'But who shall record the glorious deeds of the soldier whose lot is numbered with the thousands in the ranks who live and die and fight in obscurity' ,
Quoted in Liddell Hart, B. (ed), The letters of Private Wheeler, Michael Joseph, London, 1951 - a Napoleonic soldier

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission: In Memory of Private JOHN HENRY CROMPTON 73, 42nd Bn., Australian Infantry, A.I.F who died age 42 on Thursday, 4th October 1917. Son of Mrs. M.E. Williams, of 7 Princess Royal Terrace, Scarborough, England. Remembered with honour Commemorative Information Memorial: YPRES (MENIN GATE) MEMORIAL, Ieper, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Grave Reference/Panel number: Panel 27

Source: Commonwealth War Graves Commission and his individual details (Accessed 19 December 2017)

The Menin Gate Memorial

'He is not missing; he is here'  Field Marshall Lord Plumber at the inauguration of the Menin Gate, 24 July 1927.

	Above: The panel showing John Henry's name on the Menin Gate, marked with a red arrow on the plan Left: The Commonwealth War Graves Commission plan of the Menin Gate shows John Henry's name to be in section 25 adjacent to panel 27
	Situated on the site of Vauban's old fortified gate, through which many British soldiers passed on their way to the front, the Menin Gate lists the names of 54, 900 names of those who were killed and had no known grave in The Salient between 4 August 1914 and prior to 16 August 1917 - the date of the Battle of Langemarck. The remaining 34, 888 names are inscribed to the rear of Tyne Cot Cemetery.

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It was intended that the missing from all overseas armies would be represented on the walls. However, had the date rules applied there would be virtually no Australians named on the Gate. Right: Menin Gate from the Menin Road side 2007

Left: John Henry's medals at the Menin Gate panel 04 October 2007, the 90th anniversary of the battle

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Left: John Henry's memorial card at the Menin Gate panel 04 October 2017, the 100th anniversary of the battle

At Zonnebeke, Belgium

Left: The first obelisk on the Australian Walk, Zonnebeke 04 October 2017 at 0915, one hundred years and fifteen minutes after John Henry's reported death. In the top left corner is the tarmac surface of the old Ypres to Roulers railway, followed by the Australian on 04 October 1917. The commune and Museum of Passchendaele 1917 have made the track into a pedestrian and cycle way to Tyne Cot Cemetery. An obelisk, provided by the Australian government marks the beginning and end of the Australian's progress. The photo shows the first obelisk, placed at the start of the 3km trail. Across the trail is the field where John Henry's body was believed to have been killed and subsequently buried. In 1919, in a first sweep of the battlefield the Graves Registration Commission found 42 bodies in the 500 square yard map grid adjacent to the obelisk. Perhaps John Henry was one of those!

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At Lowthorpe, East Yorkshire

Left: John Henry's Lowthorpe memorial

In October 2010 I visited St. Martin's Lowthorpe and left flowers and a card on John Henry's memorial headstone. John Wresdell, St. Martin's church warden of many years, contacted me to say that my card had resolved a puzzle. Whilst he has seen John Henry's memorial he knew no more. He kindly sent me a photograph of the village war memorial, situated inside the church. John Wresdell did not know why John Henry's name was missing from the tablet, but, unfortunately, it does not seem possible to add his name. In June 2016 the family added his name. John Wresdell confirmed that John Henry's name is included in the Armistice Day service and that the Church commemorated the centenary of his death. Left: Lowthorpe war memorial

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St Martin?s Church stands behind high conifers, which have grown tall over the years giving it a dark and gloomy appearance as you walk up the path towards it. It is believed to have been built in 1333. The original chancel is now is open to the skies but the church remains supported and used today on an occasional basis. Right: Pencil drawing by unknown artist of St. Martin's Church, Lowthorpe. John Henry's memorial is through the trees by the tower.

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Royal Canadian Legion Memorial in Wainwright, Alberta, Canada

On 24 August 2010 Diane Carl, from Alberta, sent an intriguing email entitled ?John H Crompton?. The Legion was publishing a Memorial and Diane had taken upon herself to research World War 1 veteran who have no one I know of to speak for them. She had found this website and was ?

looking for a John H Crompton who is commemorated on the Royal Canadian Legion memorial in Wainwright, Alberta [as she was] trying to find out when and where he died.

