Medal Society of Ireland

On 18^th December 1901 Surgeon Captain Thomas Joseph Crean took part in heavy fighting at Tygerskloof during the Boer War. He showed great bravery attending to the wounded during heavy fighting. Although wounded himself, he continued to treat the wounded under heavy fire, with complete disregard for his own life until he was wounded a second time in the abdomen. At first it was feared he had been mortally wounded, but his slowly recovered. For this act of heroism the 28 year old Dublin born doctor was awarded the Victoria Cross.

Victoria Cross Statistics

There have been 1,354 recipients of the Victoria Cross. The accepted number of Irish born winners was 166. According to the latest book on "Irish winners of the Victoria Cross" by Richard Doherty and David Truesdal, the real figure is over 200. The authors say that in producing a history of Irish VCs they were faced with a question: what is an Irishman? In Tom Crean’s case, his parents, grand-parents and great-grandparents etc. were Irish born- no doubt about his Irish credentials.

Tom Crean is one of five graduates of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland to have won the VC; he is one of two Irish Rugby Internationals and one of three members of Wanderers Rugby Football Club in Dublin to have won the VC.

Thomas Joseph Crean, was born in Morrison's Hotel, 1 Dawson Street, Dublin on 19th April 1873. Tom Crean was the fifth child of my great-grandfather Michael Theobald Crean and his wife Emma. Emma Crean was the daughter of John and Maryanne Dunn, owners of the famous Dublin hostelry Morrison’s Hotel, which stood on the corner of Dawson Street and Nassau Street. Michael Crean, a barrister, joined the Irish Land Commission eventually becoming the first Catholic Assistant Land Commissioner.

The Dunn’s residence was Esker House, Upper Rathmines Road, where the Crean’s first three children Mary, Emma and Eleanor were born. Their sons John, (my grandfather) Thomas and Francis were all born Morrison’s Hotel on Dawson Street, Dublin. A fourth son Richard died as an infant, and their daughter Alice, born in 1879 in the Crean family home at No 7 Upper Pembroke Street, Dublin completed the family.

Most books published on Irish VCs incorrectly give Tom Crean’s birth place at Northbrook Road. No 21 Northbrook Road was the Crean’s family home at the time he won his Victoria Cross in 1901.

The Creans sent their sons to Belvedere College and later as boarders to Clongowes Wood College, Co. Kildare. Tom was in Clongowes from 1889-1891. The Clongownian of 1923 describes Tom as "a magnificent type of Irishman, tall, broad-shouldered and handsome, with a great head of wavy, fair hair, and nearly always a smile on his face." While at Clongowes Tom won many events in sports, his best distances being the quarter and half mile. He was also a very fine swimmer, and the year he left Clongowes, at the age of 18, won the first of his medals for bravery when he was awarded the Royal Humane Society's medal for saving a life at sea.

The incident took place at 4.30 p.m. on Friday 11^th September 1891 at Blackrock, Co. Dublin, when Tom and some student friends went swimming in the open sea behind the baths. Twenty year old William Ahern, an art student with an address at 52 Lansdowne Road, Dublin, swam out in the open sea for about a quarter of a mile. He quickly became fatigued and chilled and was unable to swim back to safety. Tom Crean who was a very strong swimmer, called for assistance and a young solictior named Leachman from Dundrum came to his assistance and between them they managed to bring William Ahern ashore. For his bravery Tom was awarded The Royal Human Society Testimonial on Vellum.

Tom studied medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons, St. Stephen’s Green, while John followed in his father's footsteps becoming a barrister in the Land Commission. Frank studied engineering, emigrating to Canada where he undertook a survey of Saskatchewan 1908-1909 on behalf of the Canadian Government. Frank was known in the territory as "Big One Eye" - not because he lost an eye but because he always wore a monocle! All three Crean brothers stood over 6'2" in height. All had a great sense of humour and fun.

Tom Crean, an outstanding athlete with a magnificent physique, joined Wanderers Rugby Football Club in Dublin. He was a sprint champion and it was said at the time that "once in full flight he was unstoppable". Said by some to resemble a Greek God, he was later described as "the handomest man in the British Army".

Capped for Ireland nine times, Tom and had the distinction of being on the first Irish Rugby Football side to win the Triple Crown in 1894. He qualified as doctor in 1896 becoming a Licenciate of both the Royal College of Surgeons and Royal College of Physicians, and later becoming an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 1902.

In the summer of 1896 Tom Crean and another member of Wanderers 1st XV Robert Johnston, were selected for the British and Irish team to tour South Africa. There were six members of the Irish team on that side - Louis Magee, Larry Bulger, Jim Sealy, Andrew Clinch, Tom Crean and Andrew Meares. They were joined by Louis Magee's brother Jim, C. V. Boyd and Robert Johnston, one of the three Johnston brothers to play for Ireland. In his book The Irish Lions Barry Coughlan describes Tom Crean as a "quite a character by all accounts, both on and off the pitch, and along with his Irish colleagues did more than any other nationality for the success of the tour. Tommy Crean was to have a profound influence on the tour, leading the side in two of the test matches and several of the provincial games".

According to The Clongownian "There were three Catholics on the team, Tom Crean, and the Magee brothers, Louis and Eddie. The Sunday after they arrived these three Catholics begged to be excused from joining an excursion to Hout Bay. On being pressed for a reason for such a refusal, they shyly admitted that they had been three Sundays on board ship, without Mass, and they would rather attend Church. The Committee replied that that need not make any difference, they could all go to their various churches if they pleased, and the excursions would start after Church. According to The Clongowian "Our three Catholic Internationals joyfully agreed, and joined in the trip."

