Private 15188 Joseph Crockett
Died of Wounds Home on Tuesday, 15th August 1916, age 32.
Commemorated on Screen Wall E.28537 at Birmingham (Yardley) Cemetery, United Kingdom.
10th Bn., West Yorkshire Regt. (Prince of Wales Own). 50th Brigade of 17th Division.
Born: Dudley Port, Enlisted: Worcester, Resident: Birmingham.
First landed France & Flanders, post 31st December 1915.
Medal entitlement: British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Soldier's Papers at National Archives did not survive.
Not commemorated on any Tipton memorial.
Commemorated here because identified as Tipton on 'Soldiers Died in the Great War'.
Link to Commonwealth War Graves Site: www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/404226/
Genealogical Data
Birth of Joseph Crockett registered December quarter 1883 in Dudley.
1891 Census
40 Bowyer Street, Aston, Birmingham.
Thomas Crockett (34, Boatman, born Tipton), his wife Ann (30, born Droitwich), and their 5 children: Thomas (8, Scholar, born Linslade, Bucks), Joseph (7, Scholar, born Tipton), Frank (6, Scholar, born Water Eaton, Bucks), Peter (4, born Birmingham), and James (2, born Fenny Stratford, Bucks).
1901 Census
11 House 5 Court, Floodgate Street, Birmingham.
Ann Crockett (Head, age: not known, born: not known), and her 7 children: Frank (16, Saddler, born Birmingham), Peter (14, Wood Turner, born Birmingham), James (12, born Birmingham), Elizabeth (9, born Birmingham), George (6, born Birmingham), John (4, born Birmingham) and William (6 months, born Birmingham).
Ann's husband Thomas, and sons Thomas and Joseph were absent. Given her husband's occupation as a Boatman, it is possible that he was away from home on Census night on a canal boat with his sons, Thomas and Joseph.
Marriage of Joseph Crockett and Sophia Palin registered December quarter 1907 in Aston. Their marriage took place of December 25th 1907 at St. Bartholomew's Church, Masshouse Lane, Deritend. This Church was damaged in a German air raid in 1942 and demolished in 1943. The birth of a daughter, Sophia, was registered in December quarter 1908, in Birmingham.
1911 Census
There is no trace of Joseph Crockett, but as he was a Boatman, he may have been missed by the census. He appears to have separated from his wife as she stated "living apart from husband" and was living with her parents - see below.
Joseph's father Thomas Crockett (56, Widower, Captain - Canal Boat, born Dudley), plus his 2 sons John (14, Mate, born Birmingham) and William (10, Boy, born Birmingham) were aboard canal boat Sarah Ann, moored in Castlethorpe Wharf, Cosgrave, Northants.
1911 Census
47 Barn Street, Deritend, Birmingham.
William Palin (59, Labourer – formerly Boatman, born Wolverhampton), his wife Sarah Ann (59, born Dudley), their daughter: Sophia Crockett (26, living apart from husband, Pen Slitter, born Dudley Port) and Sophia's daughter: Sophia Crockett (2, born Birmingham), also William and Sarah's son: Charles Edward Palin (19, not working – deaf and dumb, born Birmingham).
Joseph's wife, Sophia, died on 19th June 1916 aged 33 years. Just 2 months later Joseph died from his wounds and their daughter was 'adopted' by her maternal aunt.
Personal Data
Joseph's connection with Tipton seems fleeting, either born aboard a canal boat or at his grand-parents' house. Three of his brothers were born in Buckinghamshire at places all located on the Grand Union canal. Joseph followed his father and became a Boatman, and was possibly missed from the 1911 census because of this.
Joseph's wife, Sophia, was described as "living apart from her husband" on the 1911 Census. She died in June 1916 at just 33 years of age, two months later Joseph died from his wounds. Their daughter, Sophia, aged 7 at her parent's death, seems to have then been cared for by her maternal aunt, Sarah Ann Palin. This is assumed as Sarah Ann Palin was described as Sophia's Guardian in Joseph's Pension documents.
After Joseph's death, his outstanding army pay and allowances amounted to £6/6/1d (6 pounds, 6 shillings and 1 penny); this was paid to his sister and sole legatee, Elizabeth Parsons, in April 1917. His War Gratuity was £9/0/0d (9 pounds exactly), this was also paid to his sister in September 1919. Elizabeth's own husband, Thomas Parsons, was killed in action on October 23rd 1918. The value of the War Gratuity suggests that Joseph had enlisted in approximately August 1914.
A pension of 5/0d (5 shillings exactly) per week was awarded from 26th March 1917. This was paid to Sarah Ann Palin of 117 Cherrywood Road, Bordesley Green, Birmingham who was described as ‘Guardian’ to Sophia. 5/0d per week was described as the “motherless rate”.
Action resulting in his death
Joseph enlisted in approximately August 1914, he served with the 10th West Yorkshires in 17th (Northern) Division but did not serve abroad before 1916. It is probable that he was in action during the first day of the Battle of the Somme, July 1st 1916, when the 17th Division captured Fricourt.
The War Diary of the 10th West Yorkshires records the following for July 1st:
"The battalion assaulted in 4 lines, 2 lines got through the German position to the 4th line and were cut off, the attack on out left having failed. Casualties were very heavy, chiefly caused by machine gun fire which enfiladed our left flank and were so deadly that the 3rd and 4th lines failed to get across no-man’s land. 27 officer casualties and approximately 750 Other Ranks."
The battalion had 9 Officers and 297 Other Ranks killed on July 1st. A week later, the battalion strength was recorded in the War Diary as just 211 all ranks; the standard battalion strength is 1,000 all ranks.
It is possible that Joseph was wounded on this day, but it is also possible to have been later when the re-built 10th West Yorkshires returned to the front. Joseph died in the 2nd Southern General Hospital, Bristol, on August 15th 1916. He is buried in Birmingham (Yardley) Cemetery, he does not have a marked grave. A Screen Wall commemorates those buried in the cemetery who are not marked by headstones.
Newspaper Cuttings
Birmingham Daily Post, August 12th 1916
Today's Casualty List.
WOUNDED
W. YORK R. Crockett, 15188, J, (Birmingham).
Birmingham Daily Post, August 18th, 1916
LATEST CASUALTIES
Private J. Crockett, W. Yorks. R., enlisted at the outbreak of war, previously being employed by Fellows, Morton, and Clayton, Fazeley Street, Birmingham.