Cdn/121 Major Maurice CREHAN, Canadian Infantry Corps, attached to 1st Royal Irish Fusiliers.

Although it's two days after the anniversary of Major Crehan's death near to Monte Spaduro...I was thinking of him and his comrades today...

John Horsfall would write later:

"...Four days later (27th October 1944), the whole of the battlefield was in our possession and, as we searched for them, Maurice Crehan, Sergeant Elliott and eight others of A Company were found there – dead behind their weapons with upwards of fifteen jagers around them. Spauduro further out had by then been cleared by the enemy..."

Lt Col Horsfall's account can be read in full here:
http://www.irishbrigade.co.uk/pages/eyewitness-accounts/john-horsfall-excerpts/monte-spaduro-19th-october-1944.php

Faugh a Ballagh !

http://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1715564/CREHAN,%20MAURICE%20JOHN

CREHAN, MAURICE JOHN


Rank: Major
Service [SIZE=13.9200000762939px]No: Cdn/121 [/SIZE]
[SIZE=13.9200000762939px]Date of Death: 20/10/1944 [/SIZE]
[SIZE=13.9200000762939px]Age: 35 [/SIZE]
[SIZE=13.9200000762939px]Regiment/Service: Royal Canadian Infantry Corps attd. 1st Bn. Royal Irish Fusiliers [/SIZE]
[SIZE=13.9200000762939px]Grave Reference: I, H, 14. Cemetery: [/SIZE]SANTERNO VALLEY WAR CEMETERY[SIZE=13.9200000762939px] [/SIZE]
[SIZE=13.9200000762939px]Additional Information: Son of Matthew Joseph and Mercy Ellen Crehan, of Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada; husband of Pamela Crehan, of Vancouver.[/SIZE]


Photos courtesy of John Duffy, son of CQMS Jackie Duffy MM, D Coy, 1 RIrF.

 

Would I be accurate in stating that Major Crehan was CANLOAN #121?

 

I believe the suffix numeric does relate to a CanLoan number.
http://www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memorials/canadian-virtual-war-memorial/detail/1715564

A total of four men joined the Faughs from the Vancouver Regiment on 3rd July 1944 when the battalion was at rest at Tivoili after their exertions to the west of Lake Trasimene.

CDN 121 T/Major MJ Crehan.
CDN 533 Captain JA Chambers.
CDN 463 Lt FA Lefever.
CDN 178 Lt AH (Al) McLennan.

Capt Chambers and Lt Lefever both made it to the Po...Al McLennan was captured on 20th October 1944.

http://canadiansoldiers.com/regiments/infantry/irishfusiliers.htm

best