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Lieutenant Colonel

ARTHUR ALEXANDER CROOKSHANK

Royal Engineers 

by 

Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Edward De Santis, MSCE, P.E., MinstRE
(July 2024)

Figure 1. Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Alexander Crookshank, R.E.
(Image courtesy of the Imperial War Museum) 

1.  INTRODUCTION 

            Arthur Alexander Crookshank is third in line in the Crookshank family to serve in the Royal Engineers during the Great War of 1914-1918.  Although he achieved a lesser rank than his two older Sapper brothers, he served with distinction, not only in a number of hard-fought battles during the war, but also on the North West Frontier of India near the end of the 19^th century.  I have tried to make his story as complete and as accurate as possible given the available sources that I uncovered regarding his service.  His service in Italy during the Great War is not as complete as I would wish it to be and it can only be made more complete if his service records could be found at the Army Personnel Centre in Glasgow.  

2.  FAMILY INFORMATION AND EARLY LIFE

Family Information[1]

            Lieutenant Colonel Crookshank belonged to the fourth generation of a direct line of soldiers. In 1799 his great-grandfather, Colonel Chichester William Crookshank, K.H.,[2] (1783-1838) joined the 68^th Regiment of Foot as an Ensign and served with distinction in the Peninsular War, being wounded and having two horses shot from under him at Salamanca. He also served in the Walcheren expedition. He was presented with the freedom of the cities of Dublin, Londonderry and Limerick.  Chichester William Crookshank’s eldest son, Captain Blackman Chichester Graham Crookshank (Arthur's grandfather), served with the 51^st Regiment of Foot. 

            In turn, the eldest son of Blackman, Colonel Arthur Chichester William Crookshank, C.B. joined the 35^th (Royal Sussex) Regiment, as an Ensign at the age of 18 in 1859.  He subsequently joined the 32^nd Pioneers, which he commanded in the Afghan War of 1878-80, being promoted to Brevet Lieutenant Colonel at the close of the campaign.  After a period of several years of distinguished service as Assistant and Deputy Secretary in the Military Department of the Government of India, for which he received the thanks of the Viceroy and the Commander-in-Chief, and the distinction of the C.B., he was selected to raise the 34^th Pioneer Regiment.  In 1888 he was appointed to the command of the 4^th or River Column of a punitive expedition against the tribes of the Black Mountain in the Hazara District of the North West Frontier of India, in which capacity he was mortally wounded during a reconnaissance near Kotkai.  He died at Haripur on 29 October 1888, from the effects of the wound.  Arthur’s mother was the eldest daughter of the Reverend J. B. D'Aguilar, the grandson of Baron D'Aguilar, an eccentric character in the late 18^th century and a descendant of a Spanish family of distinction in the Middle Ages.  

            This four-generation series surely forms a noteworthy record of military continuity in the family tree over a period of a century and a half.  But this military tendency of the trunk of the tree in a vertical direction is even surpassed in the case of Arthur’s generation by the lateral spread of its branches. For of Colonel Arthur Chichester William Crookshank's five sons, of whom Arthur was the third, everyone joined the army, and the one daughter also married a soldier.  The five sons were :—Colonel Chichester de Windt Crookshank, R.E., D.L., J.P., M.P. (of His Majesty's Body Guard and the Royal Company of Archers), Major General Sir Sydney D'Aguilar Crookshank, R.E., Lieutenant Colonel Arthur Alexander Crookshank, R.E. (the subject of this narrative), Captain Wilfred Plassey Crookshank, 1^st K.G.O. Gurkha Rifles (killed in action at Kut in 1916), and Major Claude Kennedy Crookshank, 34^th Sikh Pioneers.  The daughter (Ethel Helen) married Captain Cecil Edwin Hunt, 34^th Sikh Pioneers, who was killed in action at Givenchy in 1914.  

            As regards present and future continuity in the military traditions of the family, the fifth generation was represented in the Army by Chichester de Windt's son, George Howard Usher Crookshank of the 3^rd K.O. Hussars (Royal Armoured Corps), Claude's son, Arthur Kennedy Crookshank, a Major in the Scinde Horse, and Mrs. Hunt's son, John Cecil Hunt, of the 60^th  Rifles.  

