CRACK, Harry Sidney


No.21917, Private, Harry Sidney CRACK
Aged 21


4th Battalion, Suffolk Regiment
formerly 2070 and 5102, Suffolk Regiment
Died of his Wounds presumed on Monday, 23rd April 1917


Born in 1896 (3rd qtr Bury St.Edmunds 4a:793) son of Ellen Rose CRACK
His mother married Harry Robert PROCTOR in Bury St Edmunds 2nd qtr 1897.

1901 census...Aged 4, he was 8 Vine Fields, Bury St.Edmunds with his stepfather Harry R.PROCTOR [23] a carter; his mother Ellen R PROCTOR [24]; half-sister Agnes A PROCTOR [2]. All were born in Bury St.Edmunds

1911 census...Aged 14 an errand boy, recorded as PROCTOR, he was at 124 Eastgate Street, Bury St.Edmunds with his parents and half-brothers Walter [10],Thomas [5] and George [3]; half sisters Agnes and Ruth [9 months].

He married May Florence GIRT [3-5-1896] in Bury St.Edmunds 3rd qtr 1915. Their daughter Irene May was born on 23rd June 1916. They lived at 39 Chalk Lane, Bury St.Edmunds


He enlisted in BurySt.Edmunds. He was reported wounded and missing, later presumed dead.
War Diary has :-
The battalion took part in a general assault on the German position, their objective being the front and support trenches of the Hindenburg Line as far as the SENSEE RIVER, adistance of about 2,300 yard. C Coy supported by D wee to work down the front line on the night and A supported by B up the support line on the left. (list of officers taking part...).
After artillery preparation the advance commenced at 4:45 am. A and B Coys worked up the support trench, meeting with a great deal of opposition of all sorts until reaching the second sunken road about 200 yard short of their objective at 6:30 am. Here they were met with aneenwerfe, rifle and MG fire and help up. They maintained themselves there till 9:30 am when the enemy counter-attacked strongly and being much in advance of the roops on both flanks wee compelled to withdraw to their originl starting point or be cut off.
C and D Coys advancing up the front line trench with the assistnce of one tank also met with considerable opposition but reached the sunken road about 9:30 am and remained till 2pm when the counter-attack and the enemy in the trench behind made it necessary to quit the trench and retire over the open ground to the south, re-entering the trench in rear of their riginal barricade. They joined HQ at 5:3 pm
During the night we were relieved by the 1st Cameronians and when moving back out of the trenches learnt that the enemy had retired and the ground seized by us the day before had been occupied.
In the course of the action we captured about 650 unwounded prisoners, five machine guns and one trench mortar.
Our casualties were:- 1 officer and 41 OR killed, 9 officers and 160 OR wounded, missing 104 OR.





photo - CWGC
Harry Crack is commemorated on the Arras Memorial, Faubourg d'Amiens, Arras bay 4

click here to go to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission website for full cemetery/memorial details


BACK