When the tour finished Tom remained on in South Africa joining the staff at Johannesburgh Hospital where he established a lucrative practice. In 1899 at the start of the Boer War broke Tom enlisted as a trooper in the Imperial Light Horse and took part in the Relief of Maffeking and the Relief of Ladysmith. On October 26th 1899, according to the Irish Times, the Imperial Light Horse particularly distinguished themselves in the Battle of Elandslaagete. Colonel Scott Chisholme, the commander of the Imperial Light Horse was killed, and many officers wounded. The Boer Commander General Kock was wounded and died later. The Irish Times of the following day reported their regret that the list of wounded contained the name of a well-known Dublin sportsman Tom Crean, Irish Rugby International and popular captain of St. Vincent’s Rugby Football Team.

Tom’s team-mate from Wanderers and fellow Irish Rugby International and British Lion Robert Johnston returned to South Africa and also joined the Imperial Light Horse. Johnston won his VC in the Battle of Elandslaagte on 21st October 1899. He died in 1950 aged 78 and is buried in St. Mary’s Churchyard, Inistioge, Co. Kilkenny. His VC is privately held. A third member of Wanderers won a VC ‘Lank’ Harvey or to give him his correct title, Brigadier Frederick Maurice Watson Harvey, VC, M.C., won his award for the single-handed capture of a German machine gun on 7 March 1917 during the First World War.

On 13th March 1902, Surgeon Capt. Thomas Crean was presented with the Victoria Cross by H. M. King Edward VII at an investiture in St. James's Palace, London. The Citation read:

In 1902 Thomas Joseph Crean was made an Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons. On 20^th March 1902 the members of St. Vincent’s Hospital Football Club gave a dinner at the Dolphin Hotel Captain to honour Capt T J Crean VC. Whilst a young doctor in St. Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin Tom had been captain of the hospital’s Rugby Football team for four years.

The Chairman of the football club, Mr Patrick Butler, told the assembled guests that "Captain Crean went out to Africa about six years ago and there he became a well known and as popular as he was at home. In Africa when the question was asked - Do you know Tom Crean - the answer was that there were two men well known in Africa – Cecil Rhodes and Tom Crean".

In his reply Tom explained he was not a natural speaker, to which a voice replied "but you’re a damned fine fighter". He ended by saying that it was enough for him to know that his friends though he deserved the honour which had been bestowed upon him and rounded off the evening by singing "Annie Laurie".

In 1902 he was awarded the Arnott Memorial Gold Medal as the Irish medical graduate who performed or accomplished the most conspicuous act of heroism or distinguished service whether in civil life or in naval or military services at home, or on the high seas, or abroad.

From 1902 until 1906 Surgeon Capt. Thomas Crean served in the R.A.M.C. In 1905 he married Victoria, daughter of Senor Don Thomas Heredia, of Malaga, Spain and had a son Patrick, well-known in the filming world as an expert rider and swordsman, and a daughter Carmen. He retired from the army on 8th September, 1906 and returned to private practice in Harley Street, London. After the outbreak of the 1914-1918 War Dr. Tom Crean rejoined the R.A.M.C. on 12th August 1914 at the rank of Surgeon Capt. and served with the 1st Cavalry Brigade, being wounded several times and "twice mentioned in dispatches" and was created a companion of the Distinguished Service Order - the DSO. He was promoted Major on 26th February 1916 and commanded the 44th Field Ambulance, British Expeditionary Force in France. Later he was appointed Medical Officer in Charge of the Hospital in the Royal Enclosure, Ascot 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.

After the War Dr Tom Crean struggled to carry on his practice in Harley Street but despite his magnificent physique the strain of his war service had broken down his health. Towards the end of his life Tom Crean suffered from financial difficulties. In a sitting held in the Bankruptcy Court in London in June 1922 he was adjudged bankrput. His financial troubles were as a direct result of the breakdown of his heath, caused by physical disabilities suffered during his war service. He died from diabetes on 25th March, 1923, aged 49, at his residence 13 Queen Street, Mayfair, London. He is buried in St. Mary’s R.C. Cemetery, Kensal Green, London (Grave No. 896). Tom’s father Michael Theobald Crean is buried in Kensal Green in a separate plot.

Major Thomas Crean, VC, DSO, was survived by his wife Victoria, son Patrick, and daughter Carmen, whom I met several times.

On 1^st August 2001 the South African Post Office launched their third stamp issue in their series commemorating the Anglo-Boer/South African War. They have produced two stamps on a commemorative cover – one of which shows Captain Thomas Crean VC and the other the Rev Kestell, a minister of the Dutch Reformed Church in Harrismsith, who accompanied the Boer commandos to the front. Phillatilists should note these stamps are available on the web from http://www.sapo.cvo.za/Philately/abwar.htm.

Surgeon Captain Tom Crean’s Victoria Cross is now on exhibition along with 23 other V.Cs. in the Army Medical Services Museum, Keogh Barracks, Aldershot.

Irish born VC recipients whose medals are on display in the R.A.M.C. Museum, Aldershot, England, include Asst. Surgeon William Bradshaw (born Thurles), Major Thomas Joseph Crean, (born Dublin) Maj. Gen. Sir Owen Pennefeather Lloyd (born Co. Roscommon) and Lieut. Col. James Henry Reynolds (born Dublin).

Army Medical Services Museum,

Keogh Barracks, Aldershot.

GU12 5RQ., UK.