            Out of the five generations of the Crookshank family, at least one member of each generation had been wounded on service.  

 Early Life

            Arthur Alexander Crookshank was born in Ashwick, Somerset on 21 March 1875.  The 1891 Census of England indicates that he was a 16-year old scholar living with his mother and his siblings at the St. James Vicarage in Ashwick.  The head of the family shown in the census is Arthur’s grandfather, John B. D’Aguilar, the Vicar of Ashwick.[3]  

            Although no information was uncovered during this study, presumably Arthur attended the Royal Military Academy at Woolwich in preparation for his commissioning in the Army.

Figure 5.  St. James Vicarage in Ashwick.
(Image courtesy of Wikipedia) 

3.  COMMISSIONING AND TRAINING 

Commissioning 

            Arthur was commissioned a 2^nd Lieutenant in the Royal Engineers on 25 July 1893.[4] Immediately following his commissioning he was posted to the School of Military Engineering (S.M.E.) at Chatham, Kent for further training as an engineer officer. 

Figure 6.  2^nd Lieutenant Arthur Alexander Crookshank.
(Image courtesy of Ancestry.com) 

Training 

2^nd Lieutenant Crookshank’s military training at Chatham included courses in field fortifications, construction, surveying, telegraphy, electric lighting, submarine mining, photography, chemistry, military law and tactics.  The Field Fortifications course lasted for 4 months and 23 days.  This  course consisted of field and siege engineering, field defence, attack of fortresses, mining construction, demolition of railways and water supply.  The Construction course was 6 months and covered building materials, engineering construction, hydraulics, construction of barracks, drainage, manufacture of iron and steel, mining, quarrying and machinery.  Next came the Surveying course consisting of  five months of technical training in geodesy, astronomy, meteorology, trigonometrical chain and road surveys and use of surveying instruments.  One to two months of military topography followed, which included military surveying and sketching and elementary reconnaissance.  In the School of Telegraphy, Electric Lighting and Submarine Mining he studied the theory of electricity, use of telegraph instruments, bracing and connecting instruments, making of batteries, firing mines and testing tubes.  All of this was accomplished in two months with an additional one month devoted to electric lighting, signalling by flag, lamps and heliograph.  The School of Chemistry was a short course of varying length that generally covered practical chemistry, especially relating to limes, concrete and other building materials.  Finally, the School of Military Law and Tactics, also a course of varying length, consisted of special lectures in law and tactics as dictated by current military situations.  This training at the School of Military Engineering lasted for just under 24 months. 

Figure 7.  The Fowke Medal.
(Image courtesy of the Royal School of Military Engineering) 

Crookshank excelled in his studies at the S.M.E. and was awarded the Fowke Medal. The presentation of the Fowke Medal was instigated by the Institution of Royal Engineers in 1865, as a memorial prize for young officers who demonstrated outstanding architectural ability at the School of Military Engineering.  The prize was created to honour Francis Fowke (7 July 1823 – 4 December 1865) a British Engineer, Architect and a Captain in the Royal Engineers, who was educated at the School of Military Engineering. Among Fowke’s projects during his career were the Prince Consort's Library in Aldershot, the Royal Albert Hall and parts of the Victoria and Albert Museum in London, the Royal Museum in Edinburgh, and the National Gallery of Ireland in Dublin. He was also responsible for planning the 1862 International Exhibition in London.[5]

4.  POSTINGS AND CAMPAIGN SERVICE

India (1895-1911)

            Upon his completion of the courses at the S.M.E., Crookshank was posted to India to serve with the Bengal Sappers and Miners.  On 25 July 1896 he was promoted to Lieutenant and in December 1897 he was serving at Dera Ismail Khan.  The Dera Ismail Khan Cantonment had been established in 1894.  The Dera Ismail Brigade had its winter headquarters there and the garrison consisted of a mountain battery, a regiment of Native cavalry, and three regiments of Native infantry as well as Crookshank’s detachment of Bengal Sappers and Miners. Detachments from these regiments helped to garrison the outposts of Drazinda, Jandola, and Jatta.  

