Crymble, John Gordon (John)
Second Lieutenant
9th Battalion, Princess Victoria’s (Royal Irish Fusiliers)
Died of wounds on Thursday 28 December 1916 (aged 19)
Buried:
Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension (Nord), France (Grave III. A. 203)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Journey of Remembering Belfast Book of Honour
Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) War Memorial
Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) Book of Remembrance
Royal Belfast Academical Institution (RBAI) War Memorial
BIOGRAPHY
John Gordon Crymble was born on 4 February 1897 at 17 Rossmore Avenue, Belfast and he was the only child of Samuel Gordon Crymble and Elizabeth Emily Crymble (nee Agnew) who were married on 12 November 1895 in May Street Presbyterian Church Belfast. Samuel Gordon Crymble, a solicitor from Belfast was a son of Matthew Crymble, a music seller. Elizabeth Emily Agnew from Belfast was a daughter of Samuel Agnew, a tea merchant.
The Crymble family lived at 17 Rossmore Avenue, Belfast and, when they resided in Bangor, they lived at 37 Queen’s Parade.
John Crymble was educated at RBAI and then at Queen’s University Belfast where he studied medicine. He was a member of the Officers’ Training Corps and on 16 March 1915 he enlisted into the 19th Royal Fusiliers (2nd Public Schools Battalion). He was commissioned into the Royal Irish Fusiliers on 5 August 1916, he joined the 9th Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers on 7 October 1916 and was posted to ‘B’ Company.
Second Lieutenant John Gordon Crymble was wounded in action on 22 December 1916 and he was 19 when he died from his wounds on 28 December 1916 in No. 2 Casualty Clearing Station. At the time of his death his parents were living at 12 College Green, Belfast.
Second Lieutenant John Gordon Crymble was buried in Bailleul Communal Cemetery Extension (Nord), France and there is an inscription on his CWGC headstone:
AND SO HE PASSED OVER
Second Lieutenant John Gordon Crymble is commemorated in the Journey of Remembering Belfast Book of Honour; on the Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) War Memorial; in the Queen’s University Belfast (QUB) Book of Remembrance and on the Royal Belfast Academical Institution (RBAI) War Memorial.