Sydney Crookshank

Major-General Sir Sydney D'Aguilar Crookshank KCMG CB CIE DSO MVO (3 June 1870 – 17 August 1941) was a British military engineer who served with the Royal Engineers in the British Army and the British Indian Army. Most of his early career was spent in colonial service; he later served as a senior officer during the First World War.^[1]

Sydney Crookshank in 1928.

As a temporary lieutenant colonel he was Commander, Royal Engineers (CRE), of 47th (1/2nd London) Division on the Western Front from 30 July 1915 to 27 November 1916.^[2][3][4] On 21 May 1916 in the Vimy sector the Germans fired a mine and attacked the division's positions in overwhelming numbers. The situation was so critical for a while that Crookshank brought his Sappers of 47th (2nd London) Divisional Engineers up to man the trenches as infantry.^[5][6] He was awarded a Distinguished Service Order on 3 June 1916.^[7] In January 1917 he was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier general and made a chief engineer^[8] of XV Corps.^[9]

Later, as a major general he was appointed Director-General (Transportation) of the British Armies in France on 19 March 1918.^[10]

After the war, Crookshank was appointed Honorary Colonel of 47th (2nd London) Divisional Engineers on 3 March 1923.^[11][12]

In February 1936 he succeeded Lieutenant General Sir George Fowke as colonel commandant of the Royal Engineers.^[13]