Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Remembrance Sunday: 11am at St Paul's Harringay
This Sunday we will hold an Act of Remembrance outside St Paul's Harringay, on Wightman Road (N4 1RW), for all those who have given their lives in war or are currently serving. The church bell will toll, we will hold a two minute silence, and we will sing Abide With Me. Wreaths of poppies will be laid by some of our young people. All are welcome to come and join us.
There will also be church services at 9.30am and 11.05am, and I will be sharing the story of Sgt. Edwin 'Teddy' Croager, pictured, who was a Harringay local killed in the First World War. The accounts of his death from his best friend are very moving. Thank you Bethany Burrow for ther story.
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Brian Mahoney on
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Thank you Pete. And thank you Sgt Croager and all who served King and country with you.
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Permalink Reply by Pete on
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Here is the story of Sgt. Croager, which we shared today at St Paul's:
Sgt. Edwin ‘Teddy’ Croager (1893-1915)
‘I myself have lost my closest chum.’
In recent years I’ve picked one soldier from the list of many Harringay men who gave their lives in wars, and told their story. As usual, I’m indebted to Bethany Burrow for doing all the research.
If you go into the church entrance and turn left, you’ll see the war memorial that we unveiled exactly one year ago. Look on the left hand column, under ‘C’, and you’ll find the name Edwin Croager.
Edwin, or ‘Teddy’ as he was known, lived in Harringay 110 years ago, and was a member of St Paul’s. He was in the choir as a 14 year-old, and he was in the Young Men’s Bible Class. When he left school he got a job as a clerk.
When the First World War broke out Teddy joined the Army, did three months training in Watford, and then left for France in the spring of 1915.
Two months later he found himself at a village called Festubert. Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig ordered an attack, and over two weeks Teddy and the Allied forces gained 1km of ground, but at the cost of 16,000 Allied soldiers’ lives.
Teddy and his platoon were on the road during the night of 18th May 1915, near the village, but the enemy saw them and started shelling. Teddy and his soldiers ran for shelter, but he got wounded in the hand. We’re not sure how; it might have been a piece of flying shrapnel. We’re told that Teddy was ‘working like a hero to keep his men together’; he was ‘very steady and doing his best to steady his men’. Two shells narrowly missed him and his section.
The platoon made it to cover, but there were no officers to give orders, so Teddy went back to get instructions. It was on that journey that a high explosive shell hit him and killed him.
Because he was alone his body wasn’t found until daylight.
We know most of this from Teddy’s best friend, Sgt. G. S. Bonney. He wrote to Teddy’s parents back in Harringay, ‘He died doing his duty for King and Country. He was respected and loved by all ranks, and in losing him I myself have lost my closest chum. The boys of our company wish me to convey to you their deepest sympathy.’
There was also a woman writing desperately to Sgt. Bonney at that time called Miss Birch, saying there must be some mistake. I think she must have been Teddy’s girlfriend. Sgt. Bonney said, ‘I wish to God there were. ‘[Teddy’s] grave has been bricked in and flowers put on it. I helped in this work myself and laid the first brick.’
Harringay lost a 22 year old that day. The vicar at the time said Teddy’s ‘brightness and openness and goodness seemed so clear.’
Jesus Christ said, in words which are inscribed on our new war memorial, ‘Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends.’
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