3rd Division (UK)

Lt-Col. R.W. Craddock

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Lieutenant-Colonel R.W. Craddock
2nd Battalion, South Wales Borderers
1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment (The Buffs)

The speech he made on the 9th October marked him out as a great man, knowing the men he commanded. True to his word he was indefatigable in visiting the forward positions till, later in the battle, falling a victim to a German mine, he was very badly wounded . Even so, with a shattered leg, he had crawled out of the mine field before being picked up, and he could still joke about the limb he had lost. His name was for long a legend in the First Battalion.

(Walter Norris Nicholson, The Suffolk Regiment, 1928 to 1946, 128)

Born on 3 August 1910, Calcutta, British India, Richard Walter Craddock was Sandhurst educated and a commissioned officer in the Royal East Kent Regiment (Buffs) since 1930. He served during the Battle of France as captain and adjutant in the 2nd Battalion, Buffs, which was recognized with an award of the Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire. In 1943, he was posted to Prime Minister Winston Churchill’s delegation for the conferences in Washington, D.C., Quebec City and Cairo.

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Lt-Col. F.F.E. Allen

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Lieutenant-Colonel Freddie Allen
1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment (The Buffs)
1st Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment

Throughout the long and anxious period of 27 hours, Lt-Col Allen, in spite of his wound, lack of sleep and his heavy responsibilities, continued to command his battalion with great skill, calm confidence and outstanding personal gallantry. His personal example and superb fighting qualities ensured beyond any doubt that his battalion’s objective was held firm, and that by their offensive spirit whey were able to destroy very large number of the enemy who were equally determined to regain the vital ground captured and held secure by this battalion.

(D.S.O. Bar citation, 19 Apr 1945)

Born on 30 December 1912 in Middlesex, London, Frederick Fernley Edmund Allen was an insurance broker educated at Brighton College. He joined the Territorial Army in 1937 and took a commission with the Oxford and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry. He became a replacement second-in-command for the 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment a month after the D-Day landings. He took command in August 1944 and October when successive commanding officers were wounded in action.

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Lt-Col. J.G.M.B. Gough

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Lieutenant-Colonel Kit Gough
1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment (The Buffs)

The role of 1st Suffolk on D day was: 1st to capture a Battery of guns covering beach 2nd To clear the village of Coalville 3rd To capture strong point “Hillman.”

First two were easy, but “Hillman” proved difficult nut to crack, & was finally taken about 7 PM “D” day. The slowness has been the subject of severe criticism in the Book (forgotten name!) concerning the whole campaign in N.W. Europe. When I visited “Hillman” last year, (most of the concrete works remain) I pondered over the problem again, and realised what a tough egg it was.

(Gough questionnaire, Cornelius Ryan WWII papers, box 021, folder 04, 1958)

Born on 30 August 1907 in Pocklington, Yorkshire, James Gordon Milestone Boulter Gough was commissioned into the Lincolnshire Regiment in 1928. During the 1930s, he served overseas with the 1st Battalion in Gibraltar, Shanghai, Hong Kong, and India. He was a company commander with the 2nd Battalion during the Battle of France in 1940. Afterwards he became second-in-command, then at the end 1942 was instructor at the school of infantry. In October 1943, he was posted to the 1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment as second-in-command.

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Lt-Col. R.E. Goodwin

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Lieutenant-Colonel Dick Goodwin
1st Battalion, Suffolk Regiment (The Buffs)

I am just writing this letter to you before setting out on the great adventure … There is very little else to say as one can’t say much. I expect you will hear all about everything before you get this. Don’t worry too much because it won’t do anyone any good! … There will be much to tell you when I see you next.

(Goodwin to wife, 5 Jun 1944) https://ve-vjday80.gov.uk/letter/lt-col-dick-goodwin-to-anthea-goodwin/

Born on 17 August 1908 in London, Richard Elton Goodwin was commissioned with the Suffolk Regiment in 1928 after education at Cheltenham and Royal Military College, Sandhurst. While serving in India, he became aide-de-camp to the Governor of Madras in 1935. After the outbreak of war, Goodwin was second-in-command of 9th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment before returning to the Suffolks as commanding officer of the 1st Battalion in June 1943.

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Lt-Col. M.A.H. Butler

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Lieutenant-Colonel Mervyn Butler
2nd Battalion, Essex Regiment
1st Battalion, South Lancashire Regiment

He never hesitated to go where he felt his duty called him and when he flew in some danger in a helicopter to make contact with the local authorities with whom he hoped he might organise a cease fire, but without avail … His Brigade has been completely cheerful and supremely confident and splendidly trained and his own inspiring efforts have shown him to be a leader second to none and in action upholding the very highest tradition of the British Army.”

(D.S.O. Bar, citation, 13 Jun 1957)

Born in Toronto, Ontario on 1 July 1913, Mervyn Andrew Haldane Butler was commissioned in the Prince of Wales’s Volunteers (South Lancashire Regiment) in 1933 after attending Royal Military College, Sandhurst. He served with the 1st Battalion during the Battle of France in 1940 and earned the Military Cross. Under heavy machine gun and mortar fire, he gathered as many soldiers as he could to drive the enemy out of their position. His name appeared in the newspapers again later that year when a British Army major sued his wife for divorce on the grounds of adultery with Butler, who later married the divorcee, Marjorie Millicent Dann, in 1941.

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Lt-Col. F.P. Barclay

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Lieutenant-Colonel Peter Barclay
4th Battalion, Lincolnshire Regiment
1st Battalion, Royal Norfolk Regiment

It was absolutely wonderful and a thrilling feeling to experience the spirit of the chaps who are with you—it is intangible—but its the most exhilarating, potent influence. It revives you, you can never feel tired, you never feel depressed when you have a spirit round you like the spirit we enjoyed. And the whole thing was treated as a jolly-well, worthwhile job that has to be done.

(Barclay, interview, 21 May 1984) https://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/object/80007993

Born in Cromer, Norfolk, England on 8 March 1909, Francis Peter Barclay was commissioned with the Norfolk Regiment in 1929 after attending Twyford School and Royal Military College, Sandhurst. Of his decision to join the army, he explained decades later, “I thought it was a wonderful life … and I never regret it from that day to this.” After service in India, he was posted with the 2nd Battalion to Gibraltar just before the outbreak of the war. He served as company commander when the battalions went to France in September 1939. He received the Military Cross for leading a three-man patrol into enemy lines on the night on 3/4 January 1940.

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