REMEMBERING OUR LOCAL HEROES – 2LT ERIC ERICHSEN CRAIG

Cadets from Foyle College, Londonderry Sergeant Elliot Tait, Colour Sergeant Andrew Hawthorn and Corporal Finn Porter, present the life of former pupil and local Hero – 2Lt Eric Erichsen Craig

Eric Craig was the son of Dr James Craig (Justice of the Peace) and Matilda Spence. He was born and lived in Carlisle Terrace, Londonderry, Northern Ireland.
He attended Foyle College, wherewas part of the schools XV rugby team, the he went to Queen’s University, Belfast where he was a medical student.

Eric joined the Officers Training Corps at Queen’s University and in December 1915 received his commission in the Royal Irish Rifles. Although training to be a doctor, his short time with Queens gave him the opportunity to be an officer within the infantry Regt.
His aspiration was to follow in his two brothers’ footsteps – bothhad served on the front line as doctors.  

He went out to France on July 18th, 1916 with the 16th Royal Irish Rifles (2nd County Down Pioneers) as part of 36 (Ulster) Division, mostly made up from Belfast and Lurgan based soldiers.

He was killed in action on 30 Aug 1916, aged 20; 43 days after stepping off in France.

2nd Lt Craig’s name is interred in St Quentin Cabaret Military Cemetery in Belgiumnd is also commemorated at the QUB  memorial and the Diamond war memorial in Londonderry.

Eric’s name and that of many of his first XV were among a list of Great War dead, associated with Foyle College Londonderry, read aloud during the annual prize giving ceremony, held on Thursday19th December 1918.

A total of 70 men from Foyle College lost their lives in WW1, as commemorated at Foyle College on the plague photographed below: