Crellin, Edward Henry

353 Private Edward Henry Crellin - 44th Battalion AIF

Edward Henry Crellin was born in Brunswick Victoria in 1892 to Mary and Henry Crellin. He was one of several siblings and when he was young the family moved across to Western Australia and took up residence in the port city. The family resided at 141 Hope Street White Gum Valley.

Edward, along with his older brothers were educated at White Gum Valley Primary School. After leaving school Edward took up an apprenticeship with Steadman and Sons in Fremantle. The apprenticeship was of five years duration and Edward learnt the art of cabinet making.

With the onset of the Great War, along with his elder brothers, Harold and Walter, they all enlisted into the AIF at different times in 1916.

On the 7th January 1916, Edward applied to enlist in the AIF. The medical examiner passed him as fit for service and recorded his physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 6 inches tall;

Weight - 131lbs;

Chest Measurement - 35-38 inches;

Complexion  -Fair;

Eyes - Grey;

Hair - Fair.

Distinctive marks - Tattoos of a Cobra, heart and cross.

After his successful enlistment Edward was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp and was initially assigned to No.44 Training Depot. From here Edward was assigned to "B" Company of the 44th Battalion.

He trained with this unit in WA until the 6th June 1916 when the 44th Battalion boarded the transport ship HMAT Suevic and set sail for England. After the long sea voyage the ship arrived at Plymouth on the 21st July 1916. Edward and his unit were then sent to the 3rd Australian Division Training grounds on the Salisbury Plains.

The next four months in England would be taken up with training but the men were also given periods of leave to see the sights of England.

In August 1916 Edward was sent to hospital with influenza but soon recovered. In September Edward also had a period of going absent without leave but was only admonished on his return and had no monetary penalty. When he did the same in November he had to forfeit two days pay and was given a day of Field Punishment No.2

On the 25th November 1916 the 44th Battalion was sent across to France and they were initially sent to the front line sector near Armentieres. They remained in this area till March 1917.

The Battalion then moved to Belgium and were in the Ploegsteert sector of Messines. Edward got into trouble on 24th April 1917 for not appearing at a parade and was given 2 days of Field Punishment No.1.

Edward's non appearance on his battalion parade is understandable given that he had learned that in March his brother Harold had been killed with the 28th Battalion at Lagnicourt and on April 11th 1917, Walter had been killed at Bullecourt while serving with the 16th Battalion. 

Edward served with the 44th Battalion through 1917, seeing action at Messines from June to August 1917 and at the Third Battle of Ypres in September and October 1917. He came through these actions unscathed and continued to served through the first few months of 1918.

Due to his older brothers having been killed, his mother wrote to the Army authorities asking if Edward could be sent back home.

The letter was sent up the chain of command and Edward was allowed to return home. However the army bureaucracy took it's time, and Edward was fully involved in the 44th Battalion's action at Sailly Laurette in March 1918, but fortunately he survived this action.

On the 11th May 1918 Edward went to England and he still had to wait a few months for a transport ship but at least he was out of the firing line. In September 1918 Edward boarded the transport ship Arawa, and reached Fremantle on the 10th November 1918.

Edward was discharged from the AIF on the 27th November 1918.

After initially staying in Fremantle Edward went to Victoria to live, residing at 80 Wolseley Parade, Newmarket Melbourne. He continued with his trade of cabinet making and later moved to Newmarket.

Edward Crellin died in Victoria on the 12th August 1955.