The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals

A rare Great War ‘1914’ ‘Warrant Officer’s’ M.C. group of four awarded to Company Quartermaster Sergeant, later Second Lieutenant, T. H. Crabb, 4th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment); commissioned in the field in February 1916 after 16 years in the ranks, he died the following month from wounds received in action in the Ypres Salient on 18 March 1916

Military Cross, G.V.R., unnamed as issued; 1914 Star, with clasp (7799 C.Q.M. Sjt. T. H. Crabb. 4/R. Fus.); British War and Victory Medals (2. Lieut. T. H. Crabb.); together with Royal Fusiliers Cap Badge with apparent bullet-hole piercing, nearly extremely fine (4) £1,200-£1,600

This lot was sold as part of a special collection, The Barry Hobbs Collection of Great War Medals.

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M.C. London Gazette 18 February 1915.

M.I.D. London Gazette 17 February 1915.

Thomas Henry Crabb was born in 1881 in the Parish of St. Mary, London and attested for the Royal Fusiliers at Hounslow on 25 January 1900. Posted to the 3rd Battalion, the following ten years saw him advanced steadily through the ranks whilst stationed successively in Gibraltar, Egypt, Bermuda, South Africa, and Mauritius. Having extended his service in 1909 to ‘such time as shall complete 21 years service’, he returned home in September 1910 and was posted to the 4th Battalion. Following the outbreak of the Great War, Company Quartermaster Sergeant Crabb disembarked with his battalion at Le Havre on 13 August 1914 as part of the 9th Brigade in the 3rd Division with Smith Dorrien’s II Corps. With a full war establishment of 992 men, comprising 734 reservists, the 4th Royal Fusiliers were among the first of the B.E.F. battalions to arrive in France, and proceeded directly to Mons where, together with the 4th Middlesex, they faced the first German attacks and could count among their number Lieutenant M. Dease and Private S. F. Godley who were awarded the first V.C.s of the Great War for their defence of Y Company HQ at the Nimy railway bridge on 23 August 1914.

After a fighting withdrawal south to trenches at Inchy, the Battalion was relieved by the 1st Northumberland Fusiliers on 26 August. They were in reserve positions during the Battle of Le Cateau but saw hard fighting at the Marne, the Aisne, La Bassée (Neuve Chapelle), Messines and First Ypres, the battalion war diary recording a staggering total loss of 1900 men and 50 officers killed, wounded, missing or sick by the end of November.

Having been promoted Company Sergeant Major on 1 October 1914, Crabb’s designation of rank was altered to Warrant Officer Class II on 29 January 1915. He was Mentioned in Despatches for gallant and distinguished service in the Field during the period up to 20 November 1914 (the date of French’s original despatch referred to in the London Gazette of 17 February 1915) and his Military Cross, gazetted the following day, was undoubtedly for the same period although, in common with all these early awards it was announced under the general heading ‘for services rendered in connection with operations the field’.

Crabb was appointed Acting Regimental Sergeant Major on 23 September 1915 and commissioned Second Lieutenant in the Field on 14 February 1916. Just over one month later, on 18 March 1916, he died at No. 10 Casualty Clearing Station, from wounds received in action in the Ypres salient as his battalion prepared for the attack on the St. Eloi craters.

He was the son of Thomas and Albertina Gabb; husband of Charlotte Crabb, of 30, Vicarage Lane, Romford Rd., Stratford, London and a native of Stamford Hill, London. He is buried in Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, Belgium.

Note: The recipient’s service papers contain a communication from the War Office to the recipient’s widow regarding arrangements for the despatch of gallantry awards to deceased officers. The awards mentioned are the Military Cross and a ‘Russian Decoration.’