| |
Stephen Richard Crofts |
Surname |
Christian Names |
Service Number |
Rank |
Regiment |
Crofts |
Stephen
Richard |
24658820 |
L/Cpl |
Royal Corps of
Transport |
Born |
Age |
Enlisted at |
Address |
Chippenham |
23 |
|
|
Date of Death |
Where killed |
Cause of Death |
10/02/1991 |
Frenchay
Hospital |
Died of
burn injuries |
Cemetery |
Plot |
Country |
Chippenham (London
Road) Cemetery |
Ext A (U)
B18 |
England |
Next of Kin |
Next of kin address |
Town |
Derek and Diane Crofts |
Paliament
Street |
Chippenham |
Notes |
Chippenham Mourns First
Gulf Casualty
Chippenham serviceman L/Cpl Stephen Crofts became one of the first
casualties of the Gulf War when he died on Sunday (10th) from injuries he
suffered in the Middle East.
This week his parents, Derek and Diane, who live in Parliament Street were
too distraught to talk about their 23 year old son who was in the Royal
Corps of Transport.
The Ministry of Defence would not release any details about the incident
which led to L/Cpl Crofts suffering severe burns, although there is to be an
investigation into his death.
All the MoD would say was that L/Cpl Crofts was evacuated from the Gulf
after a non-operational accident in Saudi Arabia.
He was the first Gulf casualty to be airlifted by helicopter to Frenchay
Hospital, Bristol since it went on war alert. He died there at 1145 on
February 10th.
L/Cpl Crofts was a former pupil of Sheldon Scholl and head teacher, Mrs
Caroline Cox, said that staff were deeply saddened to hear of his death and
remembered him as a cheerful lad.Chippenham
News 15 February 1991
Double Tragedy at Funeral for Gulf Soldier
A further tragedy hit the grief stricken family of Gulf soldier Stephen
Crofts when a family friend collapsed and died during the funeral on Monday
(18th March)
Mr Donald Dry collapsed as people were arriving at Sheldon Road Methodist
Church for the military funeral of the 23 year old L/Cpl. Chief Inspector
Brian Collins and a soldier at the funeral tried to revive Mr Dry in a hall
behind the church but he was pronounced dead by a doctor and taken away by
ambulance.
Mr Dry who was single was 62 and lived only a few doors away from the
soldier’s parents, Derek and Diane, in Parliament Street.
The couple were joined by Stephen’s elder sister, Stella who had flown in
from Canada for the funeral and his fiancée Fraulien Marian Mader who met
her husband to be in Germany where his unit was based.
Soldiers from the Junior Leaders Regiment at Colerne formed an honour guard
outside the church and acted as pall bearers.
It was at Colerne that Cpl Crofts began his service career after leaving
Sheldon School in Chippenham
He was serving with the Royal Corps of Transport in the Gulf and colleagues
were at the church to pay their last respects.
Cpl Crofts died in Frenchay Hospital, Bristol on February 10th from 30%
burns and from inhalation burns to his lungs.
He was evacuated from the Gulf after being involved in an accident in Saudi
Arabia. The MoD refused to release details of the incident until after the
war but has confirmed that it was not the result of enemy action.
After the service, the coffin which was draped in the Union Jack was taken
to the London Road cemetery for burial.
Chippenham News 22 February 1991
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Memorials Commemorated on: |
Chippenham Town War Memorial |
Yes |
Armed Forces Memorial, National Arboretum
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Last updated -
05/02/2012
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