Lives of the First World War

Source information

ID: 5647763

Reference: RG 150, Accession 1992-93/166, Box 2094 - 25

Title: Canadian Attestation Papers

Description: At the time of their enrollment in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, Officer’s completed a Declaration Paper, volunteers a two sided Attestation Paper and conscripts a single sided Enlistment form. They each contain brief details about the individual. Images supplied by Libraries and Archives Canada. This source was connected by Imperial War Museums.

UPP: GBM/CAN-ATT/123904

Credit: © Libraries and Archives Canada

Source information

ID: 9125721

Title: The Little Gaddesden Roll of Honour

Description: The Roll of Honour, which hangs in St Peter & St Paul's Church, Little Gaddesden and lists 119 names of those from Little Gaddesden, Ringshall and Hudnall who served in the 1914 – 1918 War. Men who have answered their country’s call in defence of a “Scrap of Paper”. William's entry reads: CRACK William, 1st Royal Montreal

Connected by: Jane31029

Additional: Although William had gone to Canada, his parents Frederick Edward & Eliza Catherine Crack still lived in Little Gaddesden, an address stated on his Canadian Attestation Papers.

Source information

ID: 9125741

Name: British Immigrants in Montreal, 1st Regt C.G.G & 1st Royal Montreal Regt, C. Private Crack W.C.

Title: Nominal Roll Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1st Contingent.

Description: Names Private W.C. Crack among the N.C.O's and Men, 1st Regt., "The C.G.G." (Canadian Grenadier Guards) with 1st Royal Montreal Regiment (14th Battalion), in the Canadian Expeditionary Force, 1st Contingent. Notes that: "The outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, found the Regiment (Canadian Grenadier Guards) prepared and ready to turn its hand from the parades and drills of peace to the grim realities of war. The night that news of the declaration of war reached Montreal, the (Grenadier) Guards were at drill in their armoury and a detachment of officers and men marched direct from their parade to active guard duty on the canals and water front. "Within a week, recruiting had begun for the 'Royal Montreal Regiment,' the Fourteenth Overseas Battalion, with Colonel Meighen in command and eleven other officers and 357 non-commissioned officers and men from the First Regiment (Grenadier Guards) in the ranks."

Connected by: Jane31029

URL: http://www.british-immigrants-in-montreal.com/grenadier_guards.html
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Additional: His name fits and this information fits with his Canadian Attestation Papers and the regiment stated for him on the Little Gaddesden Roll of Honour.

Source information

ID: 9125877

Name: Crack, William Cuthbert, #25568, b. 11.02.1888

Title: Canadian Government First World War Military Personnel Record

Description: William's Canadian Personnel Record of the First World War, which can be downloaded free as a pdf and gives extensive details of his service, gunshot wounds and hospital treatment and includes personal details e.g. family names, addresses and notes his April 1917 marriage in Buxton, Derbyshire to Andrina Victoria Isobel (Forbes). His date of death is also noted: 10th June 1951.

Connected by: Jane31029

URL: http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/first-world-war/personnel-records/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=122994
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Additional: His name, age and military details match the seed record for this life story. His father's name and initials - though inconsistent on different pages of the record - are supported by Census returns for William's family. His father's address in Little Gaddesden fits with William's inclusion on the Little Gaddesden Roll of Honour, which names his regiment as 1st Montreal Regiment.

Source information

ID: 9125884

Name: St John the Baptist, Buxton, p248, No 495, 14th April 1917

Title: Marriage to Andrina Forbes

Description: Marriage solemnised at the Parish Church in the parish of Buxton, 14th April 1917 between William Cuthbert Crack, 28, Batchelor, a Canadian Soldier, of Empire Hotel, C.D.D., Buxton and Andrina Isabel Victoria Forbes, 21, Spinster of 26 Bridge Street, Buxton. William's father is recorded as Cedrick (rather than Frederick) Edward Crack, a Land Steward.

Connected by: Jane31029

URL: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/61409/rs00013361_4452771-00123?pid=1516231&backurl=https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc%3Dnjl1445%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource%26usePUBJs%3Dtrue%26gss%3Dangs-g%26new%3D1%26rank%3D1%26msT%3D1%26gsfn%3DWilliam%2520Cuthbert%26gsfn_x%3D0%26gsln%3DCrack%26gsln_x%3D0%26msbdy%3D1888%26msbpn__ftp%3DAldershot,%2520Hampshire,%2520England%26msbpn%3D83966%26msbpn_PInfo%3D8-%257C0%257C0%257C3257%257C3251%257C0%257C0%257C0%257C5266%257C83966%257C0%257C0%257C%26_83004003-n_xcl%3Df%26cp%3D0%26catbucket%3Drstp%26MSAV%3D1%26uidh%3Disj%26pcat%3DROOT_CATEGORY%26h%3D1516231%26dbid%3D61409%26indiv%3D1%26ml_rpos%3D20&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=njl1445&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true
IWM is not responsible for the content of external websites. Please note that some sources will require payment to view.

