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2nd Lieutenant Edward Arthur CRAIG, 1896
BiographyThe following biography is from "REMEMBRANCE - Auckland Grammar School Great War Roll of Honour"
by Andrew Connolly and Peter Stanes.
2ND LIEUTENANT EDWARD ARTHUR CRAIG, 1896
2nd Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regiment, 25988
Died 5th October, 1917
Edward Arthur Craig was born on 5th December 1882 in Christchurch, a son of David Craig and Sarah Emma (also known as Emma) Bennett.
David Craig, was born in Fifeshire, Scotland, about 1837, and served articles to a solicitor there, before working in the office of a leading Writer to the Signet1 in Edinburgh and attending law classes at the University. Having an adventurous spirit, he decided to emigrate to New Zealand and arrived in Auckland from London in August 1865 on board the sailing ship, Rob Roy (100 days). Also on board the Rob Roy was a young woman from London, Sarah Emma Bennett, who was born in 1843, and whose father, John Bennett, Esq, was of Dartmouth, Devon. David and Sarah were married in October 1866 in home of a Mr. Wilson, draper, in Wyndham Street, Auckland, and were to have seven sons and two daughters, Edward Craig being the youngest child. They moved to Christchurch, where David started his long association with the New Zealand Insurance Company in 1867, initially as an agent, living first in Hereford Street and then, by 1875, in Montreal Street. In 1880, David became the Christchurch manager, and the family moved to West Belt (now known as Deans Avenue) on the edge of Hagley Park in Riccarton. Following his primary education, Edward Craig initially entered Christ’s College in Christchurch before his father’s promotion to national General Manager of the New Zealand Insurance Company necessitated a move to Auckland in late 1895. The family lived until 1900 in Symonds Street, when they moved to Khyber Pass, and, by 1909, they had moved to 71 Gillies Avenue, Epsom. David was based in the New Zealand Insurance Company building between 111 and 117 Queen Street. After retiring in 1903, David, having seen his son, Edward Arthur Craig, follow in his footsteps and enter the New Zealand Insurance Company, died of a stroke in September 1909 at his Gillies Avenue home. Emma remained living there and died in October 1925.
Edward Arthur Craig entered the School in the Lower Fourth in 1896. He was the only member of the family to attend the School, and the only one to serve in the war. At Grammar, he excelled at sports and played in the 1st XV for three seasons, being captain in his final year, 1899. Following his schooling, Edward Craig rose to a senior level in the New Zealand Insurance Company and worked in various branches before returning to Auckland. He was a volunteer in the Highland Rifles and volunteered for war service on 31st May 1916. He was initially appointed as Corporal in the 19th Reinforcements, and he was soon promoted to Company Sergeant Major. On 1st November 1916, he was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant and reassigned to the 24th Reinforcements, embarking on 5th April 1917. He arrived in Devonport, England, on 11th June 1917 and entered Sling Camp. Craig left for France on 12th July 1917 and joined the 2nd Auckland Battalion in the Field on 18th August. On 5th October, whilst leading his men, he was shot in the abdomen; critically wounded, he was evacuated to the No.3 N.Z. Field Ambulance and then to the No.17 Casualty Clearing Station where he died the same day. Edward Craig was 34 years old. He is buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, west of Ypres.
Second-Lieutenant Edward Alfred Craig, youngest son of the late Mr. David Craig, general manager of the New Zealand Insurance Co., and of Mrs. Craig, of Gilles Avenue, was born at Christchurch, and attended Christ’s College till his father’s removal to Auckland. He entered the School at the Lower Fourth in 1896, and from the first took a keen interest in all school games. He was a member of our First XV in 1897 and 1898, under the captaincy of M. D. Gray, whom he succeeded as captain in 1899. On leaving school he entering the service of the company with which his father had been so long connected, and throughout his business career was a most successful and popular officer. He was for a time chief clerk in the Auckland branch, and later did some inspecting, and was for a time relieving manager at New Plymouth. He was highly esteemed in the company, and gave every promise of a successful career in its service. He took a keen interest in volunteering, and was an officer in the Auckland Highland unit. He went down to Trentham as a Non-Com., and sat for a commission, and was posted to the 24th Reinforcements as Second-Lieutenant. He was exceedingly popular in camp and on the voyage to Europe, and was officer-in-charge of the men for the day in Capetown. As an instance both of his popularity and his energy, it may be mentioned that he collected the sum of one hundred pounds to provide brass instruments for the band of his reinforcements. He died of wounds received in the heavy fighting in Flanders in October.
CHRONICLE 1917, V.5, N.2 P15
1 The Society of Writers to Her Majesty’s Signet is a private society of Scottish solicitors, dating back to 1594 and part of the College of Justice.
Date of birth5-12-1882Date of death5-10-1917Year of entry1896CollectionsWW1 Roll of HonourPeople CollectionsPeopleCategoryPeople | Students | OtherRemembrance | WW1People | Old Boys | Armed Forces
by Andrew Connolly and Peter Stanes.
