Local Heroes WW1

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(Liet) Douglas Bertram Crisp DCM

Lieutenant Douglas Bertram Crisp, DSO was a Grosr from Rosewater, SA prior to enlistment on 4 September 1915 and embarked from Adelaide, SA with the 16th Battalion, 8th Reinforcement on board RMS Morea on 26 August 1915. He was Returned to Australia 30 August 1918.

(Liet) Douglas Bertram Crisp DCM
Awarded Distinguished Conduct Medal

Service Number: 2631
Rank: Private
Unit: 16 Battalion
Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918
Recommendation: Distinguished Conduct Medal
Date of recommendation: 15 April 1917

'On the morning of the 11th April 1917 in the charge against Hindenburg Line before Reincourt, this non-commissioned Officer started out in command of a section which he gallantly led in the charge into the first objective and thence on over unbroken barbed wire into the second objective.  ON arriving there he leapt over the parados and placed a Lewis Gun in a commanding position and did great execution - amongst the retreating enemy.  He subsequently lead a bombing attack against a part of the enemy who had captured one of our Vickers Guns, which he recaptured after killing all the enemy opposed to his part.  His initiative and leadership throughout the whole operation was magnificent.  He subsequently volunteered and succeeded in bringing to the Battalion Commander a communication from his company Commander.  To do this he had to cross about a thousand yards of open plains constantly swept by Machine Gun fire and under a heavy Artillery barrage.  On arrival he gave a clear and concise account of the whole situation in the front trenches.  He is very highly recommened for high distinction.

Service Number: 2631
Rank: Lance Corporal
Unit: 16 Battalion
Service: Army
Conflict: First World War, 1914-1918
Award: Distinguished Conduct Medal
Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: 4 October 1917
Location in Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: Page 2632, position 21
Date of London Gazette: 18 June 1917
Location in London Gazette: Page 6014, position 5

16th Battalion

ID number     P01153.001
Collection     Photograph
Object type     Black & white
Date made     August 1915
Physical description     Black & white

Description

Group portrait of officers and non-commissioned officers of 8th Reinforcements of the 10th, 12th and 16th Battalions, at Mitcham camp (later Colonel Light Gardens), Adelaide, South Australia. Identified from left to right: back row: 2568 Corporal (Cpl) Leslie Gordon Shannon from Bagot's Well, South Australia (later Lieutenant (Lt) and awarded DCM); 2709 Pte Leslie George William Caust from Somerton, South Australia (later Lt); 2567 Cpl Alan Kenmore Brooker, from Kent Town, South Australia; Cpl Mac...(unidentified), 2608 Cpl Roy Reginald Foulkes from Gilles Plains, South Australia (later Sergeant); and 2631 Cpl Douglas Bertram Bert Crisp from Rosewater, South Australia. Second row from back: 2606 Sergeant (Sgt) James Finlay from Hyde Park, South Australia; 2559 Sgt David Jesse Henry Millard from Port Pirie South Australia; 2603 Cpl George Evans from Stepney, South Australia; 914 Sgt Leonard Charles Gardner from Murray Bridge, South Australia (later Company Quartermaster Sergeant); 2593 Sgt James Eric Mayne from North Adelaide (later Company Sergeant Major); and 2664 Sgt Samuel (Sammy) Aynsworth Osborne from Prospect South Australia (later awarded the Military Medal). Third row: 2558 Cpl William Roland (Bill) Brooker, from Kent Town; 2592 Cpl Ernest George Hodge from Alberton South Australia (later Lt); 2602 Sgt Maurice Leonard (Len) Gurr from North Kensington, South Australia (killed in action in France between 6-10 April 1917); 2600 Lance Corporall Libby Sibly (Lib) Waye from Willunga, South Australia; unknown, unknown, and 2632 Sgt Hugh Gordon Garland from Alberton, South Australia (later Lt and awarded DCM and MM and killed in action in France on 3 May 1918); Front row: Lt Stewart; Lt Herman Fritz Hubbe from Knightsbridge, South Australia (later Captain and killed in action in France on 23 July 1916); Lt James (Jim) Churchill Smith from Prospect, South Australia (later Major and awarded MC and bar and MID); Lt Colin Macpherson Smith from Cockburn, South Australia (died of wounds at Passchendaele, Belgium on 6 October 1917 (brother of the aviators Ross and Keith Smith); Lt. Virgil Tucker from Ballarat, Victoria (later Captain and killed in action at Bullecourt, France on 11 April 1917).

Crisp Stained Glass Tribute

The Jacob's Ladder Window is a memorial to Douglas B Crisp and his wife Dorothy, and was dedicated in 1981. The window was crafted by Cedar Prest, an Adelaide Glass Artist. The dedication of this window states  "AMDG IN MEMORY OF DOUGLAS BERTRAM CRISP AND DOROTHY ALICE CRISP".  The cobalt blue glass figure is fashioned from Morris glass, and the light blue glass above it has a highly opalescent effect if viewed at sunset. right Anglican Church of St Michael, Mitcham

PHOTO DESCRIPTION Top No.2631 Lieutenant Douglas Bertram Crisp, 16th Battalion, son of Joseph Albert and Louisa Blakemore Crisp (nee White), was born in Rosewater, South Australia. Douglas was nineteen and a grocer at the time of his attestation on the 7 of April 1915 in Keswick. He left Australia aboard the "Moira" on 26 August 1915 and served in France and England. Awarded the Distinguised Conduct Medal for "conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty he led his men in the most gallant manner and inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy. Later he carried an important message 1000 yards over the open under very heavy fire." He married Dorothy Alice Correll in Goodwood on 18 of July 1923.
    DATE    1915 Photo State Library of South Australia

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