            In 1897 Crookshank took part in operations with the Tochi Field Force.  The Tochi Expedition was a punitive operation by Anglo-Indian troops to the Tochi Valley in Waziristan to put down a rebellion started with an attack by the Madda Khel section of the Waziris in June 1897.  The Tochi Field Force assembled in response was commanded by General Corrie Bird and included the 1^st Brigade under the command of Brigadier-General Charles Egerton. The Tochi Field Force consisted of the following units:[6]

The First Brigade under Brigadier General Charles Egerton, C.B., D.S.O., A.D.C.

• 1st Punjab Cavalry (1 squadron)

• No. 3 (Peshawar) Mountain Battery

• No. 2 Company Bengal Sappers and Miners (Lieutenant Crookshank was serving in this company.

• 2^nd  Battalion, The Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders

• 1^st Sikh Infantry

• 1^st Punjab Infantry

• 33^rd Bengal Infantry

Figure 8.  The Blacksmith Shop of the Bengal Sappers and Miners
of the Tochi Field Force
(Image courtesy of Wikipedia)

The Second Brigade under Brigadier General W.P. Symons, C.B.

• 1^st Punjab Cavalry (1 squadron)

• No. 6 (Bombay) Mountain Battery (4 guns)

• 3^rd  Battalion, The Rifle Brigade

• 6^th Jat Light Infantry

• 14^th Bengal Infantry

• One British and three Native Field Hospitals

            The first incident in the series of uprisings was the action at Maizar in the Tochi Valley, where, on 10 June 1897, the inhabitants of a group of Madda Khel villages attacked a small British force.  Following this incident, the British were involved in campaigns during 1897-8 in the Tochi Valley, in the Tirah against the Afridis, in the Malakand and Swat Valley against the Mohmands and finally the Bunerwals.  The rebellion in the Tochi Valley was finally put down in October 1897.[7]  

            Following his service in the field with the Bengal Sappers and Miners, Lieutenant Crookshank was posted to the Public Works Department in Dehra Dun in December 1900.  Crookshank was an ardent photographer and while stationed in this area he journeyed into South Persia from 1900 to 1902 taking numerous photographs.[8]  

            On 1 April 1904 Crookshank was promoted to Captain while serving with the Public Works Department.  In 1905 he was involved in restitution work at Kulu in the Kangra Valley following a strong earthquake.[9]  The earthquake measured 7.8 on the Richter scale and killed more than 20,000 people.  Following his work there he was posted to Umballa. 

            In January 1908 Crookshank qualified as a 2^nd Class Interpreter in Italian and in April 1908 he qualified as a 2^nd Class Interpreter in French and German.[10]  This is interesting since his postings since leaving the School of Military Engineering had been in India, so one would have expected him to have studied Urdu or Hindustani.  Why he elected to study and qualify in three European languages is not known, but it is fortunate that he did as he was to serve in France, Italy and Germany during the Great War. 

Home Service (1911-1915) 

            Crookshank was posted home about 1911 and the census of England and Wales taken on 2 April of that year shows him living at 1 Burlington Place in Carlisle, Cumberland as a boarder working for the Ordnance Survey.  He continued his service with the Ordnance Survey and at some point between 1911 and 1915 he was posted to Dublin to continue his survey work.  On 23 July 1913 he was promoted to Major.          In early 1915 Major Crookshank was serving at Gravesend before being posted to France in November of that year.[11] 

France (1915-1918) 

            Major Crookshank was posted to France to join the British Expeditionary Force (B.E.F.) in November 1915.[12]   Although his initial posting when he arrived in France is not known, he may have served on the staff of a rear echelon unit.  This seems feasible since although he was on active service he took time to write an article for The Royal Engineers Journal, which was published in May 1916.  The article was entitled "Passing Thoughts of Military Architecture in the Thames Defences.”  The military architecture theme of the article is perhaps an example of his knowledge and interest in architecture that won the Fowke Medal for him at the School of Military Engineering. 

