Major Dr. Thomas Joseph Crean, VC, DSO (born
DublinDublin is the largest city and capital of Ireland. It is officially known in Irish as Baile Átha Cliath or Áth Cliath ; the English name comes from the Irish Dubh Linn meaning "black pool". It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the...
,
IrelandIreland is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island in the world. It lies to the north-west of continental Europe and is surrounded by hundreds of islands and islets. To the east of Ireland, separated by the Irish Sea, is the island of Great Britain...
, 19 April 1873; died
MayfairMayfair is an area of central London, England, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
,
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
,
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
, 25 March 1923) was an Irish
rugby unionRugby union is a full contact team sport, a form of football which originated in England in the early 19th century. One of the codes of rugby football, it is based on running with the ball in hand. It is played with an oval-shaped ball, outdoors on a level field, usually with a grass surface, 100 m...
player,
British ArmyThe British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdoms of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England and Scotland and...
soldier and
doctorA physician — also known as medical practitioner, doctor of medicine, medical doctor, or simply doctor — practices the ancient profession of medicine, which is concerned with maintaining or restoring human health through the study, diagnosis, and treatment of disease or injury...
. During the
Second Boer WarThe Second Boer War , commonly referred to as The Boer War and also known as the South African War , the Anglo-Boer War and in Afrikaans as the Anglo-Boereoorlog or Tweede Vryheidsoorlog , or the Engelse oorlog was fought...
, while serving with the Imperial Light Horse, he was awarded the
Victoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration which is, or has been, awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals...
. His VC medal is displayed at the
Army Medical Services MuseumThe Army Medical Services Museum is located in the Defence Medical Services Training Centre, Keogh Barracks, on Mytchett Place Road, Mytchett, Surrey, England. It moved into its present building in 1982...
. In 1902, he was made an Honorary Fellow of the
Royal College of SurgeonsThe Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland , is a Dublin-based medical institution, situated on St. Stephen's Green. The college is one of the five Recognised Colleges of the National University of Ireland...
. During the First World War he served with the
Royal Army Medical CorpsThe Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
and was awarded the
Distinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.The DSO was instituted on 6 September 1886 by...
. On 1 August 2001 the South African Post Office issued a stamp featuring Crean as part of their commemorations for the Second Boer War.
Crean played rugby for
LeinsterLeinster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in the Irish Province of Leinster, that competes in the Magners League and Heineken Cup and plays in Dublin...
,
IrelandThe Ireland rugby union team represents the island of Ireland, both Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in rugby union. Ireland are the current Six Nations Champions...
and the
British IslesThe British and Irish Lions, formerly known as the British Isles and the British Lions, is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
. In
1894The 1894 Home Nations Championship was the twelfth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 6 January and 17 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
, he was a member of the first Ireland team to win both a
Home Nations ChampionshipThe Six Nations Championship , known before 2000 as the Five Nations Championship, is an annual international rugby union competition involving six European sides: England, France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales.The Six Nations Championship is the successor to the Five Nations and the Home...
and a
Triple CrownIn rugby union, the Triple Crown is an honour contested annually by the national teams of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales as part of the Six Nations Championship...
. Then in
1896The 1896 Home Nations Championship was the fourteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 4 January and 14 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
he helped Ireland win their second Home Nations title. He is one of three Ireland rugby union internationals to have been awarded the Victoria Cross. The other two are Robert Johnston, who also served with the Imperial Light Horse in the Second Boer War, and
Frederick HarveyFrederick Maurice Watson Harvey VC, CBE, MC was an Irish Canadian rugby union player and soldier. During the First World War, while serving in the Canadian Army, he was awarded the Victoria Cross, the Military Cross and the Croix de Guerre. He was later awarded a CBE...
who served in the First World War. Crean, Johnston and Harvey all played club rugby for Wanderers. In
18961896 British Isles tour to South Africa. A British Isles XV toured South Africa for the second time in 1896. Between July 11 and September 5, they played 21 games, including four tests against South Africa...
Crean and Johnston were also members of the same British Isles squad that toured South Africa.
.
