Trooper John Wm. Hugh Craig, killed in action on March 30 in Palestine, was the eldest son of Mr William Craig, of Awamangu. He was born in Dunedin, and educated at Sutton and Awamangu. After leaving school he worked on his father's farm at Awamangu. He enlisted and left with the 18th Reinforcements draft, and after his arrival in Egypt was transferred from the New Zealand Mounted Division to the Imperial Camel Corps. He was 24 years of age. The deceased soldier was exceedingly popular in the Awamangu and Greenfield districts. -Otago Daily Times, 16/4/1918.
John Craig was killed during an action at Amman, the modern capital of Jordan, in which British forces and the Hashemite Arab Army (connected with a certain Captain Lawrence) combined to take the town, which was in a strategic position on the Hejaz railway and a step towards the city of Damascus. "With the Cameleers in Palestine," one of the Official Histories of the war, describes the action:
"On the right flank the Fourth Battalion I.C.C. (Imperial Camel Corps) and the N.Z.M. Rifles were subjected to attack after attack on the 28th and 29th, but all these were repulsed, and the line was gradually advanced in the direction of Hill 3039, which overlooked the town of Amman. At 1.30 a.m. on the 30th an advance on Hill 3039 was made, led by the Auckland Mounted Rifles and the Fourth Battalion I.C.C. over a flat tableland for a distance of half a mile, where the Turks were driven out of their position at the point of the bayonet. The Canterbury and Wellington Regiments then advanced through this position and captured a second line where they were joined by the Cameliers. Another advance carried them to the crest of the hill overlooking Amman where protection had to be built up with whatever stones and rocks could be procured, as the covering of soil on the limestone ridge was so shallow that trenches could not be dug. All day long this exposed line was subjected to an intense fire from artillery and machine-guns, and counter-attack after counter-attack was made by the Turks, but each one was gallantly repulsed. The 16th N.Z. Company occupied a forward position on the northern slope, but being exposed to a deadly fire, it was withdrawn to the extreme right flank. During one of these determined attacks to recapture the hill-top the Turks advanced almost to the muzzles of the rifles of our men who, gallantly led by their officers, swept them back down the slope once more. Lieutenant Crawford of the 16th Company moved out openly to direct his men and was struck down to die later on from his wounds. Lieutenant Thorby of the same Company led charge after charge until he fell mortally wounded, as also did Lieutenant Adolph. In the heat of one attack Corporal MacMillan of the Lewis Gun Section of the Company was seen advancing and firing his gun from his hip, until he too fell. Trooper McConnell, one of the regular packmen of the Company, had gone up to the line with reinforcements. He had a supply of bombs in his charge, and when the Turks counter-attacked almost to our line, he ran forward to meet them, and continued pulling out the pins and throwing the bombs with deadly effect right into the ranks of the enemy, until he fell pierced with bullets. The same spirit animated the whole Company, and the enemy was held off till darkness fell."
Balclutha Cemetery.
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