Goole history >Goole's
people>Captain Creyke
From the Goole Times, 14th July 1916:
CAPTAIN CREYKE KILLED
We regret to announce that Captain Edmund Ralph Creyke, of Rawcliffe
Hall, has been killed in action in France. Captain Creyke was
the second son of the late Mr Ralph Creyke, D.L., J.P., and of
Mrs Creyke, of Rawcliffe Hall. He was born in October 1886 and
was thus in his 30th year.
He was educated at Rottingdean and took his degree at Cambridge
University. He also spent two years at Cirencester Agricultural
College, it being his intention to take up agriculture as an occupation.
He took a commission in the Territorial Force in 1909 and served
with the 5th Battalion King's Own Yorkshire Light Infantry, being
attached to the Goole Company, of which he had command for some
time prior to the war. He was exceedingly popular with the men
and their attachment to him was strengthened by the closer association
which followed mobilisation when the war broke out. After training
at various centres in England, Lieut. Creyke (as he then was)
went out with the battalion to France in April 1915, and with
the exception of a short leave, had been at the Front for 15 months.
He was given the rank of captain last year. His leadership of
his men was all that could be desired, and extracts from their
letters which we have seen showed that they almost idolised him.
The battalion was often under fire at different points on the
British front and for his gallantry in action, Capt. Creyke was
mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig's last despatches issued about three
weeks ago. His loss will be keenly felt and much lamented by all
the officers and men in the battalion, and by none more than the
Goole Territorials.
Capt. Creyke lived all his life at Rawcliffe with the exception
of time spent at college and travelling abroad. He was greatly
interested in art and music. He spent several winters in Switzerland
for the benefit of his health, which was at one time only indifferent,
but he had completely recovered and kept very fit while in France.
He had also travelled largely in Italy and France at different
times.
He was a keen sportsman and usually spent a portion of each summer
at Rhuban Lodge, Mallaig, Inverness, a small sporting estate leased
by Mrs Creyke for salmon fishing. Every winter, when the Rawcliffe
covers were shot, he assisted to no small degree to make up the
bag. On these and other occasions he could be seen chatting freely
with the tenant farmers of the estate, some of whom invariably
took part in the shooting as invited guests.
As one of the privileges of the Creykes' estates, the tenants
also had their own special day's shooting, and Capt. Creyke was
generally present. In the village of Rawcliffe he was well-known
and much respected, and all who came into contact with him were
charmed by his geniality.
Capt. Creyke's elder brother, Capt. Ralph Creyke, J.P., is an
officer in the Scots Guards, and Commandant of the Grenade School
attached to the London District. He was some nine months in France
on the Headquarters Staff.
With Mrs Creyke and the family, sincere and deep sympathy is expressed
in their bereavement.
The Rawcliffe tenant farmers are to attend service at Rawcliffe
on Sunday next, when special reference will be made to the losses
sustained in the village by the war.
