{"id":2125,"date":"2025-05-29T20:56:46","date_gmt":"2025-05-29T20:56:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/favell.org.uk\/wp\/?page_id=2125"},"modified":"2025-10-07T18:31:48","modified_gmt":"2025-10-07T18:31:48","slug":"sas","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.favell.org\/index.php\/sas\/","title":{"rendered":"SAS"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t

Douglas Cronk<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

This is a bit of a detour and wanders away from the Favell family history, but does have a tenuous connection.\u00a0 It is a story too important to miss.\u00a0 Douglas is actually the the Great Grandfather of two of my Grandsons.\u00a0 He was the Grandfather of my son-in-law, so is related to my Grandsons, if not me.\u00a0 One of them is named after him.<\/span><\/p>

Doug Cronk was born in September 1919, just two months before the Armistice that ended the Great War.\u00a0 In 1914 his father had received a gunshot wound while serving in France and spent the rest of the war in the UK as a Sergeant in the Bedfordshire Regiment.\u00a0 He had recently been discharged from the army and the family lived in Westcliffe on Sea in Essex.<\/span><\/p>

As a teenager young Doug worked as an ice cream salesman and as war in Europe loomed for a second time, he Joined the Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire in April 1939 at the age of just 19.\u00a0 At the outbreak of war Doug found himself in France and experienced the evacuation from Dunkirk.\u00a0 He later volunteered to become part of the clandestine Auxiliary forces who would \u2018stay behind\u2019 and carry out a guerrilla war behind the German lines in the event of an invasion.\u00a0 This is probably how he came to the attention of the SAS and following intensive training in Scotland his records suggest that he was in mainland Europe ahead of D Day.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

Doug seemed to relish his training and brawling on a night out in Glasgow was just seen as a part of it.\u00a0 Interviewed by Gavin Mortimer for his book about the SAS, ‘Stirlings Men’, Doug recalled “there was nothing like being put on a \u201cfizzer\u201d (a charge) by the Military Police after a night out in Glasgow for improving your standing within the Regiment.\u00a0 \u2018One night we gave some MP\u2019s a bit of lip and they took us to the guardroom and said we would be hearing from them later\u2019 says Cronk.\u00a0 \u2018But Paddy just tore up the charges\u2019\u00a0 (Paddy Mayne).<\/em><\/p>

By April 1944, at the age of 24, he was a Lance Corporal in the 1st<\/sup> Regiment SAS.\u00a0 According to another book by Gavin Mortimer, \u201cThe SAS in Occupied France,\u201d Doug was a part of Operation Kipling, working behind enemy lines to carry out reconnaissance, attack supply lines and generally cause mayhem to demoralise the retreating Germans.<\/p>

Of particular interest here, is that later, moving through the lowlands and then into Germany, Doug probably broke the rules in so far as he carried a camera with him.\u00a0 This has provided us with some authentic snaps of him, his comrades and their jeeps on active service with the SAS.<\/p>

Doug later took part in the liberation of Norway where the SAS assisted in rounding up and disarming some 300,000 occupying troops.<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t

The fighting that Doug described in interviews with Gavin Mortimer, in a very matter of fact way, was brutal.\u00a0 But after the war Doug put the memories out of his mind, settled in Dorset with his young family and became a bus driver.\u00a0 He never attended SAS reunions and said \u201cit\u2019s over with now, forget about it. I\u2019ve never had any dreams about the war; I\u2019ve never really given it any second thoughts.\u2019<\/span><\/p>

\u00a0Quoting from\u00a0<\/em>Stirling\u2019s Men by Gavin Mortimer where he describes the ambush of a German convoy near the village of Nannay: –<\/em><\/p>

\u00a0The men from the leading vehicles spilled out into the woods surrounding the road while the rest of the column hurriedly reversed.\u00a0 There then followed what Davis described in his report as a \u2018lively SA (small arms) and grenade battle\u2019.\u00a0 Doug Cronk spotted one German through the trees just as he threw a grenade.\u00a0 \u201cIt caught me flush on the chin\u201d says Cronk, \u201cbut it didn\u2019t go off because the silly bugger had forgotten to take the pin out.\u00a0 I\u2019ll never forget the look on his face as he realised his mistake\u201d.\u00a0 Cronk shot him dead.<\/em><\/p>

In “The SAS in Occupied France” Douglas says: –<\/em><\/p>

We knew that the German forces were around us and we were told by Paddy Mayne what we had to do if we caught them, because they\u2019d just as soon kill you as look at you.\u00a0 That meant they didn\u2019t live.\u00a0 But you couldn\u2019t take prisoners.\u00a0\u00a0 They were walking around with white flags, calling you \u2018Kamerad\u2019 desperate to give themselves up\u2026.\u00a0 But I looked at it that you got to take an order.\u00a0 They were under similar orders.<\/em><\/p>

Well, we were on this road, more like a track, walking along the edge and these Germans came along riding bikes, fucking horrible things they were, different to anything we had.\u00a0 We saw them coming and we banged them off, about six or so.\u00a0 A couple were still alive so we finished them off.\u00a0 We couldn\u2019t just leave them there, we had to cover our tracks, so we dragged them and their bikes off the track and dug a shallow grave for them in the woods.\u00a0 Funny thing was, we made a small cross out of twigs and put it on top.\u00a0 I don\u2019t know why we did that.\u00a0 A matter of respect I suppose.\u00a0 But could you have respect there, in a war?\u00a0 I suppose you can.<\/em><\/p>

We\u2019d captured a German boy, about 17 or 18.\u00a0 We questioned him and then Sergeant McDiarmid said \u201cRight, clear off\u201d.\u00a0 And this German walked away and as he did, Mc Diarmid shot him.\u00a0 I thought \u201cI don\u2019t know about that, that\u2019s not right\u201d.\u00a0 Why did we let him do it?\u00a0 I don\u2019t know.\u00a0 We were shocked.<\/em><\/p>

When I got demobbed I didn\u2019t want to know anything about it (the SAS).\u00a0 My view was \u201cit\u2019s over with now, forget about it\u201d.<\/em><\/p>

\u00a0He moved to Dorset with his young family and became a bus driver.<\/em><\/p>

\u2018I\u2019ve never had any dreams about the war; I\u2019ve never really given it any second thoughts.\u2019<\/em><\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\"\"\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t
\n\t\t\t
<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Douglas Cronk This is a bit of a detour and wanders away from the Favell family history, but does have a tenuous connection.\u00a0 It is a story too important to miss.\u00a0 Douglas is actually the the Great Grandfather of two of my Grandsons.\u00a0 He was the Grandfather of my son-in-law, so is related to my […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"elementor_canvas","meta":{"footnotes":""},"class_list":["post-2125","page","type-page","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.favell.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2125","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.favell.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.favell.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.favell.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.favell.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2125"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.favell.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2125\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2189,"href":"https:\/\/www.favell.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/2125\/revisions\/2189"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.favell.org\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2125"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}