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About Arthur William "Jock" Craig
Information from Jock Craig's obituary and from a letter written by his wife Marjorie Craig to his nephew Peter Homan, December 7, 1991
Attended St. Andrew's College, Grahamstown, South Africa; in WWI joined the South African Cavalry with pals from his riding school and fought in German West Africa. Joined the South African Infantry (rank of lieutenant) and went to France, and then joined the RAF (rank of Captain) in England.
Met his wife Marjorie Marshall in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada in 1924; went with his brother Eric Craig to try farming in the Peace River country; at one point he and Eric owned what is now the main street in Grande Prairie. On the basis of a flipped coin, the two brothers decided to quit the attempt at farming.
From 1938-1953 worked as a mill operator for Day Mines, a silver mine operation, in various locations in Idaho, USA. Died in 1962.
Information on Jock Craig's role in the battle at Delville Wood:
From Facebook page on Delville Wood “Delville Wood, France July 16-20, 1916
As the Battle of the Somme progressed, on 14 July the British captured most of Longueval, a village north-east of Montauban and about six miles south of Bapaume. They were however threatened by the Germans in Delville Wood, which bordered Longueval to the east. On 15 July 1916 the 1st South African Infantry brigade was sent to clear it. The South Africans were relieved on 20 July by men of the 76th Brigade. Of 1,500 men, there were only 142 survivors. Ferocious fighting in which ground constantly changed hands was to rage until 3 September. Private William Frederick Faulds, South African Infantry was awarded a Victoria Cross (VC) for the gallant rescue of Lieutenant Arthur Craig during the fighting on 16 July and for the rescue of another wounded man two days later.
Citation Private William “Mannie” Faulds:
For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty. A bombing party under Lieut. Craig attempted to rush across 40 yards of ground which lay between the British and enemy trenches. Coming under very heavy rifle and machine gun fire the officer and the majority of the party were killed or wounded. Unable to move, Lieut. Craig lay midway between the two lines of trench, the ground being quite open. In full daylight Pte. Faulds, accompanied by two other men, climbed over the parapet, ran out, and picked up the officer, and carried him back, one man being severely wounded in so doing. Two days later, Private Faulds again showed most conspicuous bravery in going out alone to bring in a wounded man, and carrying him nearly half a mile to a dressing station, subsequently rejoining his platoon. The artillery fire was at the time so intense that stretcher-bearers and others considered that any attempt to bring in the wounded man meant certain death. This risk Private Faulds faced unflinchingly, and his bravery was crowned with success.”
Lance Corporal Clifford Baker, who was severely wounded in Uncle Jock’s rescue, died as a result of his wounds 14 days later on 30 July 1916. He is buried in grave No. B 32.6, St Sever Cemetery Rouen, France. South African architect Sir Herbert Baker, a relative of Clifford Baker, offered his services for the design of the Delville Wood memorials in France, Pretoria, and one in the Company Gardens, Cape Town, as a tribute to the valour of his cousin Lance Corporal Clifford Baker.
So Uncle Arthur’s own brave actions at Delville Wood led to his rescuer Mannie Faulds’ receiving South Africa’s first VC, the death, sadly, of his rescuer Clifford Baker, but the design of international memorials by Baker’s cousin, the architect Sir Herbert Baker.
Uncle Arthur eventually arrived in the South African Military Hospital in Richmond, England, having been taken to the dressing station and then by stretcher bearers to the South African Hospital at Abberville, the closest to the front line. Once he healed, he left the South African Infantry and joined the Royal Flying Corps (later the RAF). It was with the Corps that he was shot down in the observational balloon, again injured, this time receiving the steel plate in his head. After WWI, he went to Killygordon, Co. Donegal.
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Arthur William "Jock" Craig's Timeline
| 1887 |
February 22, 1887
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Cape Town, Cape Town, Western Cape, South Africa
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| 1927 |
October 27, 1927
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Pasadena, Los Angeles County, California, United States
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| 1962 |
May 26, 1962
Age 75
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Silverton, Shoshone County, Idaho, United States
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