WWII RETREAT TO DUNKIRK 1940 MILITARY CROSS GROUP TO MAJ. R.J.V. CRICHTON, COLD'M. GDS.

Military Cross Gazetted 9 July 1940, citation regimental source:

"In the second week of May the outlying Belgian defences were falling rapidly to German airborne and armoured forces and the line of the River Dyle was coming under rapidly increasing pressure. On the evening of 14 May, two companies of the 1st Battalion Coldstream Guards were holding the line of the canal between Herent and Wilsele, north of Louvain. The companies were in widely dispersed slit trenches under the trees on the canal bank and each had a platoon on the far side to act as outposts. A procession of Belgian cavalry, artillery and civilians had been streaming back through the batallion's position for two days, attracting heavy enemy bombing of the village and approach roads. At 6pm, eight German soldiers mounted on motorcycles approached Wilsele. Four of these were cut down by the outposts but motorised troops immediately came into view and German artillery opened up on the Coldstreams' positions. The Belgian units now received orders to withdraw and this thinned the Coldstreams' outposts and made their position even more difficult to hold.

Later that evening, in view of the strength of the enemy offensive, orders were received that the outposts were to be withdrawn. Although 2 Company's outpost was extricated without great difficulty, 3 Company had a harder task, for when Lieutenant Crichton crossed the canal with two comrades, he discovered that the enemy had already penetrated their position. Attacking with grenades under cover of darkness, Crichton and his companies managed to get the forward sections out and back across the canal. A number of men had to swim back and two drowned in the attempt. Crichton was severely wounded in the action and almost lost an arm."

Richard John Vesey Crichton was born in Windsor on 2 Nov 1916, the son of Sir George Crichton, himself a son of the 4th Earl of Erne and Equerry to King George V, Edward VIII and George V. Educated at Eton, Crichton attended R.M.A. Sandhurst and was commissioned with the Coldstream Guards in 1936. Serving witth the 1st Battalion, Coldstream Guards in the retreat to Dunkirk in 1940, Crichton was decorated for bravery and severely wounded, spending almost two years in and out of hospital before returning to his regiment with the 3rd Battalion during the Italian campaign.

Appointed Commander of 2 Company in Nov 1943, Crichton took part in the first battle of Monte Camino. He was again wounded in Feb 1944 at Trimonsuoli, returning from hospital a month later. On 30 June, Crichton's company led the way into Montepulciano as the advance guard of the battalion. The enemy were reported north of the town and a platoon was sent up, supported by a troop of tanks. Twelve large shells landed on Crichton's Company H.Q. and there were several casualties. Crichton subsequently fought all the way to Florence with his Company and was further Mentioned in Despatches on 19 July 1945.

At the end of WWII in 1945, Crichton was posted to Staff College at Haifa before being appointed Brigade Major of 28th Infantry Brigade. After attending R.A.F. Staff College, Crichton returned from Palestine in 1948 and promoted to Major in 1949 the following year on his appointment Regimental Adjutant. Crichton transferred to the 1st Battalion in 1952 and became second-in-command.

After two years in the Canal Zone, in 1954 Crichton was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel and commanded the 1st Battalion, B.A.O.R. Commanding the regiment in 1958, Crichton was based at regimental H.Q., London, before retiring with the honorary rank of Colonel.

In 1966, Crichton became a member of Her Majesty's Body Guard of the Honorable Corps of Gentlemen at Arms. Latterly, Crichton became a member of Hampshire County Council and Police Authority. Crichton had published 'The Coldstream Guards 1946-1970' in 1972 and was appointed C.V.O. in 1986.