Crawshay, William Robert

Date of birth:: May 27th, 1920 (London)
Date of death:: January 25th, 1997
Service number:: 86548
Nationality:: British

Biography

William Crawshay who was largely brought up in Paris where his father was attached to the British Embassy, was educated at Eton College and the University of Poitiers where he was when war was declared in 1939.
Initially he was doing coastal defence works with his battalion with the Royal Fusiliers but then requested a transfer to the 5th Battalion, King's African Rifles and went to Durban and then to Mombassa.

On the 5th June 1944 he and Captain Louis l’Helgolauch “Franc,” and Sub-Lieutenant René Meyer “Yonne,” were the first of 93 Jedburgh Team to be dropped in France.
The Halifax bomber was on a night run, not to drop bombs, but to drop a special team of three men into German-occupied France. On board were also members of the B Squadron 1st SAS let by Captain John Tonkin detailed to carry out Operation Bulbasket.
The three JEDBURGH operatives, specially trained as liaisons to the French resistance forces, had an important job. They would help train, supply, advise, and lead the French Maquis in battle behind German lines as Allied forces landed in Normandy during Operation OVERLORD on D-Day, June 6th 1944, and then southern France during Operation DRAGOON on August 15th.

From 1947-1956 Crawshay served in the 16th (Welsh) Parachute Battalion (TA) 1947-56 and the 6 Battalion Welch Regiment in 1960. Knighted 1972. He was made Deputy Lieutenant Glamorganshire and Gwent and Vice-Lieutenant of Gwent.
Crawshay also served as president of the National Museum of Wales, chairman of Welsh Arts Council, President of the Royal British Legion, Wales.
He remained active with his commission in the Territorial Army.

Colonel Crawshay donated his medals to the Royal Welch Fusiliers Museum at Caernarfon Castle, where they are on permanent display. Before he died, he also gave a series of recorded interviews to the Imperial War Museum. They can be accessed online here.

Promotions
Parent Unit: Royal Welsh Fusiliers
11 March, 1939: 2nd Lieutenant
? Acting Major
27 May, 1947: Captain
Honorary Major
21 December 1949: Commission Resigned in the Parachute Regiment
from Res. of Offrs., R.W.F., to be Maj., 4th July 1955
10 October 1955: Retirement from Regular Army
1 February, 1956: Acting Lieutenant-Colonel TA
1 February 1960: Colonel TA
11 June 1966: appointed Aide-de-Camp, Territorial Army to The Queen till 11th June 1971
1 April 1967 appointed Hon. Col., Welsh Volunteers, T. & A.V.R till 31 March 1971
1 October 1977: Appointed Honorary Colonel, Cardiff University Officers Training Corps, T.A.V.R.

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Distinguished Service Order (DSO)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Temporary Major
Awarded on:: June 21st, 1945

Citation:
"Major Crawshay was parachuted into the Indre department of France on 6th June 44 to direct and command the F.F.I. in that area.

In conjunction with the French member of his party, he organised, trained and armed a resistance force of over 17,000 men in very difficult circumstances, and in the face of strong Gestapo activity. He toured the region in uniform by motor car although capture would have involved possible torture and certain death. He figured prominently in the saving of the Eguzon power plants, on which depend the Paris Metro and lighting and many industrial plants in N.W. France.

On the 10th July, large German repression colums of about 2,000 S.S. troops and over 100 Miliciens attacked the Maquis in the Belabre region and concentrated upon Major Crawshay's H.Q. and a company of F.F.I. This company, although under heavy mortar and shell fire, resisted for several hours, killing at least 20 Germans and Miliciens, including the Chief of the Milice in Poitiers. In the afternoon, this and another company carried out an orderly withdrawal under Major Crawshay's command. Later the enemy engaged again but was forced to withdraw under the accurate fire of the Maquis. The enemy losses in the operation were 44 killed. Major Crawshay, by his personal example under fire and by his leadership throughout that day, foiled this dangerous attack on resistance groups, as yet poorly armed and unseasoned.

Major Crawshay took part in many such actions, of which two may be cited.
In August, a small force of French and American special service troops some 100 strong under him held up for several hours, a column of 10,000 enemy, inflicting severe losses on them.

On another occasion, Major Crawshay led an attack on an enemy column at Ecueille. The Germans were routed after a stiff resistance, leaving over 50 dead on the road as well as 6.88mm guns and 16 prisoners.

This officer also restrickted and attacked the number of escape routes open to the German withdrawing from the West and south west, thus rendering the enemy more vulnerable to air attack. He was largely responsible for organising such attacks and visited London to inform H.Q. of these targets.

Major Crawshay, by his personal courage and capability, shown over a long period, gave great assistance to the Allied cause in this important area and it is recommended that he be appointed a Companion in the Distinguished Service Order."

Signed
Colin Gubbins
Major-General