Crofts, Sydney

260 Corporal Sydney Crofts - 28th Battalion AIF

Sydney Herbert Crofts was born on the 25th August 1896 in Fremantle to Sydney and May Crofts. He was one of eight siblings born into the family, with, Russell 1898, Mafeking 1900, John 1902, Joshua 1903, Letitia 1906, Dalmore 1909, and Mons 1915.

After leaving school Sydney took up a three year engineering apprenticeship in Perth. During this time he also served in the 35th Fortress Company Engineers of the Citizens Military Forces.

During this time he was living with his family in Claremont. 

On the 10th March 1915 Sydney enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was passed as fit, with the medical examiner recording Sydney's physical attributes as;

Height - 5 feet 6 & 1/2 inches tall;

Weight - 121lbs;

Chest Measurement - 32-33 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Grey;

Hair - Auburn.

After his successful enlistment Sydney was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp. He was initially sent to No.10 Depot Training Company and was then assigned to “D” Company of the 24^th Battalion AIF. Initially as part of the 2^nd Division AIF being formed, Western Australians would only supply a Company of men to the Victorian 24^th Battalion. However with the large amount of recruits enlisting in WA this 24^th Battalion Company was instead formed in Victoria and the West Australians were to create the new 28^th Battalion.

Sydney was taken on strength of “B” Company of the 28^th Battalion. He trained with them in WA for the next few months while they waited for their departure orders to arrive. These finally came through and on the 29^th June 1915 the men of the 28^th Battalion boarded the HMAT Ascanius in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for Egypt. Arriving in Egypt over three weeks later, Sydney and his battalion were then disembarked and sent into camp. They only remained training in Egypt for a month as on the 4^th September 1915, the 28^th Battalion boarded the HMAT Ivernia in Alexandria Harbour and set sail for Gallipoli.

The 28^th Battalion were allotted trenches near the Apex and Rhododendron Spur in the northern sector of the Anzac battlefield. By this stage of the campaign the 28^th Battalion were only required to hold the trenches and thus took no part in any major actions, however the Battalion still lost many men to wounds and sickness. Sydney served at Anzac through to December 1915 when the Battalion was evacuated from the peninsula. They were then sent to Lemnos Island; and in early January 1916 returned to Egypt. For the next two and a half months Sydney trained with the 28^th Battalion in the Egyptian desert as well as holding positions in the Suez Canal defence line. However on the 16^th March 1916 the 28^th Battalion returned to Alexandria where they boarded a troopship for France, arriving at Marseilles on the 21^st March 1916.

After arriving in France the 28^th Battalion was sent north to the vicinity of Armentieres where they went into the line at Fleurbaix and Bois Greiner. They would remain in this sector for the next few months and in July were moved to the Somme battlefield. The 1^st Australian Division captured Pozieres village and they were relieved on July 27^th by the 2^nd Division. An attack was planned for the 29^th July with the 28^th Battalion being given the most difficult task of advancing along the Pozieres Road which was the highest elevation in the area. The men bravely advanced but were met with a withering German machine gun fire and belts of unbroken barbed wire. Casualties were immense but Sydney came through unscathed. Sydney also took part in an attack on August 4th when the vital windmill position was captured.

After this action Sydney was promoted to Corporal.

In September 1916 the 28th Battalion were sent to Ypres Belgium for several weeks, which was then a quieter part of the front line. However in October 1916 they were returned to the Somme Battlefield.

In early November 1916 the 28th Battalion took part in an assault on German trenches at Flers. Conditions were horrendously muddy and the attack did not succeed despite the men getting into the German trench. During the attack Sydney was shot through the thigh.

It was a hard slog for the stretcher bearers to get him through the muddy conditions but he was successfully evacuated and was sent to the 38th Casualty Clearing Station. His wounds were treated here and was then sent on an ambulance train to Camiers where he was admitted to the 18th General Hospital. He was here for a few days but on the 10th November 1916 he was transported to England.

Sydney was then sent to the 1st Southern General Hospital in Birmingham. He remained here till the 24th November when he was transferred to the 2nd Australian Auxiliary Hospital. He spent six days here and was then transferred to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth.

Sydney remained at Weymouth until the 3rd February 1917 when he was transferred to Perham Downs Camp. Sydney's thigh wound meant that he would not be sent back to the Western Front but was utilised in the AIF Camps in England. He was on duty at Perham Downs through 1917.

In August 1917 he got married in Southampton to Ellen (Nellie) May Whatley; and they would have two children, brisxton born in England 1918 and Joan in WA in 1920.

Through 1918 Sydney remained working at the AIF Camp at Perham Downs before being transferred to Sutton Veny in November 1918.

On the 11th December 1918 Sydney and Ellen boarded the transport ship Saxon and set sail for WA, arriving in Fremantle on the 20th January 1919.

Sydney was discharged from the AIF on the 28th March 1919. He then resumed employment with the WA Government Railways. Sydney and Joan were now living in Claremont.

They then moved to the country town of Kondinin.

Sadly Nellie died in 1926 in Wooroloo Hospital WA.

In 1932 Sydney got married to Clydie Gertrude Ahern in Coolgardie and a daughter Letitia was born in 1934.

Sydney Crofts died on the 29th July 1972 in Morley aged 75. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery.

(Photo courtesy of Crofts family)