A most enigmatic 'Convicted for Shoplifting' Officer's Multiple campaign medal group of 8: Major Hugh Stanislaus Crowley, Royal Engineers, late Indian Army Reserve of Officers attached Bengal Sappers and Miners

- British War Medal. Silver issue (Lieut. H. S. Crowley.)
- Interallied Victory Medal (Lieut. H. S. Crowley.)
- IGS 08. GV 'Mahsud 1919-20' & 'Waziristan 1919-21' (Capt. H. S. Crowley, I.A.R.O.)
- General Service Medal 1918-62. GV first issue & clasp 'Iraq' (Maj. H. S. Crowley, I.A.R.O.)
- The 1939-1945 Star. No clasp
- The Burma Star. No clasp
- Defence Medal
- War Medal

Important: Only the GSM 1918 with clasp 'Iraq' (accompanying research confirmed present in theatre) has been privately engraved

Medals verification: Unusually, we have been unable to digitally search and find any medal roll entries or extant medal index cards for this officer. However his services in both World Wars, Iraq, Waziristan, Mahsud and in India during the Second World War are confirmed in exhaustive - and interesting - detail in an accompanying soft-copy 'Word Document' file (from which we are only here below showing some brief details of his early life, and his post-war conviction for shoplifting)

Hugh Stanislaus O’Donnel Crowley, a true son of Empire was born at Allahabad, British India ,on 17 September 1887, of an Irish father (Thomas Patrick Crowley, Executive Engineer and Lt-Col of Indian Volunteers). Hugh Crowley attended St. Joseph’s College, Naini Tal, from 1896 and was one of three brothers (the siblings being Patrick Crowley, born 6 August 1886, and Bernard (“Barney”) Emmett Sarsfield Crowley, born 5 August 1894). There was also a sister, Sheila Edith Crowley

The boys began their schooling at Naini Tal, but on 5 April 1904, continued their Jesuit tutelage as Boarders of St. Joseph’s College, North Point, Darjeeling. This beautifully-situated school offered excellent education with low fees. At that time their mother, Mrs E. Crowley, was living at 14 Cawnpore Road, Allahabad

The 1913 “Thacker’s Indian Directory” lists ‘Hugh S. Crowley’ as residing at Park House, Wodehouse Road, Bombay. Two years later “Thacker’s Indian Directory”, in the 1915 Mofussil Directory for Allahabad, lists ‘Crowley, T., & Co., 1 Hastings Road, Allahabad: engineers and contractors. Manager, J. Connell. Chief accountant, H. S. Crowley.’

Hugh joined the Indian Army Reserve of Officers on 30 September 1916, having had previous service with the Volunteers. It was noted that Hugh Stanislaus Crowley was ‘Manager, Gauhati Motor Transport’ Shillong with a knowledge of Urdu, and was appointed to the 1st Bengal Sappers and Miners on 13 October 1916

Post 1945, Hugh Crowley, gained some temporary notoriety, when he was convicted for 'Theft, when caught in the act of shoplifting 'Cigars', as reported in the 'West London Observer' issue of 1 June 1956:

Quote,

A deeply sun-tanned, distinguished-looking former ex-major was ordered by the magistrate (Mr. K. J. P. Barraclough) at West London to pay £1 1s. costs at the rate of half a crown a week when he was given a conditional discharge for shoplifting

Hugh Stanislaus Crowley, aged 69, of The Chase, Clapham Common, was charged with stealing a box of cigars, worth £1 1s. 9d. from the store of Messrs. John Barker and Co. Ltd., of Kensington High Street, W.

Det. Harrington said Crowley was born in India and had served most of his life as an Army officer in the Middle East. He left the Army with the rank of Major in 1946, but did not qualify for a pension because of broken service. He lived on the old age pension of £2 a week and also £1 11s. National Assistance.

"The shame of standing in this dock is enough to crucify me for the rest of my life,” said Crowley in court.’

Unquote.

Sold together with a word-document containing several pages of detailed research, that confirms the officers Great War, Waziristan / Mahsud campaign service together with the recipients service history for the Second World War

The group mounted in the swing-style. The medals suspended from a white-metal mounting bar, this latter retaining its long hinged pin and clasp fittings

Condition: VF

Code: 24084