The Last Great Cavalryman: The Life of General Sir Richard McCreery GCB KBE DSO MC - Hardcover

Mead, Richard

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 1848844654 ISBN 13: 9781848844650

Publisher: Pen and Sword Military, 2013

Synopsis

Dick McCreery was commissioned into the 12th Royal Lancers in 1915 and served on The Western Front, winning the MC and surviving wounds.

In 1938 he joined the staff of 1st Division under Alexander before being given command of 2 Armored Brigade. He won the DSO for his leadership during the retreat to Dunkirk Man/June 1940.

In North Africa McCreery was sacked by Auchinleck, with whom he had major differences, but, while waiting for a plane home, he was spotted by Alexander who made him his Chief of Staff. He is credited by many (but not Montgomery – the two did not get on) for the solution to the El Alamein victory.

He was promoted to command X Corps at Salerno which he commanded during the advance to the Gothic Line. He relieved Leese as Commander 8th Army in September 1944 and it was his brilliant plan that seized the Argenta Gap and drove the Germans back across the River Po into Austria.

He became British High Commissioner in Austria, C in C British Army of the Rhine and British Military Representative at the UN, retiring in 1949.

Although not a public figure, McCreery was key figure in the development of armored warfare, a brilliant tactician and among the most important British fighting generals of the Second World War. This is an overdue acknowledgment of his contribution to victory.

About this title

About the Author

Richard Mead was educated at Marlborough College and Pembroke College, Cambridge. He has written General ‘Boy’: The Life of Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Browning and The Last Great Cavalryman: The Life of General Sir Richard McCreery, Commander Eighty Army, The Men Behind Monty and Commando General – The Life of Sir Robert Laycock, all in print with Pen and Sword Military. Richard and his wife live in Gloucestershire and he has two grown-up sons.

Review

Dick McCreery...was a professional soldier. The inter war years saw a time of study, sport, marriage and bloody hard work. He was fortunate to find favour with certain senior officers who looked kindly on him, most notably Alan Brooke the future CIGS. This meticulous biography presents it all in an easy to read way which carries the reader along happily and all too soon you'll find yourself where the book intends us to be all along; at the crucible - World War II. McCreery's war was a fascinating one...Richard Mead was encouraged by some very worthy historians to write this book and he has not let them down. There was a hole on the biographical shelf of British Generals and it has been filled. Rather than another volume on one of the established stars we've had one of the very important blanks filled in. Well done Mr Mead! - War History Online This is a gripping account...Excellent Biography 10/10 The Great War

Edition details

• Publisher: Pen and Sword Military
• Publication date: 2013
• ISBN 10: 1848844654
• ISBN 13: 9781848844650
• Binding: Hardcover
• Language: English
• Number of pages: 288