Additional: William's name matches. His personnel record states that on 11th April 1917 he was given permission to marry and shows his wife's Christian names in his military will. It also shows that he was serving with the C.D.D. in Buxton at the time. Whilst his father is incorrectly recorded as Cedrick Edward not Frederick Edward, his profession as a Land Steward fit with his 1911 Census return.

Source information

ID: 9125995

Name: RE, No. 15670, Frederick Edward Crack, joined Aldershot 5th July 1878

Title: British Army Service Record of Father Frederick Edward

Description: The Service record of William's father Frederick Edward Crack, which includes the names and dates of birth of his two eldest sons: William Cuthbert b. 11th February 1888 and baptised in Lee, Kent 1st April 1888, and Frederick Arthur b. 4th August 1891 and not baptised. His wife's full Christian name is also given: Eliza Catherine.

Connected by: Jane31029

URL: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=gbm%2fwo97%2f2581%2f043%2f001&parentid=gbm%2fwo97%2f2581%2f46534
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Additional: The name and date of birth of Frederick's son William Cuthbert matches those in his Canadian Army Personnel record. Frederick and his wife's names fit with the family's Census returns.

Source information

ID: 9126000

Reference: 1891gbc

Title: 1891 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription

Connected by: Jane31029

UPP: GBC/1891/0004695654

Additional: This is not a perfect fit as both William and his father Frederick's second initials are here recorded C, but for William and his parents, their first names, ages and places of birth fits with information in the family's 1901 Census return. Frederick's position as a Sergeant in the Royal Engineers fits with information in his Service record in which William, whose date of birth is given, is named as his son.

Credit: © General Register Office

Source information

ID: 9126003

Reference: 1901gbc

Title: 1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription

Connected by: Jane31029

UPP: GBC/1901/0009387452

Additional: William and his parents' names fit with his father's Service record and their 1891 Census return. Their ages and places of birth fit with their 1891 Census return. Their address at 50 Little Gaddesden is supported by William being included on the Little Gaddesden Roll of Honour, in which his regiment, which fits with the seed record for this life, is given.

Credit: © General Register Office

Source information

ID: 9126041

Reference: 1911gbc

Title: 1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription

Connected by: Jane31029

UPP: GBC/1911/RG14/07767/0055/1

Additional: The 1911 Census for William's brother Fred Arthur Crack, aged 19, an Estate Carpenter boarding in the household of John Wardle Wells at 28 Little Gaddesden. This states that Fred was totally deaf from birth. His name, age and place of birth fit with information in their father's Service record.

Credit: © The National Archives

Source information

ID: 9126048

Reference: 1911gbc

Title: 1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription

Connected by: Jane31029

UPP: GBC/1911/RG14/08124/0023/4

Additional: William's name and age match his Canadian Army Personnel record, which also states that he was a Bank Clerk. His place of birth fits with his family's earlier Census returns.

Credit: © The National Archives

Source information

ID: 9126057

Reference: 1911gbc

Title: 1911 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription

Connected by: Jane31029

UPP: GBC/1911/RG14/05148/0689/6

Additional: The 1911 Census return for William's parents and youngest brother Cecil, visitors at 27 Windsor Street, Brighton. His parents' names, ages and places of birth fit with earlier Census returns. Cecil's place of birth in Little Gaddesden fits with the family's residence there.

Credit: © The National Archives

Source information

ID: 9126066

Reference: 1901gbc

Title: 1901 England, Wales & Scotland Census Transcription

Connected by: Jane31029

UPP: GBC/1901/0001936499

Additional: The 1901 Census for William's brother Frederick Arthur, whose 1911 Census return states that he was totally deaf from birth. His name, age and presence in a school for deaf and dumb children, as well as his absence from the family's 1901 Census return in Little Gaddesden, fit with that information for William's brother Frederick.

