The 8th Brigade of the 5th Division of the AIF, consisting of the 29th, 30th, 31st and 32nd Battalions, fought at the Battle of Fromelles. 103 members of the brigade are listed among the Missing Diggers of Fromelles; 45 of these diggers belonged to the 32nd Battalion.
Today we are proud to introduce Second Lieutenant A.E. Craker, 32nd Battalion, from Roslyn Park, South Australia.
Photo: 2nd Lieutenant Arthur Craker
Arthur Earnest Craker was 22 years old when he enlisted in the AIF on 1st July 1915 and was allotted to A Company of the 32nd Battalion with a service number of 11. Arthur was promoted to sergeant on 16th August 1915 prior to embarkation for overseas service aboard SS Geelong from South Australia. The latest DIGGER, issue 23, carries the details of Arthur’s military service written by his grandson Michael English. This extract of Arthur’s story begins on the eve of the Battle of Fromelles.
Second Lieutenant Arthur Earnest Craker, 32nd Battalion
Michael English, Onkaparinga Hills, SA
On Wednesday, 19th July 1916, Sergeant Craker wrote in his diary: “I do not know whether this is the last entry or not, but I say goodbye, Mother Darling, Goodbye Annie my sweetheart, Father and Gertie, Nesta, Thelma and the little ones.”
This entry was written prior to the 32nd Battalion (8th Brigade, 5th Division) going ‘over the top’ into what later became known as the Battle of Fromelles ……………………………
……….On 14th July the 32nd Battalion moved into the trenches and were engaged in trench repair and refurbishment (here the trenches were breastworks built above the ground). The next day in the trenches Arthur experienced enemy fire for the first time, and Private Clayer was killed by a sniper – the first A Company man killed in the war. News was received that day of an attack to be launched by the Division within the next few days.
Arthur, in the company of another sergeant and a lieutenant, went to view the trenches from where they would be launching the attack. It took them eight hours to cover the three miles, and they found the trenches congested with men carrying ammunition and stores.
Back in camp, Arthur managed to snatch four hours sleep while the Allied guns bombarded the German lines in preparation for the attack. On 18th July at 9am, A Company moved into the fire trenches in readiness for the attack. They found themselves engaged in clearing the trenches of debris and the body parts of men from the 58th Battalion, previous occupants of the front line.
On Wednesday, 19th July 1916, A and C Companies prepared to charge at 5.50pm. After taking a sip of rum they climbed the breastworks and moved into No-man’s-land. Trench mortars and rifle grenades were fired on the German trenches while the enemy responded with machine guns, high explosive and shrapnel. Numbers 1 and 2 Platoons were in the first wave, and Sergeant Craker later recorded:
“We pushed through the wire entanglements and over to trenches to see Fritz on the run. We pushed along the trench … throwing bombs as we went and finishing off anyone who was left. One or two of us barricaded the German trench and continued the fight … the word was passed down for ammunition so I volunteered to run across with a message for ammunition. As I ran machine gun bullets played all around me. A shell burst near me, knocking me out for awhile – but I woke up and continued on with my task. I gave the message to a Captain of the 30th Battalion. An ammunition dump was set alight by the enemy and blew up, making a tremendous bonfire. A man from the 30th Battalion had his right hand cut off clean by high explosive so I bandaged it up and helped him to the dressing station.” It was then that Sergeant Craker realised that he had sustained an injury to his knee from the shell that had knocked him out.
[The Battle of Fromelles resulted in 5 533 casualties (killed, wounded, missing and taken prisoner) and the greatest loss of life in one day in Australian history. The 32nd Battalion lost 17 officers and 701 men killed, wounded or missing.]
Arthur Craker was processed through the medical system for treatment to his knee…………….
If you found this article of interest and would like to read more on Sergeant Crakers’ life or other soldiers of the First AIF, why not fill out a Membership Application Form today and enjoy the benefits of our DIGGER magazines? Membership is $A40 p.a. For more details visit our Members Area (click on tab at the top of the page).
FFFAIF Members can read more about Sergeant Crakers’ life in the AIF including being wounded a second time and his promotion to 2nd Lieutenant in the latest edition of DIGGER.
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FROMELLES IS NOT HONOURED ON THE NATIONAL OR ANY STATE MEMORIAL IN AUSTRALIA.
FFFAIF SUPPORTS ALL EFFORTS TO RECOGNISE FROMELLES ON OR AT THE NATIONAL AND ALL STATE MEMORIALS THAT PRESENTLY LIST BATTLES BY NAME.