| Regimental number | 4992 |
| Place of birth | Cork, Ireland |
| School | St James Christian Brothers Catholic and Enoggera State School, Queensland |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Occupation | Labourer |
| Address | Brisbane, Queensland |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 18 |
| Height | 5' 3" |
| Weight | 105 lbs |
| Next of kin | Mother, Mrs Mary Crowley, Jerome Street, Cork, Ireland |
| Previous military service | Nil (previously rejected as 'understandard') |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Brisbane, Queensland |
| Rank on enlistment | Private |
| Unit name | 25th Battalion, 13th Reinforcement |
| AWM Embarkation Roll number | 23/42/4 |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Brisbane, Queensland, on board HMAT A49 Seang Choon on |
| Rank from Nominal Roll | Private |
| Unit from Nominal Roll | 25th Battalion |
| Other details from Roll of Honour Circular | 'His last letter was not so terrible if it did not last too long, a man would come in good health.' (details from mother) |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of death or wounding | Flers, France |
| Age at death | 15.9 |
| Place of burial | Warlencourt British Cemetery (Plot III, Row B, Grave No. 4), France |
| Panel number, Roll of Honour, Australian War Memorial | 104 |
| Family/military connections | Cousin (1st): 3807 Pte George Herbert HUNT, 13th Bn, killed in action, 11 April 1917; Cousins (2nd): Lt GRAY, of Hertfordshire, England, British Army; Major William REDWOOD, of Ireland, British Army, both killed in action. |
| Other details |
War service: Egypt, Western Front Disembarked Egypt, 15 June 1916. Admitted to No 2 Australian Stationary Hospital, Tel el Kebir, 13 July 1916 (bronchitis); discharged to duty, 16 July 1916. Embarked from Alexandria for overseas on board HT 'Arcadian', 29 July 1916. Admitted to Divisional Base, France, from England, 24 September 1916; taken on strength, 25th Bn, 2 October 1916. Admitted to 10th Stationary Hospital, 3 November 1916; transferred to 4th Stationary Hospital, 4 November 1916 (influenza); discharged to unit, 9 November 1916; rejoined Bn, 11 november 1916. Reported missing in action, 14 November 1916. Court of Enquiry, 14 March 1917, confirmed fate as killed in action, 14 November 1916. Buried 1 mile E. of Sars and 2.5 miles W. of Bapaume, France. 5082 Pte H. TREW, 25th Bn, stated, 2 November 1919, on board HMAT 'Berrima'" 'Don Crowley was killed by a piece of H.E. shell about 5 yards away from me, and he was buried at the same place, Flers on the Somme. He was small thin faced and dark, about 5' 8" in height, his age would be about 19 or 20.' Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal Mother wrote to Base Records, 4 June 1917: 'I have received through the Brisbane Red Cross Information Bureau the unofficial news of No 4992 Private D.P. Crowley's 13th Reinforcement 25th Battalion death by machine gun bullet. Would a machine gun bullet blow him to pieces. I made enquiries also about personal effects & was advised to write to you.' Mother subsequently wrote to Base Records (undated, but ca. May 1917): 'I received the package [soldier's personal effects] & am so pleased to know my poor boy's body was found. It is a consolation to know the Germans did not get him to boil him down for oil for their guns. But I have not heard any account of his buriel (sic) yet & I would very much to know where he is buried & the nature of wounds received ... I have one great consolation that my poor boy was a little hero & that he went right into the firing line & did not hide behind some other fellow'. |
| Miscellaneous details | Soldier's will, 26 July 1916, gave mother's address as Samford Road, Enoggera, Queensland. |
| Sources | NAA: B2455, CROWLEY Daniel Paul |
Postal Address:
Po Box 7916
Canberra BC 2610, Australia
Street Address:
Northcott Drive,
Campbell, ACT 2600
