Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George Crawford, a farmer, born 3rd May 1856 in Loughborough, Leicestershire and his wife Mary Jane Crawford (nee Kestin, married on the 14th April 1885 in the parish church, Twyford, Leicestershire), born 10th February 1861 in Twyford, Leicestershire. George Max was born in 1890 in Queniborough, Leicestershire, his siblinsg were, Frances Gertrude, born 11th June 1886 and Elsie May, born 28th August 1888, the latter two siblings were both born in Ashby Folville, Leicestershire and Mary Morris, born 1889 in Keyham, Leicestershire, in April 1891 the family home was at The Cottage Farm, Melton Road, Queniborough. In March 1901 George was residing in the family home at Manor Farm, Main Street, Queniborough, together with his divorced father, a farmer and his siblings, Frances (Cissie), Elsie, Mary and Roy Argyle, born 1892 in Queniborough. In April 1911 George was absent from the family home at The Manor Farm, Queniborough, residing there was his father, a farmer, his stepmother, Selina Cart, (nee Adcock, married on the 28th October1909 in the parish church, Queniborough) born 1869 in Syston, and his siblings, Elsie, a school teacher and Sidney Kestin, working on the family farm and born on the 4th June 1885 in Ashby Folville. George was recorded as sailing from New York, U.S.A. to England aboard the White Star Dominion Line, S.S. Adriatic arriving in Liverpool on the 3rd December 1914, he gave his place of residence as Canada. George’s older brother Sidney died while on active service in February 1917.
The War Diary records: 10-11 Jun-17 - EAST OF EPEHY. On the night of the 10th/11th June all Squadrons returned to camp. Captain R. McK. CARDWELL and 56 other ranks being left as a working party.
The War Diary entry for the 30th June records. Casualties during the month. Killed in action Lt. P. M. TOULMIN and 9 other ranks. Died of wounds, 1 other rank. Wounded in action, 16 other ranks.
On Friday June 22nd 1917 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “MELTON AND THE WAR” – QUENIBOROUGH YEOMEN KILLED. The toll of the war fell with a double exaction upon Queniborough last week, and the sympathy of the whole district will go out to Mr and Mrs P. E. Ogden, of Curzon Lodge, and to Mr G. Crawford, of the Manor Farm, in the loss they have sustained by the deaths of their sons, Percy Ogden and Max Crawford, on June 11th. Both were members of the Gaddesby troop, Leicestershire Yeomanry, and as such were very popular and well known. The sad news, received on Saturday morning, was broken in a kindly and sympathetic letter from Lieut. T. H. Simpkin (late of Rearsby), who states that the two friends were working together (apparently just behind the lines), and were killed by the same enemy shell. Trooper Ogden had only just rejoined the unit after some weeks in hospital. The article continued. - TROOPER MAX CRAWFORD whose portrait is given above, was Mr George Crawford’s son, and he joined the Gaddesby Troop in June 1915, volunteering for France the following October. After serving nearly 12 months in France he was brought to England suffering from cerebral meningitis. Deceased was again drafted to France on April 30th 1917. Mr Crawford’s three sons all joined the army at the outbreak of war, and he has now lost two of them in France within four months.
On Friday July 20th 1917 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “LOCAL MEN IN THE CASUALTY LISTS” – The following local casualties have been officially reported during the past week:- Mondays list included:- KILLED. YEOMANRY. Crawford, 41171 G. M. (Queniborough).
On Friday September 27th 1918 The Melton Mowbray Times & Vale of Belvoir Gazette published the following article under the heading. “QUENIBOROUGH.” – MEMORIAL SERVICE. – A memorial service was held in the Parish Church on Thursday evening for Captain C. H. Woodhouse and 15 others from the parish who have fallen in the war, viz. Lieut. Brooks, Lieut. T. Fox, Edward Lowe, Alfred Lowe, William Glover, Sydney Crawford, Max Crawford, Percy Ogden, Charles Stiff, Harold Mansfield, Richard Mansfield, Isaac Bursnell, William Cook.