Cecil Howard “Dick” Croucher
Captain · NZ #8803 · R2 Patrol · MC, MID
| Rank | Captain |
|---|---|
| Service number | NZ #8803 |
| Patrol | R2 Patrol |
| Known as | “Dick” |
| Born | 1910-02-25 |
| Died | 1987-06-28 |
| Honours | MC, MID |
| Record | https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C135475 |
What this roll records
THE DAY, WHERE THIS CARD HAD ONLY THE YEAR: HE DIED ON 28 JUNE 1987. The Press of 28 June 1991 carried an In Memoriam notice from his granddaughter Pam — “CROUCHER, C.H.B. (Dick) Late Capt. LRDG” — “For my Grandad who passed away 4 years ago today”, which fixes the date exactly. She wrote: “always remember that you were the strongest man I knew, and how I was always so very proud of you, I miss you Grandad.” ONE THING THE NOTICE HAS THAT THIS ROLL HAS NOT: it gives his initials as C.H.B., where this card holds Cecil Howard. There is a third given name beginning with B, and it is not established here. Source: the Press, 28 June 1991, via Papers Past (National Library of New Zealand).
Patrol R: named as an R Patrol member in Brendan O'Carroll, "The Long Range Desert Group in North Africa".
Patrol R2 officer (Lieut. C.H. Croucher). Brendan O'Carroll, "R Patrol, Long Range Desert Group" (R Patrol Truck Names and Officers appendix).
Honour MC added from LRP Roll (Navigator R Patrol; commissioned Imp Army). Source: LRP Roll (Original LRP Nominal Roll as at 5 Dec 1940, Capt L H Browne).
Full name Cecil Howard Croucher; known as 'Dick'. A wartime portrait captioned 'Lt. C. H. Croucher, NZ #8803'. Source: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph.
Patrol commander of R2 per W.B. Kennedy Shaw, 'Long Range Desert Group', Appendix 4 (Patrol Commanders).
Roll ranks: Second Lieutenant on the LRDG Nominal Roll, 28 Dec 1940 – Jan 1941 (courtesy Tarek el Mahdy); CO R2 Patrol on the March 1942 roll.
Merged duplicate record: also recorded as 'Croucher, Cecil Howard Bruce', Captain, service #230326, M.I.D. (a second service number; likely a transcription variant of #8803). Honours combined here as M.C. and M.I.D.
Born 25 February 1910; died 1987. Civilian occupation: labourer. Source: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph.
The Kiwi Scorpions (Brendan O'Carroll): Capt. C. H. B. Croucher — Merchant Navy; Feilding; born England, 25 Feb 1910; commissioned in the British Army; patrol commander LRDG; GSO III G(Ops) GHQ MEF 1942; Adjutant LRDG 1943; IO LRDG (Aegean) 1943; GSO II Raiding Forces MEF 1944; IO LRDG (Adriatic) 1944.
Patrol commander: commanded R2 Patrol. Kiwi Scorpions (Appendix II — Commanders of NZ Patrols).
As Second-Lieutenant, led R2 patrol (1941) to a French outpost in the Tibesti Mountains to act as a wireless link between the Allies for the planned Anglo-French co-operation in the Fezzan, until Rommel’s counter-offensive forced its recall. Source: ‘The Eighth Army Advance / Reconnaissance in Tunisia’, Episodes & Studies Vol. 1 (NZ official war history).
After the fall of Leros (November 1943) hid on Mount Tortore with Colonel Prendergast, Captain Tinker and others before escaping. Source: ‘Invasion of the Dodecanese Islands’ (Battle of Leros / Assault on Levita), Episodes & Studies Vol. 1 (NZ official war history).
Merchant Navy, of Feilding; born England, 25 Feb 1910. m.i.d.; commissioned British Army. Adjutant and Intelligence officer LRDG. Source: Episodes & Studies Vol. 1 (biographical notes).
A Merchant Navy officer, helped train the patrols’ navigators at the LRDG’s formation and was a navigator on Clayton’s first reconnaissance into Libya (1940). In November 1941 led the three trucks sent to complete T2’s task at Wadi Heleighima. Source: ‘Long Range Desert Group in Libya, 1940–41’, Episodes & Studies Vol. 1 (NZ official war history).
Labourer in civilian life. Source: Auckland War Memorial Museum Online Cenotaph.
See him in the full roll →Where this comes from
- Additional sources (AWMM Online Cenotaph). Nominal Roll 2NZEF No. 1 (Embarkations to 31 Mar 1940), p.44. Unit history: Kay, R. (1958). 27 (Machine Gun) Battalion. External links: Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision recording (U-series, LRDG Pts 1-8, 11719): https://www.ngataonga.org.nz/search-use-collection/search/11719; Johnston, Sarah (2023). With the boys overseas: https://phanza.org.nz/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/Sarah-Johnston-With-the-Boys-Overseas.pdf
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Not By Strength But By Guile