Tuesday 5 January 1915 – We Lost 95
by greatwarliveslost
Le Trou Aid Post Cemetery
HMAS Australia sails from the Falkland Islands and intercepts and sinks the German collier ‘Eleanore Woermann’ believed to be laden with 1,800 tons of coal for the hunted German warship SMS Dresden, the only German ship to escape the Battle of the Falklands.
Union forces occupy Schuit Drift an important base on the Orange River.
Today’s losses include:
- A Gold Medal Artist and portrait painter
- Multiple families that will lose another son in the Great War
Today’s highlighted casualty is
Second Lieutenant Francis Edward Fitzjohn Crisp (Grenadier Guards) a Gold Medal Artist and portrait painter is killed in action at age 33. He went to the front with the Artist Rifles as a corporal before being granted his commission as a result of gallantry in action. In 1907 Crisp won the Gold Medal and a travelling scholarship of $1,000 at the Royal Academy for a historical painting together with a silver medal and several prizes for other work. An exhibition of his oil paintings and water colors attracted wide attention in America in 1913.
- Captain Lightly Harold Birt DSO (Royal Berkshire Regiment) is killed at age 35. He is the son of ‘Sir’ William and Lady Birt.
- Rifleman Reginald Thomas Hopkins (London Regiment) dies of wounds at age 21. His brother will be killed in September 1917.
- Private James Anker (Northamptonshire Regiment) is killed. His brother will be the next Anker killed in the war in May this year.
Remembering Captain Harold Birt, a pupil of Merchant Taylors’ School from 1891-95.
I visited Frank Crisp’s grave on his centenary this year. He is still remembered at Queen Elizabeth’s Barnet.
Frank’s brother, Hope, was with the 3rd Batt, Duke of Wellington’s at the battle of Hill 50 where he lost a leg. It did not prevent him from having another crack at the Wimbledon doubles after the war.
Amazing