James Bell Crichton VC (1879 - 1961)

Born 15 Jul 1879 in Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Ulster, Ireland

Ancestors

Husband of Amy (Howe) Crichton — married 29 Oct 1919 in Auckland, New Zealand

Died 22 Sep 1961 at age 82 in Takapuna, Auckland, New Zealand

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James Crichton VC is an Anzac who served in World War One.

James Crichton VC was Wounded in Action during World War I.

Victorian Cross

Biography

James Crichton ... one of 6 children, born at Carrickfergus, County Antrim, Ireland and son of Elizabeth Bell and William Crichton. They lived in the Parish of Woodburn. James and his family moved to Scotland settling in the the hamlet of Northrigg, Lanarkshire in the late 1880's.

At the age of 10 he was working down in the mines as was his father. He was later employed by James Woods, Coal Merchant.

He was 18 when he enlisted with the Royal Scots, 3rd Battalion, No 7410 in 1899. James was noted as having a tattoo on his left forearm. When the Boer war broke out James now 20, enlisted on 13 October 1899 in Glasgow in the Queen's Cameron Highlanders serving for 12 years. Service No 4971. James saw service in Scotland, Gibraltar (23 Feb 1900 - 9 Aug 1901) and South Africa (10 Aug 1901 - 9 Oct 1902). He received his discharge 12 October 1911.

Moving further afield to New Zealand in 1914 at the age of 35, James settled in Auckland and took up work with the Post & Telegraph Department as a Cable Layer/Jointer.

At the outbreak of WWI, James enlisted with the NZEF - serial no 14/131 - rank Corporal, embarking with the Main Body on the ship Waimana, October 16 1914 to Eygpt.

He served as a Baker on the Western Front until May 1918 when he transferred to the 2nd battalion, Auckland Infantry. James was promoted to Company Quartermaster Sergeant, age 37 in France.

On September 30 1918, James displayed actions of bravery that were to see him be awarded the Victoria Cross, at Crevecoeur, France. Private Crichton, although wounded in the foot, stayed with the advancing troops despite difficult canal and river obstacles. When the platoon was forced back by a counter attack, he succeeded in carrying a message which involved swimming a river and crossing an area swept by machine-gun fire. Subsequently, he rejoined his platoon and later undertook on his own initiative to save a bridge which had been mined. Under close fire, he managed to remove the charges, returning with the fuses and detonators. Though suffering from a painful wound, he displayed the highest degree of valour and devotion to duty. James remained untreated for his wound for 10 hours before he saw a doctor.

His last known rank was Sergeant. On his return to New Zealand, once again aboard the Waimana, a civic reception was held at the Town Hall to honour James' heroic act. He was discharged from the army in September 1919.

James Crichton was recorded in the Northern Whig 16 November 1918 and the London Gazette as one of 15 men awarded the Victoria Cross for conspicuous gallantry'. 1

Postwar, James married Amy Howe and continued to live in Takapuna, Auckland where he resumed his occupation as a Cable Jointer. James and Amy raised 2 daughters. 1937 saw James in London, aged 58, for the coronation of King George VI as a Sergeant in the NZ Coronation contingent.

He retired from the Post and Telegraph Department in July 1939. James Crichton passed away age 82 at his home in Takapuna, Auckland and is buried in Waikumete Memorial Park Soldiers cemetery, Auckland. His VC medal, donated by his family is held by the Auckland War Museum.

Crichton Terrace in Takapuna, Auckland commemorates his name.

1 In James' hometown of Carrickfergus, a special panel has been installed in the Carrickfergus Museum to commemorate and honour his act of outstanding bravery. In April 2006, a 'Blue Plaque' was unveiled by local members of his family on the site where he was born at the old Woodburn Weaving factory. ^[1] His daughters Hazel and Velma were unable to make the trip from New Zealand.

James is only the second person to be commemorated in Carrickfergus. There is also a special panel for Daniel Cambridge, VC, for his act of bravery in the Crimean war.

^[2] Updated February 4 2015

Permanent memorial will honour Mid and East Antrim VC hero James Crichton and North Irish Horse^[3]

Sources

• https://www.bdmhistoricalrecords.dia.govt.nz 1919/7302 Marriage Index CRICHTON-WATKINS

• http://aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/search

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Crichton_(soldier)

• https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz Auckland Star 21/7/1939 pg 9, 24/6/1919 pg 4 Out of copyright
• https://search.findmypast.co.uk/ 1

• https://ancestry.com.au UK, Victoria Cross Medals, 1857-2007

• https://www.hastingsdc.govt.nz/hastings/about-hastings/poppy-places/crichton-place/
• Find A Grave: Memorial #7994354

• https://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/carrick-memorial-to-honour-vc-hero-of-great-war-37193520.html?fbclid=IwAR3WDoWXE3nd6xn5f4S9ysU6bOzco87TfuCWDVv3AeK-Yl8t1OyE4T64JuA

• E McNeeley
• W Baxter, UK - Service records 1899-1911
• M Harding

Footnotes

1. ↑
2. ↑ Entered by Faye Whitfield, Jan 7, 2013
3. ↑ https://www.midandeastantrim.gov.uk/news/permanent-memorial-will-070818?platform=hootsuite

Acknowledgments

MacFarlane, Kirsten. The Victoria Cross, Auckland War Memorial Museum - Tamaki Paenga Hira. First published : 4 June 2015. Updated : 7 August 2015 Thanks to Faye Whitfield for starting this profile.