Military service
Burial/memorial information
Digital gallery of Lance Corporal Fred Thomas Critcher
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Digital gallery of
Lance Corporal Fred Thomas Critcher
Digital gallery of
Lance Corporal Fred Thomas Critcher
Preston Ontario Cenotaph. Dedicated November 8, 1926. The names of Preston soldiers killed in the Second World War were added in 1949. Inscribed: IN HONOURED MEMORY OF THE MEN OF PRESTON WHO DIED IN THE GREAT WAR AND IN GRATEFUL TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO SHARED ITS DANGERS.
Digital gallery of
Lance Corporal Fred Thomas Critcher
Francis "Fred" Thomas Critcher (who was born February 1899) and lied about his age to enlist was born the son of Annie Hammond and Francis Samuel Groves (d. 1906) and emigrated to Canada in 1910 (and lived on Duke Street in Preston - now Waterloo, Ontario) as the "son" of Percy Critcher and Annie Groves (nee Hammond). Enlisted at the age of 16 (and lied to do so), and was wounded at Ypres in 1916; recovered and returned to active duty, he was killed in action on August 30, 1918, just 4 days after his Uncle Alfred James Barrett (172097) and was buried in the Sun Quarry Military Cemetery. Francis, known as both Fred and Frank, was just 18 years old.<P>
Left to mourn and survive were his mother Annie Critcher (she married Percy in 1918 when he enlisted), his sister Sarah Groves and brother Edwin Groves (all of Preston, Ontario).
Digital gallery of
Lance Corporal Fred Thomas Critcher
In memory of the men and women from the Waterloo area who went to war and did not come home. From the booklet, Peace Souvenir – Activities of Waterloo County in the Great War 1914 – 1918. From the Toronto Public Library collection.
Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me.
Digital gallery of
Lance Corporal Fred Thomas Critcher
In memory of the men and women from the Waterloo area who went to war and did not come home. From the booklet, Peace Souvenir – Activities of Waterloo County in the Great War 1914 – 1918. From the Toronto Public Library collection.
Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me.
Digital gallery of
Lance Corporal Fred Thomas Critcher
Photo by BGen G Young 15th Battalion Memorial Project Team Nov 2009
Digital gallery of
Lance Corporal Fred Thomas Critcher
Cap Badge 15th Bn (48th Highlanders of Canada). Submitted by Capt V Goldman, 15th Bn Memorial Project. DILEAS GU BRATH
Digital gallery of
Lance Corporal Fred Thomas Critcher
Shoulder Patch 15th Bn (48th Highlanders of Canada). Submitted by Capt V Goldman, 15th Bn Memorial Project. DILEAS GU BRATH
Digital gallery of
Lance Corporal Fred Thomas Critcher
Cap Badge 34th Bn CEF. Lance Corporal Critcher enlisted with the 34th Bn but was transferred to the 15th Bn as a reinforcement. Submitted by Capt V Goldman, 15th Bn Memorial Project. DILEAS GU BRATH
Digital gallery of
Lance Corporal Fred Thomas Critcher
Part 2 Orders dated 30 April 1916 indicating transfer to the 15th Bn (48th Highlanders). Submitted by 15th Bn Memorial Project Team.
Digital gallery of
Lance Corporal Fred Thomas Critcher
Source: Library and Archives Canada. CIRCUMSTANCES OF DEATH REGISTERS, FIRST WORLD WAR Surnames: CRABB TO CROSSLAND Microform Sequence 24; Volume Number 31829_B016733. Reference RG150, 1992-93/314, 168. Page 553 of 788
Digital gallery of
Lance Corporal Fred Thomas Critcher
A British Legion wooden poppy cross left on the grave of LCpl Critcher in August 2018 by his great nephew and photographed by members of the 15th Battalion Memorial Project Team doing field research in the area September 2018.
Dileas Gu Brath.
Digital gallery of
Lance Corporal Fred Thomas Critcher
From the Kitchener Public Library collection of World War One Soldier Information Cards. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
Digital gallery of
Lance Corporal Fred Thomas Critcher
Original Birth notice. Born Fred Thomas Groves, he was born in 1899. Not 1897. He lied about his age to enlist in 1915. He was born a Groves and emigrated to Canada with his mother (a widow) and sisters to be with Percy Critcher. Never formally adopted and his mother, Annie, was not married to Percy until 1918, he used the surname Critcher but he was born and was legally a Groves.