Family
Crean, was born in Morrison's Hotel, which stood on the corner of
Dawson StreetDawson Street is one of the main streets of central Dublin, running parallel to Grafton Street, to which it is connected by Duke Street and South Anne Street...
and Nassau Street in
DublinDublin is the largest city and capital of Ireland. It is officially known in Irish as Baile Átha Cliath or Áth Cliath ; the English name comes from the Irish Dubh Linn meaning "black pool". It is located near the midpoint of Ireland's east coast, at the mouth of the River Liffey and at the...
. Some accounts give his place of birth as No. 21 Northbrook Road, the Crean’s family home at the time he won the VC in 1901. He was the fifth child of Michael Theobald Crean, a
barristerA barrister is a lawyer found in many common law jurisdictions that employ a split profession in relation to legal representation. In split professions, the other types of lawyers are mainly solicitors...
who worked for the
Irish Land CommissionThe Irish Land Commission was created in 1881 as a rent fixing commission by the Land Law Act 1881, also known as the second Irish Land Act...
, and his wife Emma. His maternal grandparents, John and Maryanne Dunn, were the owners of the hotel where he was born. The Dunn’s residence was Esker House, Upper Rathmines Road, and Crean’s three older sisters - Mary, Emma and Eleanor – were all born there. Both his older and younger brothers, John and Frank, were also born at Morrison’s Hotel. A third brother, Richard, died as an infant, and a fourth sister, Alice Mary, was born in 1879 in the Crean family home at No. 7 Upper Pembroke Street. Alice would later marry
Alexander Findlater ToddAlexander Findlater Todd was an English rugby union forward who played for Cambridge University and Blackheath F.C. at club level, and Kent at county level...
, one of Crean's rugby team-mates on the 1896 British Isles tour of South Africa. John followed in his father's footsteps becoming a barrister in the Land Commission. Frank studied engineering, emigrating to
CanadaCanada is a country occupying most of northern North America, extending from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
where he undertook a survey of
SaskatchewanSaskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of and a population of 1,023,810 , mostly living in the southern half of the province. Of these, 233,923 live in the province's largest city, Saskatoon, while 194,971 live in the provincial capital, Regina...
in 1908-09 on behalf of the Canadian Government.
Education
Crean and his brothers all initially attended
Belvedere CollegeBelvedere College SJ is a private secondary school for boys located on Great Denmark Street, Dublin, Ireland. It is also known as St. Francis Xavier's CollegeBelvedere was founded in 1832...
before becoming boarders at
Clongowes Wood CollegeClongowes Wood College is an independent secondary boarding school for boys, located near Clane in County Kildare, Ireland. Founded by the Society of Jesus in 1814, it is one of Ireland's oldest Catholic schools, and featured prominently in James Joyce's semi-autobiographical novel A Portrait of...
. Thomas attended Clongowes from 1889 until 1891. As a student he was noted as a fine athlete, excelling not only at rugby but also at both the quarter and half mile running events. He was also a very fine swimmer, and it was as a swimmer that he first demonstrated his bravery. On September 11 1891, while swimming with fellow students near Blackrock, Dublin, he helped rescue a 21 year old art student named, William Ahern. Crean noticed Ahern was in trouble and together with a young
solicitorSolicitors are lawyers who traditionally deal with any legal matter apart from conducting proceedings in courts , with some exceptions. In the United Kingdom and Ireland, the legal profession is split between solicitors and barristers, and a lawyer will usually only hold one title...
named Leachman from
DundrumDundrum , originally a town in its own right, is now a suburban village and district in the county of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown, Ireland.The area is located in the postal districts of Dublin 14 and Dublin 16....
, he managed to bring him ashore. For his bravery he was awarded a medal by the
Royal Humane SocietyThe Royal Humane Society was founded in England in 1774 as the Society for the Recovery of Persons Apparently Drowned, for the purpose of rendering "first aid" in cases of drowning and for restoring life by artificial means to those drowned....
.
