Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Memorial: | Helles Memorial | Panel 2 to 7. | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.120 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 35A GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | 1914 (Mons) Star Naval Long Service & Good Conduct Medal | ||
Family :
Born at Huthwaite, Mansfield, son of William and Mary Crafts, of 158, Haydn Rd., Sherwood, Nottingham.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: Portsmouth Bn. R.N. Div RMLI |
| Action : Gallipoli |
The Gallipoli Campaign was fought on the Gallipoli peninsula 25th April 1915 to 9th January 1916. in a failed attempt to defeat Turkey by seizing the Dardanelles and capturing Istanbul. Ill-conceived and planned, the initial effort by the Royal Navy failed to force passage through the Dardanelles by sea power alone. It was then realised that a land force was needed to support the project by suppressing the Turkish mobile artillery batteries. By the time all was ready the Turks were well aware and well prepared. Despite amazing heroics on the day of the landings only minor beachheads were achieved and over the succeeding 8 months little progress was made. Eventually the beachheads were evacuated in a series of successful ruses.
Despite Gallipoli rightly becoming a national source of pride to Australians and New Zealanders, far more British casualties were sustained, and these days the substantial French contribution is almost forgotten.
See also: Nottingham Country Council Roll of Honour, which shows:
"RND Casualties of the Great War, All Portsmouth Battalion casualties at Gallipoli are recorded on CWGC as having died on 6 May 1915. However, it is most likely that they were killed in the charge up Razor-Back Hill, Monash Valley, on 3 May 1915, but they might have been killed at Anzac Beachhead on any date between 28 April 1915 and 3 May 1915."
Detail :
Nottingham Evening Post 2th June 1915. CRAFTS. – Killed in action near the Dardanelles, May 25th, Colour-Sergeant Frank Herbert Crafts, Po/6400, R.M.L.I., Portsmouth Battalion, R.M. Brigade, R.N. Division, the beloved third son of William and Mary Crafts, of 158 Haydn-road, Sherwood, and grandson of the late Richard Crafts, of Balmoral-road. He loved the country of his birth, and died for it. - Mother, father, brothers, and sisters."
The portrait image is from the same publication.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Union of Malta No. 407 E.C. | Hampshire & IOW |
| Joined : | Lodge of Hope No. 2153 E.C. | Hampshire & IOW |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
27th July 1901 | 26th October 1901 | 4th December 1901 |
Joined Lodge of Hope No. 2153 from Union of Malta Lodge No. 407 on the 18th January 1906. Cleared from Malta 31st December 1903.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley