Lieutenant (later Major) Ken Crockford MC
The funeral took place on 16th June 2014 of Major Ken
Crockford, the last surviving officer who served with The
Herefordshire Regiment during World War 2 who died at
his home in Surrey in May after a short illness at the age
of 91. Amongst those present were representatives from
the Regiments he had served with and his many friends.
The service concluded with the sounding of the Last Post
by buglers of The Rifles Regiment.
Ken bequeathed his medals to the Regimental Museum,
where they are now on display.
Ken was Commissioned into the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry, but soon after landing in
Normandy joined The Herefords who had landed over Juno beach 6 days after D Day. He
had been posted to the 2nd Herefords in England, and on arrival in Normandy saw a truck
driven by a Herefordshire Regimental soldier who he approached. Lt Col Jack Churcher (later
Maj Gen) CO of the Herefords was trying to recover Herefordshire Regimental soldiers in
preparation for a forthcoming assault. Ken and several others decided to join the Herefords;
this caused some consternation amongst the unit he was supposed to join where he was
reported ‘missing’. Between May 1945 and February 1946 he saw active service as a platoon
commander and company 2ic through France, Belgium, Holland and Northern Germany. The
Herefords took part in the liberation of Antwerp in September 1944, and on the night
before the main entry into Antwerp Ken took a patrol into the city to recce enemy
strengths, thus becoming the first allied commander to enter Antwerp. Antwerp was the
first major port to be liberated after D Day which enabled the supply lines to the forward
troops to be shortened and entry of personnel, equipment and stores was switched from
the Mulberry Harbour at Arromanches to Antwerp cutting the resupply distance by some
350 miles and enabling the assault across the Rhine into Germany.
In May 1945, Hitler nominated Grand Admiral Doenitz as his successor; Doenitz set up his
puppet government in Flensberg, Northern Germany, The Herefords, including Ken took
part in the operation to arrest Doenitz. For these oerations Ken was recommended for the
award of the Military Cross by his OC, Maj Crofts (whose MC is also in the Museum
collection).
The original citation for Ken’s MC:
Ken was also awarded the Chevalier of the Order of Leopold II, with Palm and Croix de
Guerre 1940 with Palm, Belgium for his actions.
After the Second World War Ken continued to serve in the Army with the Royal Army
Service Corps and Royal Corps of Transport around the world. Following retirement from
the Army Ken was the overseas supply officer for Save The Children. He was also a great
supporter of the Herefordshire Old Comrades Association, a regular at the Officers’ Dining
Club, and took part in many battlefield tours giving a detailed and modest account of his
actions.
Ken’s medals were:
Military Cross, 1939/45 Star, France & Germany Star, Defence Medal War Medal, General Service
Medal (bar Canal Zone), Campaign Service Medal (bar Borneo), Order of Leopold(Belgium), Croix de
Guerre (Belgium), Pingat Jasa Malaysia.