Name: Keith Bruce Crosby Regimental Number: 415769 Rank: Private Battalion: 40th Battalion/24th Battalion Place of Birth: Carleton, Yarmouth Co., NS Date of Birth: April 25, 1897 Date of Enlistment: August 7, 1915 Place of Enlistment: Aldershot, NS Address at Enlistment: Age at enlistment: 18 Height: 5 Feet, 5½ inches Complexion: fresh Eyes: Hazel Hair: light brown Trade or Calling: labourer Marital Status: Single Religion: Presbyterian Next of Kin: Howard Crosby (Father) Carleton, Yarmouth Co., NS Date of Death: April 11, 1916 Cause of Death: Killed in Action Age at Death: 19 Memorial: Menin Gate (Ypres) Memorial, Belgium (Panel 24 - 26 - 28 - 30) Commemorated on Page 73 of the First World War Book of Remembrance displayed in the Memorial Chamber of the Peace Tower in Ottawa on February 23 Listed on the War Memorials, Yarmouth and Carleton Nova Scotia Listed on the Nominal Roll of the 40th Battalion. Keith was the son of Howard A. and Lillian S. Crosby of Carleton, Yarmouth County NS. Having trained in Canada with the 40th Battalion, he went overseas arriving in England on October 28, 1915. In England he was transferred to the 24th Battalion. On March 20, 1916 he joined the 24th Battalion in the field. On April 11, 1916 he was killed in action. Private Crosby was killed at the St. Eloi craters south of Ypres, Belgium. There had been action along the front of the St. Eloi craters between the 27th of March and the 16th of April 1916. On the 6th of April at 3.30 a.m. the Germans attacked, taking four craters. The front line positions were complex and difficult made harder by the fact that the six new craters now made a total of 17 in the area, and telling them apart especially in the dark was nearly impossible. In the following days, the Canadians made several attacks to try and recover some of the craters, but these failed, and in view of the forthcoming major operations on the Somme no further offensive moves were made here. The fighting was often confused with heavy enemy shelling. Snipers were active and the salient was narrow within range of the German guns. The body of Keith Crosby was never recovered.