10th Battalion, Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)
George Rainier Crawford was born in Murree, India on 28 May 1862 the son of Major Francis Haden Crawford of the 98th Regiment.
He was first commissioned into the Royal Lancaster Regiment in 1881. He later transferred to the Indian Army and rose to become a substantive Colonel in 1911 and Colonel of the 40th Pathan Regiment. He served with the Lushai expedition in 1889 and in Hazara in 1891 receiving the General Service medal with two clasps.
He was on the North West Frontier in 1897-98 and took part in the action at Landakai. He was present during the operations in Bajaur and in the Mamund country and later in Tirah, receiving the India medal with two clasps. He was again on the North West Frontier in 1908 in operations in Mohmand country and was mentioned in despatches published in the London Gazette of 14 August 1908.
In 1907 he married Katherine Maude Bladen, Superintendent of the Victoria Home for Nurses in Cheltenham. He retired from the Army in 1913 being invested as a Companion of the Order of the Bath. He and his wife came to live in Cheltenham at 2 Beechwood Villa, Hales Road, Cheltenham.
In 1914 when war broke out, although aged 52, he applied to be re-instated in the Army. Deemed too old for an active command, he was made Honorary Colonel of the 10th West Riding Regiment, a ‘Kitchener’ battalion then in training at Aldershot. The battalion went to France in July 1915, but George Crawford did not, of course, accompany them. In fact he died at home shortly afterwards, on 22 August 1915, aged 53 and is buried in Leckhampton (St. Peter) Churchyard.
To the above information can be added the fact that Colonel Crawford died at Winchester and his address there was Mount Twyford. No doubt this was connected with the Army, his wife still living in Cheltenham. She was granted probate over his estate, which amounted £698 9s 11d (£698.50). The cause of death, at a comparatively early age is not known.
Colonel Crawford’s grave is a stone cross, on which is noted some details of his military achievements and the fact that he was the son of Major Francis Haden Crawford.
Researched by Graham Adams 20 March 2013
Most of what is known of Colonel Crawford is contained in his entry in ‘Leaving all that was dear – Cheltenham and the Great War’ by Joe Devereux and Graham Sacker.