Captain Henry Dennison Crompton Royal Air Force

F

Force 399

Active Member
I am trying to find out whether Captain Henry Dennison Crompton, who was born in Lancashire on 16 July 1889, was ever a Canadian citizen? He will attend Charterhouse, Kings College and Copthill College for Engineering Before enlisting in WWI, he gave his profession as “Motor Engineer.” On 11 December 1914 Henry joined the Royal Naval Air Service (RNAS) and proceeded to RNAS Station Pembroke where he was given service number No.# 2515 and made a
Petty Officer Mechanic. He was immediately assigned to the No# 2 Armoured Car Squadron of the RNAS . Henry will spend seven months in France with them until the unit was disbanded on 28 September 1915. That is when he decided to apply for a commission in the Royal Flying Corps. He will fly SE5a fighters with 60 Squadron and surive the war.

What is perplexing is it is claimed in his RFC /RAF service record that he was a Canadian. He is also listed in Ottawa as being a Canadian serving in the RFC. The problem is, there is absolutely no evidence he was Canadian that I could find. I am wondering if his RFC/RAF record is somehow confusing him with a J.B. Crompton who was Canadian and flew alongside Henry in 60 squadron.

Any help would be much appreciated.

Ken
 
Henry Dennison Crompton age 45 travelled to New York from Liverpool on the Scythia in 1935 with Geoffrey Roger Crompton. Henry was a company director born Bury. He was a British subject and was issued his visa in Manchester on 25/5/1935. Manifest can be found on FS.
I think Canadians as Australians were all British subjects back then. Perhaps he flew with the Canadian Air Force as some British flew with the RAAF.
 
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On the 1921 census - Croyden Terrace, Manchester Road, Bury Lancashire, Henry Dennison Crompton is a Paper manufacture working for James R Crompton Bros Ltd, at Elton Paper Mills Bury
In 1939 he is with a wife and 2 redacted entries in Ramsbottom Lancashire - manager of a paper mill
 
Thanks! That is def him. So it would appear there was a mix-up between Henry Dennison Crompton and the Canadian John Bourchier Crompton of 60 Squadron. A very strange mistake to make considering John was the only Canadian with name Crompton in the RFC and having completely different initials. Someone was not paying attention. Very much appreciated! Any idea of when he may have died?
 
Manchester Evening News 24th October 1968
Police at Bury today, appealed for witnesses of a fatal accident at the junction of Longsight Road and Brandlesholme Road, Holcombe Brook, yesterday. Mr Henry Dennison Crompton, aged 78, of Plant House, Holcombe, died in Bury General Hospital last night, after receiving chest injuries in the accident.
 
A bit of a sad ending. It appears that Plant House, Holcombe is up for sale now for 1395000.00 pds but was still connected to Henry's familiy and I believe his wife Bessie Crompton started the H.D. & B. Crompton Charitable Trust in 1991. I am now wondering if they had any kids?
 
Henry married Bessie in 1925 in the Ormskirk (Lancashire) registration district
It looks like there were 2 children born 1929 and 1932 both births registered in Bury - probably the 2 redacted entries on the 1939 register
 
Force 399 said:
Ok, very much appreciated. What would it mean that they were redacted in the 1939 register?
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The 2 children born in 1929 and 1932 are probably their children. If there is a chance that these children are still alive then their names are redacted. It's all to do with personal data protection.

Baptism date 27 Sep 1889, Bury, Lancashire
Henry Dennison Crompton
Sex Male
Father Ralph Crompton
Mother Jessie Annie
Residence Bury, Lancashire, England
 
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Surrey Mirror - 25th September 1925

MARRIAGE. CROMPTON: ROBINSON.-On September 17th at the New Church, Southport, by the Rev. Charles A. Hall, Henry Dennison Crompton, of Bury, third son of Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Crompton, of "Hedgecroft,' Walton-on-the-Hill, Surrey, to Bessie, younger daughter of Mrs. Harold Robinson, of "Kersal," Birkdale, and the late Harold Robinson, of Birkdale and Manchester.
 
There is a Henry Crompton age 23 on Quebec immigration records May 1913 travelling on the Virginian, English, destination Toronto. His occupation was a barman. HMCS York is the primary Royal Canadian Navy Reserve and located in Toronto. Whether it was there in 1913 I’m not sure.
 
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Archie's Mum said:
There is a Henry Crompton age 23 on Quebec immigration records May 1913 travelling on the Virginian, English, destination Toronto. His occupation was a barman. HMCS York is the primary Royal Canadian Navy Reserve and located in Toronto. Whether it was there in 1913 I’m not sure.
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The Navy was established in Canada in 1910 as a volunteer navy and in Toronto soon after. HMCS York came along much later.
 
HI Sue / Chimp thanks for the additional info. I doubt the fellow listed as travelling to Canada is my guy because he was well educated as an engineer before 1913. That said, it is odd that the Royal Navy record for him is so sparse of information for a guy I know served in France with the
2nd Armoured Cars RNAS. There is also nothing about him transferring to the RFC proper. Did his mention in the medals-military.co.uk say anything about what medals he was entitled to? I could not find a medal card for him either.
 

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This is a photo of henry after qualifying as a pilot and a photo of 2nd Armd Cars where he is in the photo somewhere.
 

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Military Medals is an auction site. If you do a simple google of his full name it will come up under that site. Also Lives of the First World War but no info on there at all. Military Medal site also has a photo of him and three others along with the two medals that were sold at auction and a small bio.
 
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