            Because of his rank and previous experience in India he was appointed to be a temporary Lieutenant Colonel and Commander Royal Engineers (C.R.E.) of the 32^nd Division on 10 July 1916.  This was the beginning of what seemed like a never-ending series of appointments to the rank of temporary Lieutenant Colonel, only to be followed by reverting to his substantive rank of Major. 

            He joined the division ten days after the start of the horrendous offensive on the Somme and he was with the division during the Battle of Albert from 10 to 13 July 1916.[13]  As the C.R.E. of the 32^nd Division, Crookshank coordinated the actions of the following units:

·         206^th (Glasgow) Field Company

·         218^th (Glasgow) Field Company

·         219^th (Glasgow) Field Company

·         32^nd Divisional Signal Company

            In addition to controlling the operations of these divisional engineer units, Crookshank also coordinated with the Officer Commanding the 17^th Battalion (Pioneers) of the Northumberland Fusiliers when additional engineer support was required.  Pioneer Battalions were used on a large scale on the Western Front. Because of its largely static nature, there was a much heavier reliance on field defences and the provision of mobility support to get troops, weapons, ammunition, rations and stores up to the front and casualties out.  Roads and railways needed to be built maintained and repaired.  While these were also engineer tasks, engineers alone could not meet the heavy demand, while riflemen were always needed at the front. Therefore, Pioneer Battalions were raised to meet the needs of both and trained to support both engineers and infantry.

            Following the Battle of Albert, Crookshank and his engineers were involved in the Battle of Bazentin from 14 to 17 July.  Then the division took part in the Battle of Ancre from 13 to 18 November 1916.  During the month of November, the 1/12^th Battalion of the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment joined the division as the Pioneer Battalion.[14]  Crookshank had to quickly meet up with the new Pioneer Battalion’s commanding officer to ensure a smooth transition with him and his battalion.

            Although he must have been heavily engaged with his duties as C.R.E. of the 32^nd Division he found time to write another article for The Royal Engineers Journal that was published in November 1916.  This article was entitled “The Chapel of Milton Chantry, Gravesend” and again dealt with an architectural subject.

            On 26 January 1917 Crookshank relinquished the rank of Lieutenant Colonel on ceasing to be employed as the C.R.E. of the 32^nd Division.  Presumably a Lieutenant Colonel had arrived in the division to take the position.[15]

            Major Crookshank’s next appointment was a curious one.  On 7 April 1917 he was appointed an Acting Lieutenant Colonel to serve as the “C.R.E.” of II Corps Engineer Troops.[16]  This position was normally filled by a Colonel and he was known as the “Chief Engineer” of the Corps.  In Crookshank’s case it appears that he was considered to have sufficient experience to fill the position of II Corps Chief Engineer, but because he was only a Major and Acting Lieutenant Colonel, his title was changed to “Commander Royal Engineers” (as it would have been in a division). 

            As the B.E.F. assembled in France, the following R.E. troops were assigned to II Corps:  2nd Corps Signal Company, E, M, O and P Wireless Sections and No. 2 Bridging Train.

            II Corps served on the Western Front throughout the war and R.E. units were assigned to the Corps as required for operations.  By 1916 each corps had two “army troops” companies, one tunnelling company and one special works company. In September 1918 the Chief Engineer, II Corps had the following units under command, and some, if not all of these companies may have been under Crookshank’s command while he filled this position:

·         20th Army Troops Company

·         138th Army Troops Company

·         289th Army Troops Company

·         556th (Glamorgan) Army Troops Company

·         255th Tunnelling Company

In addition to the companies listed above, Crookshank would have had the responsibility of overseeing the operations of the engineer companies within the divisions of the corps.

