12355 Major-General Sir Michael O'Moore Creagh KBE, MC, 15/19 King’s Royal Hussars

Discussion in 'Higher Formations' started by Ramiles, Jan 22, 2022.

  1. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Major General Sir Michael O'Moore Creagh KBE, MC (16 May 1892 – 14 December 1970)

    Michael O'Moore Creagh - Wikipedia

    Major General Sir Michael O'Moore Creagh KBE, MC (16 May 1892 – 14 December 1970) was a British Army officer who served in both the world wars. He commanded the 7th Armoured Division, the Desert Rats, between 1939 and 1941.

    There seem to be relatively few contemporary (1940's) pictures of
    Michael O'Moore Creagh - currently on line.

    There are these though - "Southampton Home Guard - 16 May 1943 General Sir Michael O'Moore Creagh taking the salute as Home Guard detachments march past the saluting base."

    Ref. https://www.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2647405822164286&id=100006846829501&sfnsn=scwspmo

    Party, perhaps one difficulty is how he is variously referenced - "Creagh" can find results i.e. -

    http://ww2talk.com/index.php?search/11517953/&q=Creagh&o=relevance

    For example - Divisional Commanders of 7th Armoured Division

    Uses (a) 1943 example (cropped) - in profile...

    GenCreagh.jpg


    ----- x ---- x -----

    Edit - His father - O'Moore Creagh - Wikipedia
    IWM - Pathe - WW1Film (albeit currently not yet online)
    PATHE OLD NEGATIVE COLLECTION 4 [Main Title]

    Object description - Combined reel of several First World War British Pathe Gazette newsreel issues. Full description - 1. "Sir O'Moor [sic] Creagh Reviews Volunteers" (alternative title on film "Volunteers Reviewed at Chester by Sir O'Moor").
     
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2022
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  2. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

  3. Guy Hudson

    Guy Hudson Looker-upper

    Screenshot 2022-01-22 at 15.11.13.png
    I.L.N. 28th December 1940
     
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  4. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    And his wife? ;-)

    A great shame she isn't named here... :-(

    badge, formation, 7th Armoured Division.
    Has...

    IWM INS 5112
    description
    Physical description
    badge A red-brown jerboa ("desert rat") sitting up, outlined in white, tail curled beneath, on a black rectangle. North West Europe pattern. Facing left.
    History note
    The original badge is said to have been designed by the wife of Sir Michael O'Moore Creagh, who commanded from December 1939. The original design was a jerboa, in either red or, according to some reports, 'pink', on a white or buff circle on a red square, very similar to the 7th Armoured Brigade sign. The second version may have been adopted as late as 1943 when the Division was in the Tripoli area. In this version the jerboa was a distinct red colour and embroidered directly onto battledress material. The earliest version of this design is said to have a short tail and its back was a simple curve. In later versions the tail became longer and the rump developed a distinct bump. This pattern was in use by the Division throughout their service in Sicily and Italy. When the Division was recalled to the UK in mid-December 1943 an order was sent ahead to the UK to provide insignia. Somehow the order was misunderstood and the patch produced showed an animal more akin to a kangaroo than a jerboa and of a distinctly brownish shade outlined white on a black background. Given the shortages of all kinds of material the Division was refused permission to obtain replacements and, however grudgingly, had to accept this new badge. The same sign, with a more orange rat, was adopted by 7th Armoured Brigade in BAOR post WW2. Also worn in Saudi Arabia in Operation Desert Storm. The Division was formed and trained in Egypt by Maj. Gen Sir Percy Hobart. It was the first to go into action in the Western Desert at the outbreak of war with Italy in June 1940. The division formed part of Wavell's Desert Force, later Army of the Nile and later still 8th Army. They became known as the "Desert Rats". The Division took part in the first offensive against Grazziani's forces in 1941 and participated in most major engagements, including Sidi Barrani, the Omars, Gazala, Alamein and the advance through Libya and Tunisia. The Division returned to the UK in early 1944 to prepare for the invasion of Europe on D Day, 6 June 1944. It fought as part of 21 Army Group from Normandy to Germany. The Division formed the bulk of the British force which entered Berlin for the victory march at the end of the war. (Cole 1973, pp. 33 - 34) Immediately post-war the division formed part of BAOR (British Army of the Rhine) in VII Corps District. In May 1958 the Division was converted to 5th Division with 7th Armoured and 12th Infantry Brigade Groups under command. (Bellis, Datafile12)

    20220122_120501.jpg

    She is named here - Major-General Sir Garrett O'Moore Creagh VC, GCB, GCSI

    Michael O'Moore Creagh
    Birth date:May 16, 1892
    Birth place:Cahirbane, County Clare, IrelandDeath:1970 (77-78)
    South Kensington, London, Middlesex, England UKImmediate Family:
    Son of Sir Garrett O'Moore Creagh and Elizabeth O'Moore Creagh
    Husband of Jean Helen McGrigor
    Father of Jean Patricia Creagh
    Half brother of May Geraldine Creagh

    Hence - Jean Helen McGrigor
     
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  5. Guy Hudson

    Guy Hudson Looker-upper

    Jean Helen O'MOORE CREAGH
    28th July 1902 - 2Q 1976 Northampton
    Nee McGrigor
    residing at "Kings Ride House" King's Ride, Camberley, Surrey (1939 Register)
    Screenshot 2022-01-22 at 16.36.52.png
     
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  6. Ramiles

    Ramiles Researching 9th Lancers, 24th L and SRY

    Something I noticed here - The impact of terrain on British operations and doctrine in North Africa 1940-1943

    On Battleaxe...

    pic6.jpg

    I thought was interesting in the context of the quote re. Beda Fomm - in the wiki...

    Beda Fomm
    Creagh's division was to travel via Mechili, Msus and Antelat (the bottom of the semicircle), while the Australian 6th Division chased the retreating Italian Tenth Army along the coast road round the Jebel Akhdar mountains to the north (the curve of the semicircle). The poor terrain was hard going for the tanks, and Creagh took the bold decision to send a flying column – christened "Combe Force" – south-west across the virtually unmapped Libyan Desert. Combe Force, under its namesake Lieutenant Colonel John Combe of the 11th Hussars, consisted of the 11th Hussars, a squadron of the King's Dragoon Guards, the 2nd Battalion Rifle Brigade, an RAF armoured car squadron, anti-tank guns from 3rd Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery and C Battery, 4th Regiment, Royal Horse Artillery. The force totalled about 2,000 men. On 5 February, Combe Force succeeded in cutting off the Italians at Sidi Saleh and Beda Fomm. The small force held the Italians long enough to be joined by the armour of 4 Brigade on 6 February. The bulk of the Tenth Army surrendered the next day as a result of this successful blockade of their path.
     

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