Harold Croucher
Stephen LearmonthHarold was born on the 24th of April, 1893, at Allans Flat in north-east Victoria. He was the seventh of ten children of Henry Joseph and Alice Elizabeth (née Yea) Croucher. During his younger years he attended the Mitta Mitta and Dederang State Schools.
Harold enlisted in Bright, Victoria, on the 21st of November, 1914. Whilst his family were still living in the Dederang area, Harold had been working as a labourer around Bright. He had some previous experience in the 16th Light Horse prior to the war. Harold was alloacted the Regimental Number 814 and placed in the 4th Reinforcements for the 8th Light Horse Regiment.
After initial training the 4th Reinforcements embarked on HMAT A18 Wiltshire at Melbourne on the 13th of April, 1915. The next line in Harold’s service record states that he was taken on strength in A Squadron of the 8th Light Horse Regiment at Gallipoli on the 4th of June, 1915.
On the 17th of June the 8th Light Horse were relieved from the frontline trenches and moved back to Mule Valley for a rest. Three days later they trudged back up the steep slope and found themselves back on Walker’s Ridge, a little to the left of their previous positions. Although there is no mention of any contact with the Turks, at some stage on the 19th of June Harold was wounded in the stomach by shrapnel from a Turkish artillery shell. He was taken down the New Zealand Field Ambulance and then placed onto the Hospital Ship Gascon. At 0715 hours the following morning Harold succumbed to his wounds. He was buried at sea, three miles off Gaba Tepe, with the service being taken by the Rev. Lee Warner.
Harold has no nown grave but is remembered on the Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Kergunyah Great European War Roll of Honour, the Lone Pine Memorial to the Missing, the Upper Gundowring State School No. 2733 Roll of Honour, the Yackandandah Holy Trinity Anglican Church and the Yackandandah Memorial Gates. For his service during the First World War, he was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.
One week short of a year later, Henry and Alice Croucher would lose another son, Neil, on the Western Front.
