Lt Charles Gordon Creyk, 2/24 Regiment |
Peter Ewart
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Edward
I'm sure I won't be the only one to find your post absolutely fascinating. Although there will always have been instances of "it could easily have been me" in any military disaster, the circumstances of this case do suggest that Creyk could hardly fail to have carried such thoughts for the rest of his days. The Lambert Weston studio was a well established local photographer in Folkestone from Victorian times right through most of the 20th century - I wasn't aware they had a Dover studio too. (The two towns are only half a dozen miles apart, each having its own garrison). As you'll probably know, the 2/24 was part of the Dover garrison at the time the picture was taken. I have seen local newspaper reports of several local cricket matches involving officers of the Dover garrison and/or the 2/24 around 1876 and 1877, including Bromhead, Pope, Penn Symons etc., but haven't seen Creyk playing. I'll put that down to his being a Scot, assuming he went to school in Scotland. When you see his service papers, no doubt you'll be able to fill in on his various movements, but - although not necessarily adding much of interest - I have just checked the 1861 census returns for Scotland and located his family. At an address given as Pitchaish in the parish of Inveravon (also his birthplace) Banffshire, he is described as a five year old scholar who had an elder brother, George, 11. Alexander (46) and Sarah (43) concur with the names of the parents you give above. I didn't find him in 1881 (presumably overseas or in Scotland, where the name Creyk appears to be a variant of the common surname of Craig, this particular version (Creyk) being notable in Banffshire). It is not difficult to guess what prompted Godwin-Austen to seek an exchange, give his two elder brothers' service in the 24th regiment. Why Creyk sought a switch to the West India Reg't is much less obvious (to me), unless someone can enlighten us on the possibilities. Fred G-A presumably always saw his posting to the WIR as temporary, serving in the Caribbean and West Africa during his two years or so with them. It seems he joined the 2/24 at Chatham not long before the fateful embarkation! Peter |
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John Young
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Edward,
Doing it the other way! Here's Lieutenant Frederick Godwin-Austen of the 2nd West India Regiment! John Y. |
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Lt Charles Gordon Creyk, 2/24 Regiment |
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