BORN HULL 1887. ELDEST SON OF JAMES CROPPER AND ALICE CROPPER, OF 61 ROSEMEAD STREET, HULL. ONE OF NINE CHILDREN. HE MARRIED ON 16/09/1911, AT ST ANDREWS CHURCH, HULL. HIS FIRST CHILD ELLEN WAS BORN TWO MONTHS LATER, ON 14/12/1911. HIS WIFE ELIZABETH SMITH (1891–1979) & THEIR THREE DAUGHTERS ELLEN, MARJORIE AND EVELYN, LIVED AT 8 DERWENT AVENUE, COURTNEY STREET, HULL (CWGC ADDRESS).
HE WAS A FORMER PACKER AT RECKITT’S.
ENLISTED IN HULL, ON 26/11/1915, AGED 28 YEARS AND 6 MONTHS. MOBILIZED ON 31/05/1916. TRAINED WITH THE 14TH RESERVE EAST YORKSHIRE BATTALION. HIS ARMY RECORDS, DESCRIBE HIM AS 5 FOOT 5 INCHES TALL, A 35 INCH CHEST WITH A 2 INCH EXPANSION, 128 LBS WEIGHT, AND ‘GOOD’ PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT. POSTED TO FRANCE ON 11/12/1916. SERVED WITH THE 1ST EAST YORKSHIRE BATTALION. WOUNDED IN THE BUTTOCK AND ABDOMEN, ON 11/05/1917. DIED OF WOUNDS, ON 28/05/1917, AGED 30. HIS YOUNGEST DAUGHTER EVERLYN HAD ONLY BEEN BORN ON 23/11/1916. THE ONLY ITEM RETURNED WAS HIS IDENTITY DISC. HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL, ON 06/06/1917. HIS WIDOW RECEIVED A WEEKLY WAR PENSION, OF 23 SHILLINGS AND 6 PENCE FOR HERSELF AND HER THREE DAUGHTERS, WITH EFFECT FROM 03/12/1917. HE ALSO LEFT FOUR BROTHERS AND THREE SISTERS
HE IS BURIED AT BUCQUOY ROAD CEMETERY, FICHEUX, FRANCE. HIS GRAVE INSCRIPTION, READS, “THOUGH DEATH DIVIDES MEMORY CLINGS”
HIS BROTHER, PRIVATE, GEORGE SIMPSON CROPPER, 7TH EAST YORKSHIRE REGIMENT, DIED OF WOUNDS, ON 18/09/1918, AGED 25.