            By 20 May 1917 the headquarters of II Corps was located at Steenvoorden.  As the “C.E.” or “C.R.E.” of the corps, Crookshank and his staff would have moved with the corps headquarters.  On 24 June 1917 he and his staff were at Hooggraf to the south of Poperinghe.  On 31 July 1917, II Corps as part of the British Fifth Army, became engaged in the first phase of the Third Battle of Ypres, that lasted until 2 August.  II Corps was then heavily engaged at Pilckem and the capture of Westhoek on 10 August.  The second phase of the Battle of Ypres took place between 16 and 18 August with II Corps heavily engaged at Langemarck.[17] 

            The third phase of the Battle of Ypres began on 5 September 1917 with II Corps Headquarters located at Lillers and by 10 October Crookshank was at Esquelbecq.  During this period Crookshank turned again to writing articles for the R.E. Journal, two articles in fact, both published in October 1917.  One article was entitled “Horse Water Troughs” and the second article was “A Field Company, R.E. and Divisional Field Companies R.E. on the Line of March.”  These two articles were followed in November 1917 by “Rifle Range Target Frame – Windmill Pattern.  He now was concentrating on military subjects and sharing some of his experiences gained in the field with R.E. units under his control.

            On 2 November II Corps H.Q. was located in the Vogeltje convent near Poperinghe as the corps entered the Battle of Passchendaele, which lasted until 10 November.[18]  

Figure 9.  The Vogeltje Convent at Poperinghe.
(Image courtesy of Wikipedia) 

            Following the Battle of Passchendaele, II Corps Headquarters moved into the large and elegant  La Lovie chateau in the Poperinghe area on 17 November 1917. 

Figure 10.  A Postcard of La Lovie Chateau at Poperinghe.
(Image courtesy of Wikipedia) 

NOTE: The Half-Yearly Army List of 1922 indicates that Crookshank was wounded during the war.  It is not specific with regard to when this wound was received.  It would probably be safe to assume that he was wounded in France when he was serving as the C.R.E. of the 32^nd Division or when he was the “C.R.E.” of II Corps. 

Italy (1918). 

            At this point in the narrative we arrive at a period of time where Crookshank’s service record during the war is rather hazy.  As previously stated in the Introduction, this section could be made more comprehensive if his service papers were available from the Army Personnel Centre or the National Archives.  Absent these documents, his service in Italy can only be presented in a rather general way. 

            Major Crookshank arrived in Italy in January 1918 apparently still serving in the rank of Acting Lieutenant Colonel.  Neither the 32^nd Division nor the British II Corps served there, so it appears likely that he went to Italy as an individual replacement.  His qualification as a 2^nd Class Interpreter in Italian may have had something to do with this posting and he may have served on one of the major unit staffs.  The British XI Corps and XIV Corps took part in operations in Italy with the 5^th, 7^th, 23^rd, 41^st, and 48^th divisions comprising these corps.  Crookshank could have been on one of the corps or divisional staffs, perhaps even as a Commander Royal Engineers.  In addition to the divisional engineers, each of the corps had numerous independent engineer units that would have required an officer in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel to supervise.  In any case, Crookshank did not remain an Acting Lieutenant Colonel very long after arriving in Italy as he relinquished that rank on 13 January 1918.[19]  

France (1918-1920)

            In March 1918 he left Italy to return to France and it appears that he was once again appointed an Acting Lieutenant Colonel, a rank that he again relinquished on 5 April 1918.[20]  If this was not confusing enough, on the very next day he was again appointed an Acting Lieutenant Colonel[21] and continued serving as an engineer staff officer.           

            On 1 November 1918 Acting Lieutenant Colonel Crookshank was appointed to command the 18^th (Service) Battalion of the Middlesex Regiment, a battalion also known as the 1^st Public Works Pioneers.[22]  This appointment clearly shows how closely related were the Corps of Royal Engineers to the Infantry Pioneer Battalions during the war.  Crookshank retained command of the battalion until 29 July 1919.[23]

            In May 1919 he had published the last article in the R.E. Journal (that the author was able to find) entitled “The Transition Period in the World-Wide War of 1914.”  This article discussed in depth, as Crookshank describe it, “the defence lines built for a type of warfare which occupies an intermediate stage between rigid trench, motionless warfare or fortress fighting, and open, or motionfull warfare in which the trench has atrophied and dropped out of use altogether.”  This article was detailed and comprehensive and obviously based on his experiences at division and corps level.  It covered the various aspect of trench warfare to include:

