TAMWORTH lost one of its last surviving World War Two heroes last Saturday, with the death of Sergeant Edwin Lyle Crough.
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Lyle Crough was born in a private house in Armidale, on February 1, 1921.
He attended St Mary’s School in Armidale, walking four miles each way through an Armidale winter.
Conditions were very hard for the family in the Depression.
Unable to pay the one shilling per week school fee, his mother withdrew him from school at the age of ten.
For the next eight years, horses were the centre of his life. He broke them in, trained difficult horses, worked as a drover and drove harness and draft horses.
It was little wonder that as soon as he turned 18 he joined the Gostwyck Light Horse Troup at Uralla.
When War broke out in 1939, 18 year old Lyle enlisted and was sent to Victoria for initial training.
He served as a signalman in the 6th Division in Greece, Crete, Libya, Lebanon, Palestine and Syria.
When Japan entered the War, the 6th Division was recalled to Australia, and the by now Sergeant Crough, was sent immediately to New Guinea, where he served until the end of the War.
After the War he obtained work with the PMG, eventually moving to Tamworth.
Later, he established a crop spraying business, which he operated for 20 years until his retirement.
He married Nancy May Hall in Annandale in 1948 and they had nine children, Richard, Bruce, Christine, Paul, Mary, Michael, Jimmy, Jenny and Bubbles.
Nancy passed away in 1988, but he is survived by his children, 28 grandchildren and 20 great grandchildren.
Lyle devoted his long life to the service of others, his country, his family, his church and his community.
Lyle devoted his long life to the service of others, his country, his family, his church and his community.
He was a life member of the Peel Schools Carnival, a founding member of the Tamworth League Club, a member of the RSL and a member of the Hunter River Lancers and the Twelfth Light Horse.
He was in a mounted guard for the Queen when she visited Tamworth in 1976. He helped establish playing fields at St Edward’s School, taught children to march, was an officer in the cadet units at CBC and Rosary College and he taught many children to ride.
Lyle’s Funeral Mass will commence at 11 am on Thursday January 5, at Mary Help of Christians Church, Hillvue Rd
