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The Last Great Cavalryman

Page 39

by Richard Mead


  at Runwick

  at College House

  wartime separations

  in Austria

  in Germany

  influence on Dick’s decision to retire early

  in America

  McCreery, Mary (Dick’s great- grandmother)

  McCreery, May (Dick’s aunt)

  McCreery, Michael (Dick’s son)

  McCreery, General Sir Richard

  personal

  appearance

  character

  health

  nicknames

  sense of humour

  temper

  family

  McCreery family

  McAdam family

  brothers (see McCreery, Jack, Robert and Selby)

  parents’ separation

  killing of brother Bob

  father’s decline and death

  wife (see McCreery, Lettice)

  children (see McCreery, Charles, Jonathan, Michael, Robert and Sarah)

  death of grandmother

  suicide of brother Jack

  death of mother

  rift with son Michael

  death of Michael

  rift with son Charles

  childhood and schooldays

  childhood

  St Michael’s

  Eton

  equestrian activities

  learning to ride

  hunting (see also Blackmore Vale Hunt)

  polo

  steeplechasing (see also Newbury and Wincanton racecourses)

  wins Grand Military Gold Cup

  showjumping

  skill-at-arms

  organizations (see British Horse Society, Grand Military Race Committee, Hurlingham Polo Association, National Hunt Committee)

  horses

  Annie Darling

  Canute

  Fox-Trot

  Hikari

  Jumbo

  Perugia

  Kilbay

  Old Hat

  Twelfth Lancer

  dogs

  Beetle

  Jeannie

  other activities and interests

  cars

  cooking

  flower arranging

  gardening

  golf

  skiing

  youth (see King’s School, Bruton, St John’s School, Leatherhead and Somerset Association of Boys Clubs)

  orders and decorations

  MC

  MBE

  DSO

  CB

  KCB

  Legion of Merit

  KBE

  Distinguished Service Medal

  GCB

  military career: Great War

  at Sandhurst

  commissioned into 12th Lancers

  training in Ireland

  with regiment in France

  wounded at Arras

  recovery and convalescence

  promoted lieutenant

  exploits at end of war

  military career: between the wars

  in Germany and Belgium

  in Ireland

  at Tidworth

  at Small Arms School

  at Cavalry School

  as Adjutant

  promoted captain

  at Hounslow

  in Egypt 1927

  promoted major

  at Staff College

  as BMCavalry Division

  in Egypt 1933 – 34

  at Senior Officers School

  as CO 12th Lancers

  in Egypt 1936

  promoted colonel

  GSO1Division

  military career: 1939 – 42

  withDivision in BEF

  CommanderArmoured Brigade

  campaign in France with Second BEF

  training in England

  promoted major general

  GOCArmoured Division

  in Exercise Bumper

  CommanderArmoured Group

  military career: 1942 – 43

  Adviser AFV to Auchinleck

  actions during Gazala and First Alamein battles

  opposes Auchinleck on reorganization and use of armour

  meets Churchill and Brooke

  sacked by Auchinleck

  appointed COS to Alexander

  promoted lieutenant general

  proposes Lumsden for command of X Corps

  resents Montgomery’s attitude towards Alexander

  opinion of Montgomery

  contribution to Operation Supercharge

  frustrated by Eighth Army pursuit

  transfers toh Army Group with Alexander

  and Patton and Bradley

  on tension between First and Eighth Armies

  plans final battle in Tunisia

  military career: 1943 – 44

  returns to England

  lecture tour

  appointed GOC VIII Corps

  appointed GOC X Corps

  and Clark

  in Operation Avalanche

  and Salerno Mutiny

  ambushed

  in crossing of the Volturno

  at Monte Camino

  in crossing of the Garigliano

  in Apennine sector

  in the Tiber and Upper Arno Valleys

  reaches the Gothic Line

  military career: 1944 – 45

  appointed Commander Eighth Army

  advances up Adriatic coast

  and Truscott

  and morale and manpower

  and Desert Air Force

  and training for last battle

  uses ‘whizzer’ for reconnaissance

  persuades Anders to keep Poles in Eighth Army

  plan for Operation Buckland

  launches last battle

  activates XIII Corps

  ordersArmoured Division forward

  succeeds in enveloping enemy

  and crossing of the Po and the Adige

  orders Freyberg to take Venice and Trieste

  and German surrender

  and Yugoslavs

  and repatriation of Cossacks and Croats

  military career: 1945 – 46

  appointed Commander BTA and High Commissioner in Austria

  and morale

  and Austrian economy

  and Konev

  visited by family

  transfer resisted by Bevin

  relations with Austrians

  military career: 1946 – 48

  appointed Commander BAOR

  differences with Montgomery

  and morale

  visited by family

  military career: 1948 – 49

  appointed British Representative on UN MSC

  promoted general

  and MSC

  retires from Army

  retirement

  decision to retire

  retirement appointments

  interest in farming

  and amalgamation of cavalry regiments

  opposition to Suez

  and controversial article in regimental journal

  battlefield tour with Alexander

  begins writing military memoirs

  McCreery, Richard (Dick’s great-uncle)

  McCreery, Richard (Dick’s grandson)

  McCreery, Robert (‘Bob’) (Dick’s brother)

  McCreery, Robert (‘Bob’) (Dick’s son)

  McCreery, Samuel (Dick’s great-grandfather) 1

  McCreery, Sarah, later Meynell (Dick’s daughter)

  McCreery, Selby (Dick’s brother)

  McCreery, Walter (Dick’s father)

  McCreery Estate Company

  McCreery Ranch

  Mack, Sir Henry

  MacMillan of MacMillan, General Sir Gordon

  Macmillan, Harold (Earl of Stockton)

  McNaughton, General A.G.L.