·         Long and short range observation

·         The reverse and forward slopes of hills

·         The detail siting of trench lines

·         Fields of fire

·         The problem of dead ground in defensive positions

·         Strong points

·         Obstacles for strong points

·         The design of lines between strong points

·         The use of villages and valleys for defence

·         Natural obstacles

·         Wire entanglements

·         Trench cross sections

·         Construction of trenches

·         Drainage

·         Breastworks

·         Lengths of straight lines in trenches

·         Passages through lines

·         Notice boards

·         Buildings, above-ground and underground

·         Geological conditions and subsoil water 

            The details covered in this article provides some indication as to why Crookshank may have been selected to command a Pioneer Battalion.  He obviously was competent as an engineer officer and displayed the know-how of an infantry officer as well.   Both of these attributes made him qualified to command the battalion, and these qualifications were recognized by his division or corps commander.

Home Service (1919-1924)

            Major Crookshank returned home in 1919 and on 29 March 1920 he was again appointed an Acting Lieutenant Colonel while serving as the Commander Royal Engineers of the Cork District in Ireland.[24]  On 16 May 1920 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the Reserve of Officers.[25]

            On 4 October 1920 Crookshank again relinquished the rank of Acting Lieutenant Colonel[26] probably after leaving his post as C.R.E. at Cork, only to be reappointed an Acting Lieutenant Colonel[27] on 1 November when on his way to his next posting.  This next posting was to the staff of the C.R.E. in Limerick.  While at Limerick he applied for his Great War medals on 1 July 1921.  The issue of these medals was approved on 10 August 1921 and the medals were sent to him on 26 August.[28]

            On 30 January 1924 Crookshank retired from the Army with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, with seniority dating back to 16 May 1920 and was placed on the roll of the Reserve of Officers.[29] On 21 March 1930, having attained the age limit of liability for recall, he ceased to belong to the Reserve of Officers.[30]

            Arthur Alexander Crookshank retired to Ashwick, Somerset where he died in 1959.[31]

5. MEDALS, AWARDS AND DECORATIONS

            For his service with the Bengal Sappers and Miners in the operations at Tochi, Crookshank was awarded the India General Service Medal 1895 with clasp [PUNJAB FRONTIER 1897-98]. 

Figure 11.  Lieutenant Colonel Crookshank’s India General Service Medals
(Image courtesy of invaluable)

            It appears that he was awarded two India General Service Medals – the original medal (on the left) named to him in the Royal Engineers and Bengal Sappers and Miners, and the somewhat later, impressed award to just the Royal Engineers.  Apparently he had lost his India General Service Medal at some point during his career, so he applied to have another medal issued to him.  The lost medal was replaced on 19 November 1929,[32] hence the double issue, but it appears that the lost medal was later found. 

            In addition to the I.G.S. 1895 medal, Crookshank was awarded the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal for his service in the Great War of 1914-1918.

Figure 12.  The 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
(Image from the author’s collection) 

NOTE:  The medals shown in Figure 11 are Crookshank’s medals.  The medals in Figure 12 are not his.  They are included here for illustrative purposes only. 

Figure 13.  The Great War Medal Index Card of Lieutenant Colonel A.A. Crookshank.
(Image courtesy of Ancestry.com)

REFERENCES: 

Army Lists 

1. Hart’s New Army List, 1893.

2. Hart’s Annual Army List, 1898.

3. Hart’s Annual Army List, 1900.

4. Hart’s Army List, 1908.

5. Hart’s Army List, 1915.

6. The Monthly Army List, January 1896.

7. The Monthly Army List, September 1898.

8. The Monthly Army List, December 1912.

9. The Quarterly Army List, October, 1916.

10. The Monthly Army List, November 1917.

11. The Monthly Army List, December 1920.

12. The Monthly Army List, January 1922

13. The Half-Yearly Army List, 1922, Volume 1, (War Services).  

Books 

Who Was Who, 1941-1950. 

Census 

1. 1891 Census of England.

2. 1911 Census of England and Wales. 

