Page 30 - Sylvia Malt - Side by Side

In 1910 Lt. Col. Crispin was given command of the 2nd Battalion, Royal Sussex Regiment
and assumed his fighting days were over. However, on the outbreak of War, orders were
received in August to depart for France. Taking part in the majority of the early battles of
Mons, the Regiment was then involved in the humiliating retreat. Hugh Crispin was one of
the ‘old school’ military officers, who was used to fighting hand-to-hand, and in his case,
normally on horse-back. But this European war was all about big guns. North Cray soldier,
Thomas Whiffen, summed it up: “this is not war, but scientific murder.” Hugh Trevor
Crispin, aged 46-years-of-age, was killed during the Battle of Ypres on 30th October 1914,
along with 42 of his men. Only two bodies were ever recovered for burial.

In Memoriam: Lt. Col. Crispin is remembered on the Menin Gate Memorial.

Harry & Richard THWAITES,
formerly of The Seven Stars Public House, Foots Cray

Londoner William Thwaites and his wife, Rosetta, took over the historic former coaching
Inn, TheSeven Stars pub in Foots Cray in the early 1890s. All their seven children, (six
sons and one daughter), were born in Foots Cray. By 1901, the eldest son, William, was an
apprentice to carpenter Bert Francis, who resided next door at the Mill built alongside the
River Cray which wends its way through the village and out to the Foots Cray meadows. All
the children attended the National Schools next to All Saints Church, which was first built
in 1818 and then rebuilt in 1882 to accommodate the expanding population.

By 1911, the Thwaites family had moved out of the claustrophobic atmosphere of the pub
to a more healthy life-style. William had decided to move his family to Chubs Farm in Foots
Cray High Street, where his sons, Harry and Richard, helped out with their small market
gardening business. The eldest son, William, had married and moved away. Another son,
Thomas, was working as a plumber.

Pte. Harry THWAITES 1st/13th Royal Kensington Battalion, The London
Regiment
1890-19th January 1917

Harry Thwaites was 24-years-old in 1914 when he enlisted at Woolwich Recruiting Office
with the London Regiment, which was later amalgamated with the 1st/13th Kensington
Battalion. First raised in 1860 by Lord Truro, the original sub-title “West London Rifles”
was altered in 1905 to “The Kensington Rifles” when the Regiment was adopted by the
Royal Borough of Kensington and granted permission for the cap badge to be made up of
the Coat of Arms of the Royal Borough, mounted centrally upon an eight-pointed star. In
February 1916, the Kensingtons transferred to the 56th London Division.

The 56th London Division began to concentrate in the Hallencourt area on 5th February and
was largely completed by 21st February 1916 and remained in France and Flanders, taking
part in several engagements during the many battles of the Somme.

Although Harry Thwaites survived many battles, he was unfortunately killed on 19h
January 1917.

In Memoriam: No known grave but is remembered on the Loos Memorial, France

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