|
Date: |
|
Description: | J Wheatley 1919
image: A half length portrait of James Crichton VC, wearing New Zealand Army uniform.
James Bell Crichton (1879-1961) was born in Carrickfergus in Northern Ireland and served in the British Army before
emigrating to New Zealand. When the First World War broke out, he enlisted in the 1st New Zealand Expeditionary Force and served in
Gallipoli and then France. In April 1918, while serving as a Warrant Officer with the 1st New Zealand Field Bakery, he voluntarily
relinquished his rank and transferred as a Private in the 2nd Auckland Infantry Regiment. Crichton was awarded the Victoria Cross for his
actions on 30 September 1918 at Crèvecoeur in France during the Allied advance. Crichton had been wounded in the foot but when his platoon
was forced back by a counter attack he carried a message by swimming a river and crossing an area swept by machine-gun fire. Later, under
enemy fire, he removed explosive charges from a bridge, saving it from destruction.
Ministry of Information Commission, Scheme 2. Commission administration transferred to Imperial War
Museum. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Subjects: | Auckland Infantry Regiment Western Front 1914-1918 New Zealand Division 1st New Zealand Brigade James Bell New Zealand Army Crichton Gallipoli 1915 British Army 1914-1918 Military Personnel portrait / personification Uniforms First World War medals / orders / decorations 2nd Battalion | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Wheatley, John (ARA) | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
|
|