Name
Graham Hay Le Mesurier Croll
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/05/1915
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
2199
London Regiment *1
1st/23rd (County of London) Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
LE TOURET MEMORIAL
Panels 45 and 46.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Watford Borough Roll of Honour, Watford Grammar School Memorial, Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance
Pre War
Son of David Hay and Lucie Gerout (nee LE MESURIER) CROLL of Eastbourne, Sussex.
His parents married 12 September 1885 at St Margaret’s, Ilkley, Yorks. Lucy died 1929 in Harrow, Middx, aged 71, and was buried 4 January in Vicarage Road Cemetery, Watford; David died 1929 in Eastbourne aged 78, and was buried 26 January, also in Vicarage Road Cemetery.
Graham was born 7 May 1893 in Watford, and baptised 28 May 1893 at St Mary’s, Watford. He attended Watford Grammar School from October 1901 to June 1907, and resided in Hurlingham, Middx.
On the 1901 Census, aged 7 he lived in Watford, with his parents and three siblings. On the 1911 Census, a clerk to a Chinese skin merchant aged 17, he lived in London S.W., with his parents and two siblings.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in Clapham, London; was entitled to the Victory, British War and 1914-15 Star medals, his qualifying date being 14 March 1915, and was killed in action 25 May 1915.
Additional Information
The published Watford Grammar School Book of Remembrance entry reads: “CROLL, GRAHAM LE MESURIER. School period: October, 1901, to June, 1907. Private, 23rd County of London Regiment. Killed in action in France, 25th May, 1915.”
There is a Death announcement for Graham in the West Herts and Watford Observer dated 12 June 1915; plus an In Memoriam from the Grammar School in the issue dated 31 July 1915. Unfortunately, Graham’s Service Record appears to be one that did not survive the World War Two bombing.
*1 Believed more correctly, (County of London) Bn. London Regiment.
Acknowledgments
Sue Carter (Research) and Watford Museum (ROH on line via www.ourwatfordhistory.org.uk)
