Private Alfred Cronshaw
37749 2nd East Lancashire Regiment
Died of Wounds 26th June 1917, aged 27
Lived at 2 Wellhouse Street
Buried in Etaples Military Cemetery, France
St Peters Memorial, Burnley
Burnley Express 14th July 1917

Burnleys Great War Centenary

Sponsored by: His Grandaughter Margaret Windle

Brother of Harry Cronshaw

Private Alfred Cronshaw was born in Burnley. He was the husband of Margaret Cronshaw of 2 Wellhouse Street, Burnley (Off Adlington Street) and had one child. His parents, brother and sister lived at 20 Merton Street. He enlisted in Burnley in March 1917 as Private 37749 2nd Bn., East Lancashire Regiment and died of wounds aged 27 on Tuesday 26th June 1917.He is buried at Etaples Military Cemetery. Grave XXII. L16. His gravestone is engraved. “Our thoughts are ever with you, from his dear wife and child”.

Only Out A Short Time. Burnley Brothers Sad End Other Brothers Wounded ( Burnley Express of July 14 1917 )

Official news received this week by Mrs Cronshaw, of 5, Chaffer Street, Burnley of the death from wounds on June 26th of her husband, Pte. Alfred Cronshaw of the East Lancashire Regt. came as a great shock, as he only left Burnley on May 20, to arrive in France a few days later. The unfortunate soldier must have in this case have been wounded and died shortly after reaching foreign soil. Pte. Cronshaw only enlisted on March 25th. He was aged 27 years, was a reel man at the Burnley Paper Works and leaves a widow and young child. He attended St James Church. His brother Harry has been wounded three times, and is again in France after two years service, and his brother John is also out again after recovering from wounds”
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Notes
Wedding on 8/7/1911 at St Peter’s Church. Alfred Cronshaw, bachelor aged 21, labourer of 20, Merton Street, son of John Cronshaw, labourer, married Margaret Morrison, spinster, aged 24 of 5 Chaffer Street, daughter of Robert Morrison, labourer. Witnesses were Leonard ? and Annie Morrison

From the History of the East Lancashire Regiment :

The battalion reached Winnipeg camp (1 mile south of Ypres) on June 14th, after three very hot marches which tried the later drafts considerably. For the next fortnight "A" and "B" Companies were detached for work under the Royal Engineers, while the remainder were employed in digging "jumping off" trenches in front of "Zouave" trench, just South of the remains of the village of Hooge. The German aeroplanes, particularly Count Richthofen's "circus" were very active over the trenches, but there was little hostile shelling of the trenches., the enemy's artillery being chiefly concerned in engaging the British guns near Zillebeke lake. On June 20th the whole battalion went into the right sector of the Divisional front, which extended from the north of Zouave Wood to the Ypres-Roulers railway; this tour was a preliminary in order to familiarize the battaloin with country over which it was to attack.

Copy of original letter notifying Alfred's wife of his wound (by permission of Margaret Windle) for a transcription of this letter see below

(St James Church Magazine September 1917)

No 5 Canadian Casualty Clearing Stations, BEF, June 22nd 1917

Dear Madam I regret to say that your husband, Private A Cronshaw 5/37749 was admitted here yesterday as a patient with wounds in the head. Such wounds are always serious and it is impossible to say how they may develop. But your husband was about the least serious of those with similar wounds admitted yesterday, and i should say that please God he has a fair chance of recovery. He is mostly non-conscious (but all head cases are necessarily so) and I got your address by looking in his kit. If he goes on at all well he will be moved say soon possibly tomorrow to a base hospital where he can be left long enough for an operation. Head operations require generally 3 weeks, absolute rest, after then and we cannot keep patients here (cannot make this part out). I shall let you know where he is sent so I fear i can give you no further information. If I could it would mean bad news, for he will not remain here for long if he does well, but I thought this letter might relieve your anxiety a little,

Believe me
Yours Faithfully
J.O.Murray
Ch. of Eng Chaplain