In October 1891 Crean commenced his medical studies at the
Royal College of SurgeonsThe Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland , is a Dublin-based medical institution, situated on St. Stephen's Green. The college is one of the five Recognised Colleges of the National University of Ireland...
and after graduating as a doctor in 1896, he became a
LicentiateLicentiate is the title of a person who holds an academic degree called a licence. The term may derive from the Latin licentia docendi, meaning permission to teach. The term may also derive from the Latin licentia ad practicandum, which signified someone who held a certificate of competence to...
of both the Royal College of Surgeons and the
Royal College of PhysiciansThe Royal College of Physicians of London was the first medical institution in England to receive a Royal Charter. It was founded in 1518 and is one of the most active of all medical professional organisations...
.
Clubs and Province
As a student Crean played at half-back and on joining Wanderers in 1891 he played in the same position for their third XV. However after switching to the forward row for the 1892-93 season, he was quickly promoted to their senior side. While working as a young doctor in
St. Vincent’s HospitalSt. Vincent's Hospital is a teaching hospital located at Elm Park, south of the city of Dublin, Ireland.-History:St. Vincent's Hospital was founded in 1834 on St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, by Mother Mary Aikenhead, foundress of the Roman Catholic order Religious Sisters of Charity...
, Crean also served as captain of the hospital’s rugby team for four years. He went onto represent
LeinsterLeinster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in the Irish Province of Leinster, that competes in the Magners League and Heineken Cup and plays in Dublin...
against both
UlsterUlster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union team based in Ulster, that competes in the Magners League and Heineken Cup...
and
MunsterMunster Rugby is an Irish professional rugby union club based in Munster, that competes in the Magners League and Heineken Cup....
in 1894, 1895 and 1896. During the 1895-96 season he also played for
RichmondRichmond Football Club is a rugby union club from Richmond, London. It is a founding member of the Rugby Football Union, and is one of the oldest football clubs...
, possibly working as a medic in
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
at the same time, and when he moved to
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
he played for Johannesburg Wanderers.
Ireland
Between
1894The 1894 Home Nations Championship was the twelfth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 6 January and 17 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
and
1896The 1896 Home Nations Championship was the fourteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 4 January and 14 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
, Crean made 9 appearances and scored two tries for
IrelandThe Ireland rugby union team represents the island of Ireland, both Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland in rugby union. Ireland are the current Six Nations Champions...
. He made his international debut on 3 February 1894 in a 7-5 win against
EnglandThe England national rugby union team represents England in rugby union. They compete in the annual Six Nations Championship with France, Ireland, Scotland, Italy, and Wales. They have won this championship on 25 occasions, 12 times winning the Grand Slam. England also compete for the Calcutta Cup...
at Blackheath. On 24 February he helped Ireland defeat
ScotlandThe Scotland national rugby union team represent Scotland in international rugby union. Rugby union in Scotland is administered by the Scottish Rugby Union. The Scotland rugby union team is currently ranked tenth in the IRB World Rankings as at 23 March 2009, and makes up one quarter of the...
5-0 at
Lansdowne RoadLansdowne Road was a sports stadium in Dublin owned by the Irish Rugby Football Union . It was used primarily for rugby union, but also for major association football matches and music concerts...
. Then on 10 March he helped Ireland win both the
1894 Home Nations ChampionshipThe 1894 Home Nations Championship was the twelfth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 6 January and 17 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
and their first ever
Triple CrownIn rugby union, the Triple Crown is an honour contested annually by the national teams of England, Scotland, Ireland, and Wales as part of the Six Nations Championship...
with a 3-0 win against
WalesThe Wales national rugby union team represent Wales in international rugby union tournaments. They compete annually in the Six Nations Championship with England, France, Ireland, Italy and Scotland. Wales have won the Six Nations and its predecessors 24 times outright, second only to England with...
in
BelfastBelfast is the capital of and the largest city in Northern Ireland, a constituent country of the United Kingdom. It is the seat of devolved government and legislative Northern Ireland Assembly. It is the largest urban area in the province of Ulster, and the second largest city on the island of...
. Among his team mates during the 1894 campaign was
Lucius GwynnLucius Henry Gwynn was an Irish cricketer. He was a right-handed batsman.-Playing career:...