Family Trees 

1. Sydney D’Aguilar Crookshank (by felstedarchivist).

2. Chichester De Windt Crookshank (by felstedarchivist).

3. Arthur Chichester William Crookshank (by felstedarchivist).

4. Wilfred Plassey Crookshank (by felstedarchivist).

5. Arthur Alexander Crookshank (by Karenn40). 

Internet Web Sites 

1. Curzon Photographic Collection

https://dlme-prod-lb.stanford.edu/library/catalog/81055%2Fvdc_100008391121.0x000001_dlme

2. Facebook: 18th  Battalion, Middlesex Regiment

https://www.facebook.com/Middx18

3. The British II Corps in France and Flanders

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/other-aspects-of-order-of-battle/the-british-corps-headquarters-in-france-and-flanders/the-british-ii-corps-in-france-and-flanders/

4. Wikipedia: II Corps (United Kingdom)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/II_Corps_(United_Kingdom)

5. The Long, Long Trail: 32^nd Division.

https://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/32nd-division/

6. Wikipedia: Royal School of Military Engineering.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Royal_School_of_Military_Engineering

7. Digital Library of the Middle East.

https://dlme-prod-lb.stanford.edu/library/catalog?f%5Bcontributor%5D%5B%5D=Arthur+Alexander+Crookshank+%28photographer%29

8. Wikipedia: II Corps Troops, Royal Engineers.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/II_Corps_Troops,_Royal_Engineers

9. invaluable.

https://www.invaluable.com/auction-lot/a-rare-fowke-medal-and-%27double-issue-india-genera-1597-c-92d4d77940 

London Gazette 

1. The London Gazette, 11 August 1896, p. 4573.

2. The London Gazette, 23 September 1904, p. 6133.

3. The London Gazette, 25 July 1913, p. 5323.

4. Supplement to the London Gazette, 18 October 1916, p. 10027.

5. Supplement to the London Gazette, 24 March 1917, p. 2957.

6. Supplement to the London Gazette, 16 June 1917, p. 5964.

7. Supplement to the London Gazette, 20 February 1918, p. 2270.

8. Supplement to the London Gazette, 8 June 1918, p. 6865.

9. Supplement to the London Gazette, 20 December 1918, p. 14908.

10. Supplement to the London Gazette, 21 January 1919, p. 1063.

11. Supplement to the London Gazette, 14 October 1919, p. 12728.

12. Supplement to the London Gazette, 1 March 1920, p. 2442.

13. Supplement to the London Gazette, 5 October 1920, p. 9781.

14. Supplement to the London Gazette, 8 November 1920, p. 10834.

15. Supplement to the London Gazette, 6 January 1921, p. 150.

16. The London Gazette, 29 January 1924, p. 873.

17. The London Gazette, 26 February 1924, p. 1723.

18. The London Gazette, 21 March 1930, p. 1803.  

Medal Roll 

Royal Engineers Medal Roll, India General Service Medal, 1895.

Military Documents 

Great War Medal Index Card. 

Periodicals 

1. Passing Thoughts on Military Architecture in the Thames Defences by Major A.A. Crookshank, R.E.  The Royal Engineers Journal.  The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent, May 1916.

2. The Chapel of Milton Chantry, Gravesend, by Major A.A. Crookshank, R.E.  The Royal Engineers Journal. The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent,  November 1916.

3. Horse Water Troughs by Lieutenant Colonel A.A. Crookshank, R.E.  The Royal Engineers Journal.  The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent,  October 1917.

4. A Field Company, R.E. and Divisional Field Companies, R.E. on the Line of March, by Lieutenant Colonel A.A. Crookshank, R.E.  The Royal Engineers Journal.  The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent,  October 1917. 

5. Rifle Range Target Frame -Windmill Pattern, by Lieutenant Colonel A.A. Crookshank, R.E.  The Royal Engineers Journal.  The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent,  November 1917.

6. The Transition Period in the World-Wide War of 1914  by Lieutenant Colonel A.A. Crookshank, R.E.  The Royal Engineers Journal.  The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent,  May 1919.

7. Memoir: Sydney D’Aguilar Crookshank.  The Royal Engineers Journal.  The Institution of Royal Engineers, Chatham, Kent,  December 1941.

ENDNOTES: