▁with ▁his ▁parents . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁born ▁in ▁Ben alla , ▁and ▁attended ▁school ▁in ▁S ale , ▁She pp art on , ▁K yn eton ▁and ▁Castle ma ine . ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 1 ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁Thompson ▁Engineering ▁Works ▁in ▁Castle ma ine ▁as ▁an ▁app rent ice ▁f itter ▁aged ▁ 1 4 . ▁He ▁also ▁kept ▁studying ▁at ▁night ▁at ▁the ▁Castle ma ine ▁Techn ical ▁College . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁Cro ok ▁am oved ▁to ▁Melbourne ▁with ▁his ▁parents ▁and ▁the ▁rest ▁of ▁the ▁family . ▁He ▁took ▁up ▁an ▁app rent ices hip ▁with ▁the ▁Victor ian ▁Rail ways ▁and ▁studied ▁at ▁the ▁Melbourne ▁Techn ical ▁College . ▁ ▁Cro ok ▁was ▁keen ly ▁interested ▁in ▁W ire less ▁when ▁young . ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁granted ▁a ▁license ▁to ▁run ▁an ▁amateur ▁radio ▁station ▁in ▁ 1 9 1 3 ▁when ▁he ▁turned ▁ 1 6 . ▁ ▁The ▁war ▁years ▁After ▁the ▁start ▁of ▁the ▁First ▁World ▁War , ▁Cro ok ▁joined ▁the ▁A IF ▁and ▁served ▁in ▁the ▁ 3 4 th ▁Fort ress ▁Engine ers ▁from ▁November ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁to ▁October ▁ 1 9 1 6 . ▁He ▁then ▁transferred ▁to ▁the ▁Australian ▁F lying ▁Cor p , ▁initially ▁as ▁an ▁Air ▁Mechan ic ▁ 2 nd ▁class . ▁ ▁He ▁emb ark ed ▁for ▁the ▁UK ▁on ▁ 1 1 ▁May ▁ 1 9 1 7 , ▁to ▁support ▁the ▁war ▁on ▁the