. Crean also played in all three games during both the
1895The 1895 Home Nations Championship was the thirteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 5 January and 16 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
and
1896 Home Nations ChampionshipThe 1896 Home Nations Championship was the fourteenth series of the rugby union Home Nations Championship. Six matches were played between 4 January and 14 March. It was contested by England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.-Table:-Results:...
s. He scored both of his tries against Wales. The first came on 16 March 1895 in a 5-3 defeat at
Cardiff Arms ParkCardiff Arms Park , also known as The Arms Park, is a rugby union stadium situated in the centre of Cardiff, Wales. The history of the rugby ground starts with the first stands appearing for spectators in the ground in 1881–1882, although the Arms Park had cricket played on the site since 1848...
. Crean showed his strength and drive when he scored Ireland’s only points by catching a long line-out throw before driving across the line with a number of Welshmen hanging out of him. The second try came at Lansdowne in an 8-4 win on 14 March 1896. The win helped Ireland win their second Home Nations title. This latter game would also be his final appearance for Ireland.
.
British Lions
In 1896 Crean was a member of the
British IslesThe British and Irish Lions, formerly known as the British Isles and the British Lions, is a rugby union team made up of players from England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales...
squad on their
tour to South Africa1896 British Isles tour to South Africa. A British Isles XV toured South Africa for the second time in 1896. Between July 11 and September 5, they played 21 games, including four tests against South Africa...
. He was part of strong Irish contingent, being one of nine Irishmen selected. The others included Robert Johnston,
Louis MageeAloysius Mary "Louis" Magee was an Irish rugby union halfback. Magee played club rugby for Bective Rangers and London Irish and played international rugby for Ireland and was part of the British Isles team in their 1896 tour of South Africa.Magee was capped 27 times for Ireland, ten as captain,...
,
Jim MageeJames Mary Magee was an Irish cricketer and rugby union player. Magee was capped in both sports, playing cricket for Ireland and in 1896 he was part of the British Isles team that toured South Africa.-Cricket career:Magee was born in Dublin in 1872 and was educated at Clongowes Wood College in...
,
Larry BulgerLawrence 'Larry' Quinliven Bulger was an Irish rugby union player, athlete and doctor. Bulger played international rugby for Ireland and in 1896 was chosen to represent a British Isles XV in their tour of South Africa...
, Jim Sealy,
Andrew ClinchAndrew Daniel Clinch , was an Irish rugby union forward who played club rugby for Dublin University and international rugby for Ireland and the British Isles....
,
Arthur MearesArthur William Devenish Meares, also known as Arthur William Devenish-Meares or "Newry" Meares was an Irish rugby union player who won four caps for Ireland and two for the British Isles....
and C.V. Boyd. He played in all four tests against
South AfricaThe South African national rugby union team are the current holders of the Rugby World Cup and the Tri-Nations Championship. They are ranked number one in the IRB World Rankings as of Monday, 14 September 2009. They were named 2008 Team of the Year at the prestigious Laureus World Sports Awards...
and scored a try in the second. The tour captain,
Johnny HammondJohn "Johnny" Hammond was an English rugby union forward who, although not capped for England, was part of three British Lions tours, all to South Africa. He gained three caps during the 1891 tour to South Africa and captained the 1896 tour, winning another two test caps...
, only played in seven of the 21 games and Crean took over the captains role in his absence, including for two of the Test games
.
Second Boer War
When the British Isles tour ended, Crean decided to stay on in
South AfricaThe Republic of South Africa is a country located at the southern tip of Africa, with a coastline on the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. To the north lie Namibia, Botswana and Zimbabwe, to the east are Mozambique and Swaziland, while Lesotho is an independent country surrounded by South Africa.Modern...
, working as a doctor in a
hospital in Johannesburg and playing rugby for Johannesburg Wanderers. In 1899, at the start of the
Second Boer WarThe Second Boer War , commonly referred to as The Boer War and also known as the South African War , the Anglo-Boer War and in Afrikaans as the Anglo-Boereoorlog or Tweede Vryheidsoorlog , or the Engelse oorlog was fought...