Credit: © General Register Office

Source information

ID: 9126071

Name: Little Gaddesden Baptism Register 1813-1947 p160, No. 1276

Reference: St Peter and St Paul's Church, Little Gaddesden

Title: Baptism of Brother Cecil

Description: Cecil Edward George, son of Frederick Edward and Eliza Catherine Crack, of Little Gaddesden, baptised at St Peter & St Paul Little Gaddesden, 2nd February 1902. His date of birth is also recorded: 29th December 1901. His father Frederick is listed as a Bailiff.

Connected by: Jane31029

Additional: Cecil's parents' names and his father being a Bailiff fit with William's family's 1901 Census return in Little Gaddesden. Cecil's name, age and birth fit with the 1911 Census return for William's parents and brother Cecil who are then visitors in Brighton.

Source information

ID: 9126094

Name: Mtn. View Cemetery. Crack, William Cuthbert, d. 10.06.1951, ABRAY-*-18-016-0011

Title: Burial Index William Cuthbert Crack

Description: Records the death of William Cuthbert Crack, 10th June 1951, and his burial in Mountain View Cemetery, 5455 Fraser St Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Connected by: Jane31029

URL: https://covapp.vancouver.ca/BurialIndex/
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Additional: His name matches and his date of death fits with that added on his Canadian Army Personnel record.

Source information

ID: 9126623

Name: Passenger: 30, Ticket: 1360, Crack, William Cuthbert, aged 25

Title: To Canada in 1913

Description: The entry records that William Cuthbert Crack aged 25, a Clerk, born in England and intending to reside permanently in Canada, sailed for Canada in 1913. It records him as being married, though his Canadian Army Personnel Record indicates that this was not the case in 1913.

Connected by: Jane31029

URL: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/1263/IMCANQC1865_T4803-00500/4052065
IWM is not responsible for the content of external websites. Please note that some sources will require payment to view.

Additional: His name and age fit with his Army Personnel Record and Census returns. His profession - Clerk - fits with his 1911 Census return and information in his Army Personnel Record. The record is not a perfect fit as he is shown here as married.

Source information

ID: 9196921

Name: 1935 Canada Voters Lists 30th Ave. W 3486, Nos 172 &173, Crack

Title: 1935 Canada Voters Lists 3486 30th Ave. W, Vancouver S, BC

Description: 1935 Canada Voters List for Vancouver South, British Columbia which shows William C Crack, Accountant, and his wife, named as Mrs William C Crack, registered to vote at 3486 30th Avenue W, Vancouver South, British Columbia.

Connected by: Jane31029

URL: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/2983/33022_294105-00532?pid=48693656&backurl=https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc%3Dnjl2680%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource%26usePUBJs%3Dtrue%26gss%3Dangs-c%26new%3D1%26rank%3D1%26msT%3D1%26gsfn%3DWilliam%2520Cuthbert%26gsfn_x%3D0%26gsln%3DCrack%26gsln_x%3D0%26msbdy%3D1888%26msbpn__ftp%3DAldershot,%2520Hampshire,%2520England%26msbpn%3D83966%26mssng%3DAndrina%2520Isabel%2520Victoria%2520%26mssns%3DForbes%26_83004003-n_xcl%3Df%26cpxt%3D1%26cp%3D3%26catbucket%3Drstp%26MSAV%3D1%26uidh%3Disj%26pcat%3D35%26h%3D48693656%26dbid%3D2983%26indiv%3D1%26ml_rpos%3D7&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=njl2680&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true
IWM is not responsible for the content of external websites. Please note that some sources will require payment to view.

Additional: His name fits. His profession as an accountant fits with his previous known occupation as a bank clerk. His residence in Vancouver, British Columbia fits with his death there in 1951.

Source information

ID: 9196943

Name: 1949 Canada Voters' List Quadra Dist., Vancouver p2 Nos 291-294

Title: 1949 Canada Voters Lists 3879 Dunbar Street, Vancouver

Description: The 1949 Canada Voters List for Quadra District, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada which shows William C Crack, Accountant, Mrs Victoria Crack, Fred J Crack, Salesman and Ian Crack, unemployed registered to vote at 3879 Dunbar Street, Vancouver.

Connected by: Jane31029

URL: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/2983/33022_302414-00625?pid=90713285&backurl=https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc%3Dnjl2680%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource%26usePUBJs%3Dtrue%26rank%3D1%26usepubjs%3Dtrue%26gss%3Dangs-c%26new%3D1%26mst%3D1%26gsfn%3DWilliam%2520Cuthbert%26gsfn_x%3D0%26gsln%3DCrack%26gsln_x%3D0%26msbdy%3D1888%26msbpn__ftp%3DAldershot,%2520Hampshire,%2520England%26msbpn%3D83966%26mssng%3DAndrina%2520Isabel%2520Victoria%2520%26mssns%3DForbes%26_83004003-n_xcl%3Df%26cpxt%3D1%26cp%3D3%26catbucket%3Drstp%26msav%3D1%26uidh%3Disj%26dbid%3D2983%26pcat%3D35%26h%3D90713285%26indiv%3D1%26ml_rpos%3D8&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=njl2680&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true
IWM is not responsible for the content of external websites. Please note that some sources will require payment to view.

