Have You a Tiger In Your Family?

Rank : Private

Army Number : 5402

Biography :

Served with Leicestershire Regiment during World War One.

• His records show that he served in the militia before 1915; interestingly he purchased his own discharge.
• He lived at 3 Benford Street, Leicester at the time that he joined up (attested on 20 October 1915 at the Magazine, Leicester, 4th Battalion). Presumably this was the family address.
• His military serial numbers were 5402 (Leicesters) and 41301 (RDC).
• He served in the military between 19 April 1916 and 06 May 1919, he was a private.
• He served in France but for only 27 days from 19 April to 15 May 1916 sailing from Southampton to Rouen.
• He seems to have had a persistent and serious problem with on an ongoing infection of the ear (otitis media is inflammation of the middle ear). He arrived in Rouen on 19 April and appears to have been referred to an ear specialist on 20 April, the very next day. He was in hospital again between 10 May and 13 May. He was referred to an ear specialist on 9 August 1917 – there are more references in the papers.
• The papers include a description – e.g. he was just over 5 feet 9 inches.
• He appears to have been absent without leave on several occasions.
• In October 1916 he was transferred to the Royal Defence Corps and on 23 March 1919, he appears to have been transferred to Heaton Park, Manchester (this was a dispersal unit, presumably for discharging troops at the end of the war).
• He lived in 61 Carley Street, Leicester on his discharge 1919, again presumably the family address, on 6 May 1919 (unfit).
• He received the British war Medal and the Victory Medal, the papers contain a receipt that he signed.

He would have been declared unfit for work overseas so spent most of his service “at home” with the RDC.

Parents: John Crane and Mary Ann Boot

Married: Catherine Smart 18 Sept 1904, Leicester Register Office.

Date of Birth : 1882

Date of Death : 1959

Period of Service : 1910s

Conflicts : WW1