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23/1023   Lance Corporal William John Crooks
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Dated added: 30/12/2015   Last updated: 07/07/2017
Personal Details
Regiment/Service: 1st Batt Trentham Regiment, 3rd New Zealand Infantry Brigade (New Zealand Army)
Date Of Birth: 05/11/1893
Died: 08/06/1917 (Killed in Action)
Age: 23
Summary      
William John Crooks was the eldest child of John and Mary Crooks. He was born in the Moneymore / Lissan area. He was one of at least eleven children. His father was a farm labourer. William immigrated to New Zealand and lived there with his aunt and uncle. He worked as a farm labourer. He enlisted in May 1915 and was promoted to Lance-Corporal in September. In April 1916 he arrived in France. Lance Corporal Crooks was serving with the 1st Battalion (Trentham Regiment) with the 3rd New Zealand Infantry Brigade when he was killed in action in Belgium on 8th June 1917.
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Cemetery Details
Grave
Cemetery: Messines Ridge (NZ) Memorial
  Mesen, West-Vlaanderen, 
Grave Ref:
CWGC Casualty 1737774
Summary      
The Messines Ridge (New Zealand) Memorial to the Missing is situated within Messines Ridge British Cemetery, which is located 9.5 Kms south of Ieper town centre on the Nieuwkerkestraat, a road leading from the Rijselseweg, N365, which connects Ieper to Wijtschate, Mesen and on to Armentieres.
Local Memorial Details

No Memorial Name Townland
1 Clagan Presbyterian Church Roll Of Honour Cookstown
2 Cookstown Cenotaph WWI - East Panel 2018 Cookstown
3 Cookstown Cenotaph WWI - East Panel 1927 Cookstown
Local Institute / Local Book Details

No Name Page
1 Cookstown War Dead Book WW1 208
References and Links
No Link Reference Map Doc
1 1901 Census lists Crooks family 1901 census lists William as age 7, living with the family at house 3 in Lismoney, Moneyhaw, Londonderry
2 1911 Census lists Crooks family 1911 census does not list William as living with the family at house 2 in Lismoney, Moneyhaw, Londonderry
3 Archives New Zealand Military documents (25 no.) of Lance Corporal William John Crooks
4 Dolores Cross Project No picture of Lance Corporal William John Crooks' memorial
5 New Zealand Cenotaph Details of Private Thomas Heslop incluuding grave photo
6 NZ War Graves Project Details of Lance Corporal William John Crooks including memorial photo
7 Private David Crooks Mitchell Also lived at Northbrook Road, Rangiora, New Zealand
Cookstown District's War Dead Acknowledgements 2010-2023