2ND LIEUTENANT EDWARD ARTHUR CRAIG, 1896
2nd Battalion, Auckland Infantry Regiment, 25988
Died 5th October, 1917
Edward Arthur Craig was born on 5th December 1882 in Christchurch, a son of David Craig and Sarah Emma (also known as Emma) Bennett.
David Craig, was born in Fifeshire, Scotland, about 1837, and served articles to a solicitor there, before working in the office of a leading Writer to the Signet1 in Edinburgh and attending law classes at the University. Having an adventurous spirit, he decided to emigrate to New Zealand and arrived in Auckland from London in August 1865 on board the sailing ship, Rob Roy (100 days). Also on board the Rob Roy was a young woman from London, Sarah Emma Bennett, who was born in 1843, and whose father, John Bennett, Esq, was of Dartmouth, Devon. David and Sarah were married in October 1866 in home of a Mr. Wilson, draper, in Wyndham Street, Auckland, and were to have seven sons and two daughters, Edward Craig being the youngest child. They moved to Christchurch, where David started his long association with the New Zealand Insurance Company in 1867, initially as an agent, living first in Hereford Street and then, by 1875, in Montreal Street. In 1880, David became the Christchurch manager, and the family moved to West Belt (now known as Deans Avenue) on the edge of Hagley Park in Riccarton. Following his primary education, Edward Craig initially entered Christ’s College in Christchurch before his father’s promotion to national General Manager of the New Zealand Insurance Company necessitated a move to Auckland in late 1895. The family lived until 1900 in Symonds Street, when they moved to Khyber Pass, and, by 1909, they had moved to 71 Gillies Avenue, Epsom. David was based in the New Zealand Insurance Company building between 111 and 117 Queen Street. After retiring in 1903, David, having seen his son, Edward Arthur Craig, follow in his footsteps and enter the New Zealand Insurance Company, died of a stroke in September 1909 at his Gillies Avenue home. Emma remained living there and died in October 1925.
Edward Arthur Craig entered the School in the Lower Fourth in 1896. He was the only member of the family to attend the School, and the only one to serve in the war. At Grammar, he excelled at sports and played in the 1st XV for three seasons, being captain in his final year, 1899. Following his schooling, Edward Craig rose to a senior level in the New Zealand Insurance Company and worked in various branches before returning to Auckland. He was a volunteer in the Highland Rifles and volunteered for war service on 31st May 1916. He was initially appointed as Corporal in the 19th Reinforcements, and he was soon promoted to Company Sergeant Major. On 1st November 1916, he was commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant and reassigned to the 24th Reinforcements, embarking on 5th April 1917. He arrived in Devonport, England, on 11th June 1917 and entered Sling Camp. Craig left for France on 12th July 1917 and joined the 2nd Auckland Battalion in the Field on 18th August. On 5th October, whilst leading his men, he was shot in the abdomen; critically wounded, he was evacuated to the No.3 N.Z. Field Ambulance and then to the No.17 Casualty Clearing Station where he died the same day. Edward Craig was 34 years old. He is buried in the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, west of Ypres.
Second-Lieutenant Edward Alfred Craig, youngest son of the late Mr. David Craig, general manager of the New Zealand Insurance Co., and of Mrs. Craig, of Gilles Avenue, was born at Christchurch, and attended Christ’s College till his father’s removal to Auckland. He entered the School at the Lower Fourth in 1896, and from the first took a keen interest in all school games. He was a member of our First XV in 1897 and 1898, under the captaincy of M. D. Gray, whom he succeeded as captain in 1899. On leaving school he entering the service of the company with which his father had been so long connected, and throughout his business career was a most successful and popular officer. He was for a time chief clerk in the Auckland branch, and later did some inspecting, and was for a time relieving manager at New Plymouth. He was highly esteemed in the company, and gave every promise of a successful career in its service. He took a keen interest in volunteering, and was an officer in the Auckland Highland unit. He went down to Trentham as a Non-Com., and sat for a commission, and was posted to the 24th Reinforcements as Second-Lieutenant. He was exceedingly popular in camp and on the voyage to Europe, and was officer-in-charge of the men for the day in Capetown. As an instance both of his popularity and his energy, it may be mentioned that he collected the sum of one hundred pounds to provide brass instruments for the band of his reinforcements. He died of wounds received in the heavy fighting in Flanders in October.
CHRONICLE 1917, V.5, N.2 P15
1 The Society of Writers to Her Majesty’s Signet is a private society of Scottish solicitors, dating back to 1594 and part of the College of Justice.
Date of birth5-12-1882Date of death5-10-1917Year of entry1896CollectionsWW1 Roll of HonourPeople CollectionsPeopleCategoryPeople | Students | OtherRemembrance | WW1People | Old Boys | Armed ForcesSIR GEORGE GREY SPECIAL COLLECTIONS, AUCKLAND
LIBRARIES, 31-C2254
AUCKLAND GRAMMAR SCHOOL ARCHIVES
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Sort By19172nd Lieutenant Edward Arthur CRAIG, 1896. Auckland Grammar School Archives, accessed 24/05/2025, https://ags.recollect.co.nz/nodes/view/10623