, he enlisted as a
trooperTrooper from the French "troupier" is the equivalent rank to private in a regiment with a cavalry tradition in the British Army and many other Commonwealth armies, including those of Australia, Canada, South Africa and New Zealand. Today, most cavalry units operate in the armoured role, equipped...
in the Imperial Light Horse and took part in both the Relief of Mafeking and the
Relief of LadysmithThe Relief of Ladysmith, also known as The Battle of Tugela Heights, consisted of a series of military actions lasting from 14 February through 27 February, 1900 in which General Sir Redvers Buller's British army forced Louis Botha's Boer army to lift the Siege of Ladysmith during the Second Boer...
. On 26 October 1899, according to the
Irish Times, the Imperial Light Horse particularly distinguished themselves in the Battle of Elandslaagete. The
Irish Times of the following day reported with regret that the list of wounded included Crean. It was during this engagement that that Crean’s former Wanderers and British Isles' team mate Robert Johnston won his
Victoria CrossThe Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration which is, or has been, awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories. It takes precedence over all other orders, decorations and medals...
. In 1901, he became a Surgeon Captain and on 18 December, at the Battle of Tygerkloof, he won his VC when he successfully attended the wounds of two soldiers and a fellow officer under heavy enemy fire. He was wounded in the stomach and arm during these encounters and was invalided back to
EnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the North Sea to the east, with the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where he made a full recovery. On 13 March 1902, he was presented with the Victoria Cross by Edward VII in a ceremony at
St. James's PalaceSt. James's Palace is one of London's oldest palaces. It is situated in Pall Mall, just north of St. James's Park. Although no sovereign has resided there for almost two centuries, it is considered the most senior royal palace in the UK and gives its name to the Royal Court St. James's Palace is...
. The citation read:
Thomas Joseph Crean, Surgeon Captain, 1st Imperial Light Horse. During the action with De WetChristiaan Rudolf de Wet was a Boer general, rebel leader and politician.He was born on the farm Leeuwkop, in the district of Smithfield in the Boer Republic of the Orange Free State and later resided at Dewetsdorp, the latter which was named after his father, Jacobus Ignatius de Wet...
at Tygerskloof on the 18th December 1901, this officer continued to attend to the wounded in the firing line under a heavy fire at only 150 yards range, after he himself had been wounded, and only desisted when he was hit a second time, and as it was first thought, mortally wounded.
On week later, on 20 March 1902, the members of
St. Vincent’s HospitalSt. Vincent's Hospital is a teaching hospital located at Elm Park, south of the city of Dublin, Ireland.-History:St. Vincent's Hospital was founded in 1834 on St. Stephen's Green, Dublin, by Mother Mary Aikenhead, foundress of the Roman Catholic order Religious Sisters of Charity...
Football Club gave a dinner at the Dolphin Hotel in his honour. In the same year, he was made an Honorary Fellow of the
Royal College of SurgeonsThe Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland , is a Dublin-based medical institution, situated on St. Stephen's Green. The college is one of the five Recognised Colleges of the National University of Ireland...
. Between 1902 until 1906 he served in the
Royal Army Medical CorpsThe Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
.
First World War
In 1905, Crean married Victoria, daughter of Senor Don Thomas Heredia, of
MalagaMálaga is a city in the Autonomous Community of Andalusia, Spain. It is the second most populous city of Andalusia, the sixth largest in Spain and 43rd-most populous municipality in the European Union, with a population of 566,447 in 2008...
,
SpainSpain , officially the Kingdom of Spain , is a country located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula.
[The Spanish constitution does not establish any official denomination of the country, even though España , Estado español and Nación española are used interchangeably...]
, and had a son, Patrick, and a daughter, Carmen. He retired from the army on 8 September 1906, and started a private practice in
Harley StreetHarley Street is a road in the City of Westminster in London, England. It is noted for its large number of private dentists, surgeons, and doctors. Its name is synonymous with private medical care in the United Kingdom. Since the 19th century, the number of doctors, hospitals, and medical...
