record 1896 Q2 Volume 2a Page 137 Farnham)

His parents were Henry/Harry CRUMPLIN (1857-1938) and Harriet AnnIe WOODERSON (1871-1952)

Below is my granddad Bill with his mother, my great-grandma Annie.  

So I will briefly tell my grandfather William Henry Crumplin’s story, of how he was a First World War Veteran awarded medals for bravery….My granddad Bill received The Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) which was an extremely high level award for bravery……

‘1685 Cpl. W. Crumplin, 7th Bn., E.W. Surr. Egt. (Farnham).
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in the attack on Tara Hill, on 23rd August, 1918, when, with two other men, he dashed out in front of our advancing line & quieted a machine gun, killing two of the crew and driving the rest off. Later, he went out alone and established connection with the battalion on the left. During the whole day’s fighting he set a fine example to all ranks’. ………….London Gazette, 14th Jan 1919

Military Medal
Obverse of medal and ribbon
Awarded by UK and Commonwealth
Type	Military decoration.
Eligibility	British and (formerly) Commonwealth forces
Awarded for	acts of gallantry and devotion to duty under fire
Status	Discontinued in 1993
Statistics
Established	25 March 1916 (back dated to 1914)
First awarded	1914
Precedence
Next (higher)	Distinguished Conduct Medal
Equivalent	Distinguished Service Medal Distinguished Flying Medal Air Force Medal
Next (lower)	Mention in Despatches

And also two Military Medals (MM) this was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the British Army and other services, and formerly also to personnel of other Commonwealth  countries, below commissioned rank, for bravery in battle on land. The medal was established on 25 March 1916. It was the other ranks’ equivalent to the Military Cross (MC).

 

For his bravery in the field he was appointed the King’s Sergeant, he was a very special, brave man and to be a King’s Sergeant is very rare, it has pretty much mythical standing in the army and it means that whatever happens only the King himself (well Queen now) can strip him of his appointment…..l am astonished and very proud to be a descendant of such a great man. 

 

It is so gratifying that l have been given these photographs of my granddad Bill, it gives me a picture of some parts of his life that l would not have known……Thank you so much my new-found cousins.

This is granddad Bill having a pint with his mates, he is the man in the army uniform. Ah love him! He’s the one l got the ears from….Sorry that l passed them on Honor Scarlett!!

 

 

Granddad Bill is on the right, he must’ve played cricket as this photograph is testimony to that, as he and company are all in whites……l will investigate this further?….

 

A picquet of the 10th Battalion, Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment) lie behind a wire ‘block’ on a road at St Jean during the Battle of the Lys, 29 April 1918. From the Imperial War Museum collection, with my thanks.

I wrote to Ash Museum…….And l received a wonderful response ……

Ash Museum…….. 

“I have found your granddad three times in the London Gazette, which can be viewed online”

 http://www.london-gazette.co.uk

Jan 1919 DCM for conspicuous gallantry at Tara Hill 23 August 1918.

Jun 1919 MM for bravery in the field.

Aug 1919 for second bar on his MM.   By then he was 1685 Sjt W Crumplin DCM MM 7th Bn Royal West Surrey Regiment (Farnham)”

The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment)

The Queen’s was sometimes known as the Mutton Lancers, after their “Lamb and Flag” cap badge.

7th (Service) Battalion
Formed at Guildford in September 1914 as part of K2.
September 1914 : attached to 55th Brigade, 18th (Eastern) Division.

My Granddad – Sjt W Crumplin DCM MM………….

9 ondongazettecrumplin_13 Jun_1919

1685 &jt: ‘Crumplin, W.,- D.CM., 7th Bn.
(Farnham).

9 londongazettecrumplin_20_aug_1919

1685 .Sjt. W. Crumplin, D.C.M., M.M., 7th
Bn., R.W. Surr. R. (Farnham).

9 londongazettecrumplin_14_Jan_1919

1685 Cpl. W. Crumplin, 7th Bn., E.W. Surr. Egt. (Farnham).
For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in the attack on Tara Hill,  on 23rd August, 1918,  when,  with two other men,  he dashed out in front of our advancing line and quieted a machine gun,  killing two of the crew and driving the rest off.  Later,  he went out alone and established connection with the battalion on the left.  During the whole day’s fighting he set a fine example to all ranks…………..London Gazette, 14th Jan 1919

EXCITING NEW INFORMATION……….THANK YOU SO MUCH TONY, TONY & I SHARE THE SAME GREAT X 4 TIMES GRANDFATHER WILLIAM CRUMPLIN !!!

Tony says “Our common ancestor is William CRUMPLIN (1753-1838).  He is George’s grandfather.  

