John Edward's Story.
Birkenhead News 16 September 1916Sergeant-Major Loses His Life
Fighting for his Country.
The official War Office intimation has been received informing Mr. and Mrs. J Craven, of 146 Cathcart Street, that their youngest son, Company Sergeant-Major John E. Craven, was killed in action on the 2nd September. Sergeant-Major Craven was, before joining the Army at the commencement of the war, in the employ of Messrs. Hignetts, pawnbrokers, of Price Street, as an assistant, and had been out at the front for about twelve months, and in the South Lancashire Regiment for two years. He was an enthusiastic member of the Brassey Street Institute, and an excellent athlete, being one of the champion six of the club at gymnastics. The late Sergeant-Major was educated at Laird Street Council School.
Earlier in the war Sergt.-Major Craven was wounded, and brought home many war trophies which his parents now have. He was for a considerable time a member of Mr. Frank Moore’s Bible Class. On hearing of Sergeant-Major Craven’s death Mrs. Moore wrote a sympathetic letter to his parents in which she says :- “He was such a favourite in the class. We all know he has died a hero’s death and a splendid one, but the terrible sorrow is all you can feel at present. I have his last letter, when he asked me to send him a Bible.”
The deceased soldier was deeply respected and well-liked by all the students at the Bible Class, as well as at the Brassey Street Mission.
Although the above newspaper article reports Sergeant-Major Craven’s death as being the 2nd September 1916 his actual date of death was 3rd September, as per Commonwealth War Graves and other military records.
Photograph by Chris