Additional: His name fits. His profession as an accountant fits with his occupation in the 1935 Voters List. His residence in Vancouver, British Columbia fits with his death there in 1951. Victoria was one of his wife's three Christian names.

Source information

ID: 9196960

Reference: bmd_births

Title: England & Wales births 1837-2006 Transcription

Connected by: Jane31029

UPP: BMD/B/1919/3/AZ/000266/042

Additional: Records the birth of William's son Frederick. His mother's maiden name fits with his parents' marriage record and he is later named with William and his wife on a 1949 Canadian Voters' Roll.

Credit: © General Register Office

Source information

ID: 9196963

Name: Buxton, 1919, Ref. BB/38/020, Crack, Frederick John

Title: Derbyshire Birth Index Son Frederick

Description: Derbyshire Birth Index entry recording the birth of Frederick John Crack in Buxton in 1919.

Connected by: Jane31029

URL: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=GBPRS/B/392470295/1
IWM is not responsible for the content of external websites. Please note that some sources will require payment to view.

Additional: This fits with the Birth record for William's son, which gives his mother's maiden name as Forbes, matching his parents' marriage record. William's Service Record shows his service and marriage in Buxton.

Source information

ID: 9196977

Title: 1953 Canada Voters List Widow and Son, Burnaby-Coquitlam, British Columbia

Description: 1953 Canada Voters List for Victoria Crack and Ian Cecil Crack registered to vote at 4436 Georgia Street, Burnaby-Coquitlam, British Columbia, Canada.

Connected by: Jane31029

URL: https://www.ancestry.co.uk/interactive/2983/33022_301873-00969?pid=67774372&backurl=https://search.ancestry.co.uk/cgi-bin/sse.dll?_phsrc%3Dnjl2722%26_phstart%3DsuccessSource%26usePUBJs%3Dtrue%26gss%3Dangs-g%26new%3D1%26rank%3D1%26gsfn%3DVictoria%26gsfn_x%3D0%26gsln%3DCrack%26gsln_x%3D0%26msbdy%3D1896%26mssng%3DVictoria%26mssns%3DForbes%26_83004003-n_xcl%3Dm%26cpxt%3D1%26cp%3D3%26catbucket%3Drstp%26MSAV%3D1%26uidh%3Disj%26pcat%3DROOT_CATEGORY%26h%3D67774372%26dbid%3D2983%26indiv%3D1%26ml_rpos%3D6&treeid=&personid=&hintid=&usePUB=true&_phsrc=njl2722&_phstart=successSource&usePUBJs=true
IWM is not responsible for the content of external websites. Please note that some sources will require payment to view.

Additional: His widow's name fits that which she used (Victoria) in the 1949 Canada Voters List when William was still alive. His son's name also fits that record.

Source information

ID: 9196985

Name: Ian Cecil Crack, aged54, d 9.5.1982

Title: Death of Son Ian

Description: Records the death of Ian Cecil Crack aged 54 on 9th May 1982 in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

Connected by: Jane31029

URL: https://search.findmypast.co.uk/record?id=US/MCV/126823/0150359169263949
IWM is not responsible for the content of external websites. Please note that some sources will require payment to view.

Additional: Records the death of William's son Ian. His name fits that shown on Canada Voters Rolls with his parents in 1949 and with his widowed mother in 1953. His death in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada also fits with those records.

Source information

ID: 9319808

Name: 4th July 1899 - 20th September 1901, Crack, William

Reference: Little Gaddesden School Archive

Title: Little Gaddesden School Log Books 1887 – 1906

Description: The log book kept by the Headmasters of Little Gaddesden School which records points of note in the daily running of the school and information about the pupils. William entered Standard 5 4th July 1899 and left to go to Berkhamsted Grammar School 20th September 1901.

Connected by: Jane31029

Additional: His name fits and this fits with his family's 1901 Census return, which shows they moved to Little Gaddesden.

Source information

ID: 9366307

Title: Royal Montreal Regiment WW1 cap badge

Description: Cap badge of the Royal Montreal Regiment in which William Crack first served.

Connected by: Jane31029