Gerald Creasy
Encyclopedia
Sir Gerald Hallen Creasy (1897 — 1983) KCMG
, OBE
was a British
colonial administrator
. He has served as Governor
of the Gold Coast
and Malta
. The "Christiansborg cross-roads shooting incident" occurred while he was Governor in Ghana.
. He is however most remembered in Ghana for the "Christiansborg cross-roads shooting incident" on 28 February 1948, about six weeks into his job. 63 unarmed former World War II
veterans were killed that day while demonstrating about end of service benefits. The protests had followed the Association of West African Merchants (AWAM) boycots in Accra
. This played into the hands of the local political leadership, the United Gold Coast Convention
(UGCC).
Led by the Big Six
, they sent a cable on the same day to the Secretary of State in London.
They also blamed "Crazy Creasy" for all the unrests. The Riots Act was read the next day, 1 March 1948 and the Big Six were arrested and detained. The Watson commission of enquiry chaired by Mr. Aiken Watson, was set up to look into the riots. He was replaced in an acting capacity by Sir Robert Scott
as governor of the Gold Coast on 15 February 1949.
as Governor of Malta on 16 September 1949. He was succeeded by Sir Robert Edward Laycock
on 3 August 1954.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
, OBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
colonial administrator
British Empire
The British Empire comprised the dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates and other territories ruled or administered by the United Kingdom. It originated with the overseas colonies and trading posts established by England in the late 16th and early 17th centuries. At its height, it was the...
. He has served as Governor
Governor
A governor is a governing official, usually the executive of a non-sovereign level of government, ranking under the head of state...
of the Gold Coast
Gold Coast (British colony)
The Gold Coast was a British colony on the Gulf of Guinea in west Africa that became the independent nation of Ghana in 1957.-Overview:The first Europeans to arrive at the coast were the Portuguese in 1471. They encountered a variety of African kingdoms, some of which controlled substantial...
and Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
. The "Christiansborg cross-roads shooting incident" occurred while he was Governor in Ghana.
Gold Coast
Creasy was appointed governor on 12 January 1948. He succeeded Sir Alan Cuthbert Maxwell BurnsAlan Burns (governor)
Sir Alan Cuthbert Maxwell Burns GCMG was a British colonial administrator and governor.Burns was born in Basseterre and had three siblings. His father James Patrick Burns who was married to Agnes Zulma Delisle was treasurer of St. Christopher-Nevis-Anguilla and died in 1896. In 1901 Burns...
. He is however most remembered in Ghana for the "Christiansborg cross-roads shooting incident" on 28 February 1948, about six weeks into his job. 63 unarmed former World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
veterans were killed that day while demonstrating about end of service benefits. The protests had followed the Association of West African Merchants (AWAM) boycots in Accra
Accra
Accra is the capital and largest city of Ghana, with an urban population of 1,658,937 according to the 2000 census. Accra is also the capital of the Greater Accra Region and of the Accra Metropolitan District, with which it is coterminous...
. This played into the hands of the local political leadership, the United Gold Coast Convention
United Gold Coast Convention
The United Gold Coast Convention was a political party whose aim was to bring about Ghanaian independence from British rule after the Second World War....
(UGCC).
Led by the Big Six
The Big Six (Ghana)
The Big Six were six leaders of the United Gold Coast Convention , the leading political party in the British colony of the Gold Coast. They were detained by the colonial authorities in 1948 following disturbances leading to the killing of three World War II veterans...
, they sent a cable on the same day to the Secretary of State in London.
"...unless Colonial Government is changed and a new Government of the people and their Chiefs installed at the centre immediately, the conduct of masses now completely out of control with strikes threatened in Police quarters, and rank and file Police indifferent to orders of Officers, will continue and result in worse violent and irresponsible acts by uncontrolled people.
They also blamed "Crazy Creasy" for all the unrests. The Riots Act was read the next day, 1 March 1948 and the Big Six were arrested and detained. The Watson commission of enquiry chaired by Mr. Aiken Watson, was set up to look into the riots. He was replaced in an acting capacity by Sir Robert Scott
Robert Scott (governor)
Sir Robert Scott was the 27th Governor of Mauritius from 22 Mar 1954 - 10 Jul 1959. He wrote a history of the Islands called Limuria: The Lesser Dependencies of Mauritius...
as governor of the Gold Coast on 15 February 1949.
Malta
Creasy succeeded Sir Francis Campbell Ross DouglasFrancis Douglas, 1st Baron Douglas of Barloch
Francis Campbell Ross Douglas, 1st Baron Douglas of Barloch KCMG , was a British journalist, solicitor and Labour Party politician....
as Governor of Malta on 16 September 1949. He was succeeded by Sir Robert Edward Laycock
Robert Laycock
Major General Sir Robert Edward Laycock KCMG, CB, DSO, KStJ was a British soldier, most famous for his service with the commandos during the Second World War...
on 3 August 1954.