  Magazzeno

  Maiore

  Makins, Sir Roger

  Malcolm, Betty

  Mareth Line

  Marshall, General of the Army George C.
r />   Martel, Lieutenant General Sir Giffard

  Medecina

  Medenine

  Menate

  Mersa Matruh

  Messe, Field Marshal Giovanni

  Messervy, General Sir Frank

  Meynell, Alexander (Dick’s grandson)

  Meynell, Captain Hugo (Dick’s son-in-law)

  Meynell, Luke (Dick’s grandson)

  Meynell, Sarah (see McCreery, Sarah)

  Mihailovic, Draza

  Military Staff Committee of the UN

  Miller, Major General C.H.

  Miller-Brown, Lieutenant G.

  Minturno

  Miss Guest’s Hunt

  Mitchell, Major General F.N.

  Montagu-Douglas-Scott, Lieutenant Colonel Lord William

  Monte Camino

  Monte Cedrone

  Montecorvino

  Monte della Gorgace

  Monte Farneto

  Monte Grande

  Monte Grosso

  Monte Malbe

  Monte Massico

  Monte Porchia

  Monte Sammucro

  Montgomery of Alamein, Field Marshal

  Viscount

  instructor at Staff College

  Dick’s opinion of

  arrives in Egypt

  accepts Lumsden as corps commander

  at Alam Halfa

  relationship with Alexander

  Dick stands up to

  opinion of Dick

  and Operation Lightfoot

  and Operation Supercharge

  fails to cut off Rommel

  sacks Lumsden

  attitude to First Army

  releases divisions to First Army

  as CIGS

  prevents appointments of Dick as VCIGS and C-in-C Germany

  visits BAOR

  and Dick’s decision to leave Army

  criticized publicly by Dick

  Montgomery-Massingberd, Field Marshal Sir Archibald

  Morgan, Lieutenant General Sir Frederick

  Morgan, General Sir William

  Morgenthau, Henry

  Morley, Veronica

  Morshead, Lieutenant General Sir Leslie

  Morris, General Sir Edwin

  Mostaganem

  Mountbatten of Burma, Admiral of the Fleet Earl

  Mow, Lieutenant General Pon-tsu

  Moy

  Murray, General Sir Horatius

  Naples

  National Hunt Committee

  Nevasa, TS

  Newbury Racecourse

  New York

  Nicholson, Brigadier C.

  Nivelle, General Robert

  Nocera

  Nolleval

  Norfolk, Bernard, Duke of

  Norman, Bill

  Norman, Major General C.W.

  Norrie, Lieutenant General Lord

  Nye, Lieutenant General Sir Archibald

  O’Connor, General Sir Richard

  Ogilvy, Major The Hon. Bruce

  Oisement

  Olive, Operation

  Oliver, Admiral Sir Geoffrey

  O’Rourke, Maurice

  Packard, Lieutenant General Sir Douglas

  Padua

  Paestum

  Paget, General Sir Bernard

  Paget, Captain N.D.

  Palazzo del Pero

  Palmer, Lieutenant Colonel R.H.

  Patton, General George S.

  Paynter, Colonel G.

  Penney, Major General Sir Ronald

  Pert, Alan

  Perugia

  Pesche

  Petiet, Lieutenant General Robert

  Peto, Brigadier C.

  Piccione

  Picquigny

  Pike, Bishop Victor

  Piping Rock Country Club

  Plumtree, Corporal

  Plunkett-Greene, Alexander

  Po, River and Valley

  Po Morte, River

  Poggio Renatico

  Pompeii

  Ponsonby, Major General Sir Frederick

  Pont de l’Arche

  Pontecagnano

  Pontelagoscuro

  Pope, Lieutenant General V.V.

  Powell, Major T.

  Pownall, Lieutenant General Sir Henry

  Quant, Mary

  Queen Elizabeth, RMS

  Queen Mary, RMS

  Quinan, General Sir Edward

  RAC War Memorial Benefit Fund

  Ramsden, Major General W.H.C.

  Rapido, River

  Ravenna

  Rawlinson, General Lord

  Rawnsley, Major J.R.C.

  Reid, Major General D.W.