Image gallery
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Preston Ontario Cenotaph. Dedicated November 8, 1926. The names of Preston soldiers killed in the Second World War were added in 1949. Inscribed: IN HONOURED MEMORY OF THE MEN OF PRESTON WHO DIED IN THE GREAT WAR AND IN GRATEFUL TRIBUTE TO THOSE WHO SHARED ITS DANGERS.
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Francis "Fred" Thomas Critcher (who was born February 1899) and lied about his age to enlist was born the son of Annie Hammond and Francis Samuel Groves (d. 1906) and emigrated to Canada in 1910 (and lived on Duke Street in Preston - now Waterloo, Ontario) as the "son" of Percy Critcher and Annie Groves (nee Hammond). Enlisted at the age of 16 (and lied to do so), and was wounded at Ypres in 1916; recovered and returned to active duty, he was killed in action on August 30, 1918, just 4 days after his Uncle Alfred James Barrett (172097) and was buried in the Sun Quarry Military Cemetery. Francis, known as both Fred and Frank, was just 18 years old.<P> Left to mourn and survive were his mother Annie Critcher (she married Percy in 1918 when he enlisted), his sister Sarah Groves and brother Edwin Groves (all of Preston, Ontario).
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In memory of the men and women from the Waterloo area who went to war and did not come home. From the booklet, Peace Souvenir – Activities of Waterloo County in the Great War 1914 – 1918. From the Toronto Public Library collection. Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me.
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In memory of the men and women from the Waterloo area who went to war and did not come home. From the booklet, Peace Souvenir – Activities of Waterloo County in the Great War 1914 – 1918. From the Toronto Public Library collection. Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me.
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Photo by BGen G Young 15th Battalion Memorial Project Team Nov 2009
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Cap Badge 15th Bn (48th Highlanders of Canada). Submitted by Capt V Goldman, 15th Bn Memorial Project. DILEAS GU BRATH
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Shoulder Patch 15th Bn (48th Highlanders of Canada). Submitted by Capt V Goldman, 15th Bn Memorial Project. DILEAS GU BRATH
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Cap Badge 34th Bn CEF. Lance Corporal Critcher enlisted with the 34th Bn but was transferred to the 15th Bn as a reinforcement. Submitted by Capt V Goldman, 15th Bn Memorial Project. DILEAS GU BRATH
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Submitted for the project, Operation: Picture Me
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Part 2 Orders dated 30 April 1916 indicating transfer to the 15th Bn (48th Highlanders). Submitted by 15th Bn Memorial Project Team.
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Source: Library and Archives Canada. CIRCUMSTANCES OF DEATH REGISTERS, FIRST WORLD WAR Surnames: CRABB TO CROSSLAND Microform Sequence 24; Volume Number 31829_B016733. Reference RG150, 1992-93/314, 168. Page 553 of 788
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A British Legion wooden poppy cross left on the grave of LCpl Critcher in August 2018 by his great nephew and photographed by members of the 15th Battalion Memorial Project Team doing field research in the area September 2018. Dileas Gu Brath.
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From the Kitchener Public Library collection of World War One Soldier Information Cards. Submitted for the project Operation Picture Me
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Original Birth notice. Born Fred Thomas Groves, he was born in 1899. Not 1897. He lied about his age to enlist in 1915. He was born a Groves and emigrated to Canada with his mother (a widow) and sisters to be with Percy Critcher. Never formally adopted and his mother, Annie, was not married to Percy until 1918, he used the surname Critcher but he was born and was legally a Groves.
In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 391 of the First World War Book of Remembrance.
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SUN QUARRY CEMETERY Pas de Calais, France
Cherisy is a village approximately 13 kilometres south-east of Arras. The Cemetery is 1.5 kilometres south-east of the village on the north-east side of the D38 road to Hendecourt. Cherisy village was captured by the Allied 18th Division on May 3, 1917, but lost the same night; and it remained in German hands until it was retaken by the Canadian Corps on August 27, 1918. The cemetery takes it name from a flint quarry, known to the British Army as Sun Quarry, located a short distance south-east of Cherisy. The Cemetery covers an area of 462 square metres and is enclosed by brick walls.
For more information, visit Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
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