Jose Family

There seems to have been a surname change to CRAIG at some point prior to Williams marriage in 1944. The marriage info also states that Albert Charles, father of William, was also using the surname Craig at this point.

It appears William Gordon Craig (formerly Crapp) was serving in the RAAF as a Flight Lieutenant at the time of his marriage. Service number 416549

From the CWGC - Casualty Details Name: CRAIG, WILLIAM GORDON Initials: W G Nationality: Australian Rank: Flying Officer Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force Age: 23 Date of Death: 08/04/1945 Service No: 416549 Awards: D F C Additional information: Son of Albert Charles and Mary Ann Crapp; husband of Olive Mary Craig, of Darlington, Co. Durham, England. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Sec. W.7L. Grave 362. Cemetery: DARLINGTON WEST CEMETERY

Service Number 416549 Service RAAF Rank Flight Lieutenant Unit 431 Sqn RCAF Conflict WW2 Date of London Gazette 13 October 1944, page 4694, position 4 Date of Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 26 October 1944, page 2403, position 4

From the Australian Governments much better system than the UK one - i.e their War records are being digitised and placed online! Service Record Name CRAIG, WILLIAM GORDON Service Royal Australian Air Force Service Number 416549 Date of Birth 28 Jan 1922 Place of Birth ADELAIDE, SA Date of Enlistment 21 Jul 1941 Locality on Enlistment Unknown Place of Enlistment ADELAIDE Next of Kin CRAIG, OLIVE Date of Death 8 Apr 1945 Rank Flying Officer Posting on Death 3 FIS WW2 Honours and Gallantry Distinguished Flying Cross Prisoner of War No Roll of Honour ADELAIDE

Craig was killed whilst with the Bomber Command Instructors' School, based at RAF Finningley - a unit set up to train experienced aircrew as Instructors for Operational Training Units etc. Wellington LN585 F/L G A Clark (killed) F/O W G Craig DFC RAAF (killed) F/O G Lofthouse DFC (injured) F/Sgt B F Griggs (killed) Took off from Finningley to practice overshooting on one engine and while doing so (with the starboard motor feathered) crashed off a slow turn to the right and burst into flames, the time of the tragedy being reported as 1600. F/L Clark was cremated in Sheffield, Craig, who had married Olive Mary Craig of Darlington, was buried in the West Cemetery. Lofthouse was treated at Doncaster Royal Infirmary. He received his DFC with 626 Squadron in 1945, whilst Craig had received his with 431 Squadron details from Bomber Command Losses Volume 8 by Chorley F/L Clark was reported to be the pilot. Details from a Rootweb thread by Colin Cruddace, who is a connected to Olive Swaiston (she is his mothers cousin). http://www.rootschat.com/forum/index.php/topic,322768.20.html