John Henry, known as Jack, homesteaded near Wainwright between circa 1907 and circa 1914 on land that was to be purchased, in later years, by Diane's father. Diane writes that although

'his name appears on the Commemorative War Plaques in Wainwright, as being killed in World War 1, the Canadian Virtual War Memorial and Books of Remembrance do not list him as being in the Canadian Expeditionary Forces in World War 1.

Chester Zaijic, a 92 year old officer in the Wainwright Legion knew the name of the soldier listed as J. Crompton as John Crompton although ?the neighbours knew him as Jack? and he had heard that Jack had taken up homesteading in Australia. His name was on the Wainwright memorial because he lived in the community at one time and had died during World War 1 ?It wouldn't have made any difference which country he had served.? Since the construction of the Wainwright memorial plaque Jack?s name, along with all the names of those from District who were killed in action, have been read from the ? Honor Roll? at the Wainwright Remembrance Day Parades. As each name is called, Sea Cadets place a poppy on the large white cross for each soldier.
Above: Jack's name on the Wainwright Legion memorial Right: Wainwright Royal Canadian Legion memorial

Wainwright's Memorial Clock Tower

Jack's name is also recorded on the Wainwright Memorial Clock Tower, built by public subscription and hard labour in 1925.

	On 13 September 1925 the people of Wainwright and district gathered around the newly built clock and dedicated it, and its plaque engraved with 33 names, to the memory of those from the area who gave their lives in the First World War. Since that day and on each
Above: Jack's name on the Wainwright Memorial Clock
Remembrance Sunday the citizens of Wainwright have gathered in the centre square of Main Street and Second Avenue to be reminded of the fallen.

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Major Gen. W. Griesbach of Edmonton, supported by the children of Wainwright and the local Alberta Dragoons, unveiled the bronze memorial tablet set into the masonry of the Clock Tower. On the tablet was written ?These went and came not again. In memory of those from this community who gave their lives in the Great War?. Left: Wainwright Memorial Clock plaque Source: Diane Carl

Above: Wainwright Memorial Clock 13 September 1923

His memorial in Caboolture Returned Serviceman's League (RSL), Queensland Caboolture is, perhaps, the closest town to Elimbah. It is large enough to support a branch of the Return Services League (RSL) in which is the Caboolture District Roll of Honour 1914-1919. This records the name of CROMPTON J.H.

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In Brisbane, where it all started

ANZAC Square War Memorial and Parkland in Adelaide Street, was opened on Armistice Day, 1930. It is dedicated to Queenland's military heritage, features the Shrine of Remembrance with Eternal Flame. All photos: Bruce Hutson

Anzac Square commemorates all Queenslanders who participated in war, not just Brisbane residents. It remains as the focus of armed services commemorations, particularly on Anzac Day. Beneath the Shrine is a large crypt containing the Shrine of Memories, and several other memorials dedicated to various Queensland contingents of the armed forces.

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	Located in the Shrine of Memories crypt, this large ornate timber Honour Board, is dedicated to the men of the 42nd Battalion who served during the First World War. The board displays two enamelled Unit badges and the Rising Sun badge of the Australian Forces. Beneath exists three panels containing names of the 42nd Battalion men who fell in combat and these are divided by eight column facades.

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Australian War Memorial First World War Nominal Roll of Honour

Frederic Tibbits was John Henry's brother-in-law.

Click on the icon to open the image. The Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour records John Henry being killed at Alma Farm. This is located 750 yards (686m) due north of Zonnebeke church, 1 250 yards (1150m) south east of Tyne Cot Cemetery, and 3 200 yards (3km) south west of Passchendaele, the ultimate target. Source: The National Archives, Kew WO297/718 Trench map October 1917. Reference 28NE1 D22a 2.4)

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Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour - John Henry Crompton

This page was created by Richard Crompton and maintained by Chris Glass		Version A15 Updated 09 August 2020