He is your great x 4 grandfather and is also my great x 4 grandfather”.

 

William Henry CRUMPLIN (1896-1961)

Born 1896 (birth record 1896 Q2 Volume 2a Page 137 Farnham)

His parents were Henry/Harry CRUMPLIN (1857-1938) and Harriet AnnIe WOODERSON (1871-1952)

 

He is shown in the 1901 Census as living in Farnham………

 

Class: RG13; Piece: 614; Folio: 11; Page: 13

No 5 Birmingham Buildings, Bridge Square, Farnham, Surrey

 

Head – Henry CRUMPLIN aged 40 years born Farnham, Surrey – Bricklayers Labourer

Wife – Annie CRUMPLIN aged 29 years born Farnham, Surrey

Son – William Henry CRUMPLIN aged 4 years born Farnham, Surrey

Son – Arthur George CRUMPLIN aged 3 years born Farnham, Surrey

Daughter – Louisa Annie CRUMPLIN aged 1 year born Farnham, Surrey

 

In 1911 he is again in Farnham

 

Class: RG14; Piece: 3131; Schedule Number: 75

Badshot Lea, Farnham, Surrey

 

Head – Henry CRUMPLIN aged 50 years born Crondall, Hants – Farm Labourer

Wife – Annie CRUMPLIN aged 39 years born Farnham, Surrey – Married 16 years – 7 children – 7 living

Son – William CRUMPLIN aged 14 years born Farnham – Nursery Labourer

Son – Arthur CRUMPLIN aged 13 years born Farnham -School

Daughter – Louisa CRUMPLIN aged 11 years born Farnham, Surrey – School

Daughter – Mabel CRUMPLIN aged 8 years born Farnham, Surrey

Daughter – Dorothy CRUMPLIN aged 6 years born Farnham, Surrey

Daughter – Ellen CRUMPLIN aged 2 years born Farnham, Surrey

TONY(Marchant)…….“I found William Henry’s war medal card” …….

 

“The Medal card shows that he was Private (later Sergeant) G1685 in the Queens Regiment ( West Surrey regiment).  He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and Military Medal (as illustrated above) and also the Victory Medal, British Medal and Star Medal.  He first served in France”………My gratitude goes out to Tony Marchant for all this information.

Bill’s sisters Alice on the left & Edith [Edie]. The baby is Rosemary’s sister 1953. Rosemary is my granddad’s brother Arthur’s granddaughter

I remember my grandmother Minnie May as an ideal. I have this picture of her in my mind, she had a special presence and a smell that I can still bring to mind, warm pressed clean sheets, yes, that’s it! Of her allowing me to roll out the suet pastry for a syrup roly poly pudding, which was my favourite, she used to boil it wrapped in cloth…..It was the best ever!

 

Speaking to my long lost family I recalled the pets and remembered that my Nan Minnie May had a cat, a ginger tom called Sandy and l dressed this cat up in little clothes, maybe baby or dollies clothes, l loved it, although if l did this today l would probably be arrested by the animal police! 

l think l was thoroughly spoilt ha ha. l remember being happy, also there was some kind of fir or pine trees near to Nan’s and l have always really loved that smell too….It was because of happy memories l expect……I’ve been told more than once that my Nan doted on me.

My very first memory was of being in a large carriage pram outside in the front garden, with a cat net protecting me. Two women were gossiping beside the pram and were saying nothing is too good for this child and that l was the ‘apple of my grandmother’s eye’……What a strange and quite random memory to have? Maybe l held onto this as proof that I was once cherished and part of a family that loved me.

Everyone speaks well of my nan, well nearly everyone!

So why the bad blood between my dad and my nan?…….. My guess is she didn’t just stand by, but spoke up against my father marrying the evil Audrey, she was a strong woman who’d had a difficult life and she was born under the sign of Taurus, just like my Corrina, intuitive, formidable, but fair. It’s a strange thing, but pretty much all of my close relatives are born under the sign of Taurus, my granddad Bill was born on the 1st May, my dear mother was born on the 8th May, my nan Minnie May was born on the 9th May, & of course last but not least my first child was born on the 13th May, to me, a firm astrology freak, this is mighty significant! Now my dad on the other hand was far from fair born as he was on the Leo/Virgo cusp he had the worst Leo trait, that of thinking he was right when in fact he was very wrong, an arrogance which made him believe he couldn’t/shouldn’t be questioned. I would not, nor would I ever, under any circumstances have made the same devastating decisions…..They were truly irredeemable and disastrous! My verdict is critical…..I belonged with my nan, it’s where l should have stayed.