John Thomas Crisp

He served initially in the Notts. and Derbys. (Sherwood Foresters), N&D Number 27571, and later with the Machine Gun Corps (MGC). It is believed that it was on or about the 21st June 1915 that he initially enlisted, that is when a Claim for Separation Allowance was made by his dependants. According to information provided by the Sherwood Foresters Museum, he was transferred willingly or otherwise into the Machine Gun Corps in late 1915 or early 1916. He was sent to the Machine Gun Training Centre, in the grounds of Belton House, Grantham, and issued with a new, MGC Regimental Number – 5688. The information also indicates that he was almost certainly a founding member of: 70th Brigade Machine Gun Company, which formed at Grantham and joined the 70th Infantry Brigade, 8th Division on 5th March 1916. The Brigade had been transferred from the 23rd Division on 18th October 1915, in exchange for the Regular Army 24th Brigade, much to the annoyance of Maj Gen JM Babington GOC 23rd Division. In early 1916 the 8th Division was involved in: Battles of the Somme 1 July, Battle of Albert (III Corps, Fourth Army) On 10th July, the 23rd Division captured Contalmaison. Field Marshal Haig asked Babington what he would like for this victory, he replied immediately “I would like to have my 70th Brigade back!” Thus on 16th July 1916 the 24th and 70th Brigades changed places. The 23rd Division therefore 70th Brigade and its Machine Gun Company was involved in the following actions in 1916 and 1917. 26 July/8 August Battle of Pozieres Ridge 19/22 September Battle of Flers-Courcelette 25/28 September Battle of Morval 1/9 October Battle of the Transloy Ridges 7 October Capture of Le Sars At some time he left 70th Company due to injury or illness. Once fit enough he was sent by the Machine Gun Base Depot, Camiers to a unit as reinforcement. He joined 33rd Brigade Machine Gun Company that had formed in Egypt after the Brigade, part of the 11th (Northern) Division had returned from Gallipoli. The Division arrived in France July 1916 and had taken part in the Battles of the Somme in September. Remembering we know not when he joined the Company, the 11th Division in 1917 took part in: 11/19 January Operations on the Ancre (IV Corps, Fifth Army) 7/14 June Battle on Messines (IX Corps. Second Army) John Thomas Crisp aged 37 whilst serving as a Private in the 33rd Machine Gun Company is recorded as having been killed in action on Sunday 10th June 1917. Correspondence from the Machine Gun Corps Records Office to his widow dated 12 July 1917 notified her that J. T. Crisp Private 5688 had been killed in action on the 9th June 1917. Given his membership of the 33rd MGC at the time of his death and their involvement in the Battle of Messines Ridge, June 7th – 14th, an examination of the War Diary for the 33rd MGC indicates that they were involved in the Battle of Wytschaete, the centre section of the Battle for Messines Ridge, from its commencement on June the 7th, until it was relieved by the 34 MGC on the 12th June. Furthermore, the War Diary identifies the number of officers and ORs (Other Ranks) killed on each day: 7th 1 officer and 1 OR, 8th 1 officer and 5 ORs, 9th 0, 10th 0, 11th 0, 12th 0. It is assumed that by the time the 33rd MGC was relieved on the 12th June, all members had been accounted for, this suggest that he wasn’t killed on the 9th or 10th, but most probably on the 8th June 1917. Having no known grave his name is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial, Ypres, panel number 56

His name is further commemorated on Lincolnshire Grantham St Wulfram’s Church Machine Gun Corps Roll of Honour All research and information courtesy of his grandson Graham Crisp