In late June 1916 the 15th Battalion was in the line at Hill 60. There were no large scale actions but the trench tours in this location proved to be very dangerous as the threat of snipers was constant and the reciprocal exchange of artillery and trench mortar fire frequent resulted in numerous casualties. On June 28th the battalion suffered six fatal casualties: one man was KIA by sniper fire and five men were KIA when their dugout was hit by a trench mortar round. All six men are buried in Railway Dugouts Cemetery.
27324 Private Alfred Crockford was an 18 year old clerk originally from Berkshire when he attested into the 15th Battalion at Valcartier, QC in September 1914. His was in No. 3 Company at St Julien and suffered a wounded knee. Private Crockford was hospitalized at No. 8 General Hospital, Wimerueax and then No. 5 General Hospital, Rouen before returned to the battalion in July 1915. During the Fall-Winter tour in the Ploegsteert sector he was hospitalized on December for trench foot and influenza. Private Crockford returned to the battalion in February and was posted to the Canadian Corps Training School on a course for Batmen. He rejoined the battalion in March during the trench tour on the Messines Road and also for the Hill 60 trench tours in May and June.
He and four other men were all KIA when their dugout was hit by a German trench mortar round.
NOK: Son of Harry and Alice Crockford of 188, Soudan Avenue, Toronto, Ontario.