  Renner, President Karl

  Reno, River

  Rice-Oxley, Sir Alfred

  Richardson, General Sir Charles

  Rigby, Sir Hugh Mallinson

  Rimini

  Ripa Ridge

  Ritchie, General Sir Neil

  Roberts, Corporal J.

  Robertson of Oakridge, General Lord

  Robey, George

  Roccamonfina

  Rommel, Field Marshal Erwin

  Ronco, River

  Roosevelt, President Franklin D.

  Rovigo

  Royal Air Force

  Air Force

  Desert

  other

  2271 Field Squadron, RAF Regiment

  Royal Military Academy, Woolwich

  Royal Military College, Sandhurst

  Rudnicki, Major General Klemens

  Runwick

  Russell, Lieutenant General Sir Dudley

  Russell, Brigadier H.E.

  St John’s School, Leatherhead

  St Maur, Lady Ernest (Lettice’s Aunt Dora)

  St Maur, Helen (see Gosling, Helen)

  St Maur, Lettice (see McCreery, Lettice)

  St Maur, Lucia (see Gosling, Lucia)

  St Maur, Lady Violet, née White (Lettice’s mother)

  St Maur, Lord Percy (Lettice’s father)

  St Michael’s School

  St Mary’s School, Wantage

  St Valéry-en-Caux

  Salerno (see also Avalanche)

  Salerno Mutiny

  Sandhurst (see Royal Military College)

  San Francisco

  San Marco

  San Marino

  Sansepolcro

  Santa Maria la Fossa

  Santerno, River

  Savill, Colonel K.E.

  Savio, River

  Scafati

  Schönbrunn Palace

  School of Musketry, Dollymount

  Schreiber, John

  Scobie, Lieutenant General Sir Ronald

  Scott, Major General T.P.D.

  Seine, River

  Senio, River

  Senior Officers School

  Sessa Aurunca

  Sherborne

  Shinwell, Emmanuel, Lord

  Sillaro, River

  Simpson, General Sir Frank

  Skan, Gretan

  Slessor, Marshal of the RAF Sir John

  Slim, Field Marshal Viscount

  Small Arms School

  Smith, The Hon. Hugh Vivian

  Smith, General Walter Bedell

  Society of California Pioneers

  Somerset Association of Boys Clubs

  Somme, Battle of the

  Somme, River

  Sorrento

  Sparanise

  Sparkford Vale Harriers

  Sparks, Sir Ashley and Lady

  Spicer, Captain F.F.F.

  Staff College, Camberley

  Stay, Catherine (‘Da’)

  Steele, General Sir James

  Stewart, Major Patrick

  Stowell Hill

  Stratton Audley Park

  Stratton, Lieutenant General Sir William

  Strawson, Major General J.

  Strike, Operation

  Styles, Major W.

  Styria

  Supercharge, Operation

  Taft, Mr and Mrs Walbridge S.

  Teano

  Tedder,
Marshal of the RAF Lord

  Telegraph Hill

  Templer, Field Marshal Sir Gerald

  Thomas, General Sir Ivor

  Tidworth

  Tito, Marshal Josip Broz

  Tobruk

  Torch, Operation

  Torre Annunziata

  Tovey, Admiral of the Fleet Lord

  Trashurst

  Trasimene, Lake

  Treflisco

  Trieste

  Tripoli

  Truman, Colonel C.M.

  Truman, President Harry S.

  Truscott, General Lucian K.

  Tuker, Lieutenant General Sir Francis

  Tunis

  Tweedsmuir, John Buchan, 2nd Lord

  Udine

  Ulster Monarch, MV

  Ultra

  Umbertide

  United Nations (see Military Staff Committee)

  Utili, Lieutenant General Umberto

  Vandyck, TSS

  Vasiliev, Lieutenant General Alexander

  Venetian Line

  Venezia Giulia

  Venice

  Vesuvius, Mount

  Vienna

  Vietri sul Mare

  Vimy Ridge

  Vivian, Captain R.G.C.

  Vokes, Major General C.

  Volterrano

  Volturno, River

  Von Arnim, Colonel General Hans-Jürgen

  Von Senger und Etterlin, Lieutenant General Fridolin

  Von Vietinghoff-Scheel, Colonel General Heinrich

  Vulcan, Operation

  Wadi Akarit

  Wadley Manor

  Wagstaff, Corporal

  Walsh, Major General G.P.

  Ward, General Sir Dudley

  Warre, Lieutenant Colonel A.J.

  Watson, Squadron Sergeant Major

  Wavell, Field Marshal Earl

  Webb, Brigadier G.

  Weir, General Sir George

  Wellington, Field Marshal, 1st Duke of

  West, Major ‘Tiny’

  Whiteley, General Sir John

  Whitfield, Major General J.Y.

  Williams, Dudley

  Williams, Brigadier Sir Edgar

  Wilson of Libya, Field Marshal Lord

  Wincanton Racecourse

  Winterton, Major General Sir John

  Wolff, General Karl

  Woodd, Colonel B.B.N.

  Woodpecker, Operation

  Yalta Conference

  Ypres

  Zheltov, Colonel General Aleksei

 

 

 


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