. However, following the outbreak of the First World War, he rejoined the
Royal Army Medical CorpsThe Royal Army Medical Corps is a specialist corps in the British Army which provides medical services to all British Army personnel and their families in war and in peace...
on 12 August 1914. He served with the
1st Cavalry Brigade1st Cavalry Brigade may refer to:* French 1st Cavalry Brigade* IJA 1st Cavalry Brigade* U.S. 1st Cavalry Brigade* 1st Light Horse Brigade* 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division...
, being wounded several times and was twice mentioned in despatches. In June 1915 he was made a companion of the
Distinguished Service OrderThe Distinguished Service Order is a military decoration of the United Kingdom, and formerly of other Commonwealth countries, awarded for meritorious or distinguished service by officers of the armed forces during wartime, typically in actual combat.The DSO was instituted on 6 September 1886 by...
. He was promoted to
MajorIn many European languages, the term Major is a military rank, implying seniority at one of usually various levels of rank. For example:*"General-Major" or "Major-General", denoting a senior ranking general officer....
on 26 February 1916, and commanded the 44th Field Ambulance, British Expeditionary Force on the
Western FrontFollowing the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
.
Later years
After the war Crean was appointed Medical Officer in Charge of the Hospital in the Royal Enclosure,
AscotAscot Racecourse is a famous English racecourse, located in the small town of Ascot, Berkshire, used for thoroughbred horse racing. It is one of the leading racecourses in the United Kingdom, hosting 9 of the UK's 32 annual Group 1 races, the same number as Newmarket...
where he once performed a life saving trepanning operation on a jockey who was thrown from his horse during a race. He ran out onto the course in his shirt sleeves and saved the jockey's life by removing portions of the bones of his skull with a hammer and chisel. He also returned to his practice in
Harley StreetHarley Street is a road in the City of Westminster in London, England. It is noted for its large number of private dentists, surgeons, and doctors. Its name is synonymous with private medical care in the United Kingdom. Since the 19th century, the number of doctors, hospitals, and medical...
but by now his war service had begun to seriously effect his health and he was unable to maintain the business. Towards the end of his life Crean suffered from financial difficulties and in June 1922 he was declared bankrupt. He died from diabetes on 25 March 1923, aged 49, at his residence 13 Queen Street,
MayfairMayfair is an area of central London, England, within the City of Westminster.-History:Mayfair is named after the annual fortnight-long May Fair that took place on the site that is Shepherd Market today...
,
London[]London is the capital of England and the United Kingdom. It has been a major settlement for two millennia, and the history of London goes back to its founding by the Romans, when it was named Londinium. London's core, the ancient City of London, the 'square mile', retains its medieval boundaries...
. He is buried in St. Mary’s R.C. Cemetery,
Kensal GreenKensal Green is a neighbourhood in the London Borough of Brent. The area is also referred to as Kensal Rise.- Location :A small area on the southern edge of the London Borough of Brent, Kensal Green borders the boroughs of Westminster to the East, and Kensington and Chelsea to the South...
, (Grave No. 896). His father, Michael Theobald Crean, is buried in the same cemetery but at a different plot.
Sources
- www.angelfire.com
- www.irishrugby.ie
- Medal Society of Ireland
- The Register of the Victoria Cross
The Register of the Victoria Cross is a reference work that provides brief information on every VC ever awarded: it provides a summary of the deed, along with a photograph of the awardee and the following details where applicable or available; rank, unit, other decorations, date of gazette,...
(1981, 1988 and 1997)
- The Irish Sword (Brian Clarke 1986)
- Irelands VCs (Dept of Economic Development 1995)
- Monuments to Courage
Monuments to Courage: Victoria Cross Monuments and Headstones is a two-volume book by David Harvey, published in 1999, on the last resting places of 1,322 of the 1,350 recipients of the Victoria Cross. The 896 page book has over 5,000 illustrations and a large index enabling one to cross reference...
(David Harvey, 1999)
- Irish Winners of the Victoria Cross (Richard Doherty & David Truesdale, 2000)