Timothy Creasey
Encyclopedia
General
Sir Timothy May Creasey KCB OBE (21 September 1923 – 5 October 1986) was a British Army
officer who became General Officer Commanding
of the British Army in Northern Ireland
, as well as the commander of the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces
.
. He joined the Army on leaving school, and was commissioned in the Indian Army
on 1942, as a junior officer in the 10th Baluch Regiment
. He served with them in South-East Asia, Italy and Greece, before transferring into the British Army
and joining the Royal Norfolk Regiment
.
In 1955, he was a major in 39th Infantry Brigade
, which served in Kenya during the Mau Mau Uprising
, and in the following year experienced a different form of unconventional warfare whilst posted to Ulster, during the 1956 IRA border campaign
. After a spell as an instructor at the Staff College
, he was promoted to command the 1st Battalion of the newly formed Royal Anglian Regiment
in 1965, and saw service in the Aden Emergency
. He earned an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his service in this period.
, a post he held from 1968 until 1970, and then attended the Royal College of Defence Studies
in 1971.
In 1972, he was appointed major-general and seconded to Oman
, where he acted as Commander of the Sultan's Armed Forces
. The new Sultan, Qaboos bin Said, had been trained at Sandhurst and served in the British Army, and as part of the revitalisation of his forces during the Dhofar Rebellion
he requested a large number of British military advisors. Creasey's period in Oman was effective; he quickly established a centralised command of the Army, and helped take the initiative against the Dhofari rebels. His previous experience with the Indian Army proved an asset, as a sizeable proportion of the Omani army was made up of Baluchis. He left in February 1975, with the campaign winding down.
After a brief spell as Director of Infantry, he was appointed on 1 November 1977 to succeed Sir David House
as General Officer Commanding
in Northern Ireland
.
His experience as a commander had largely been in small-scale "colonial wars", and as such he was a contentious choice for the position. He aimed to get quick results, and his belief that a military solution could be found to the problem put him at odds with the commander of the Royal Ulster Constabulary
, Sir Kenneth Newman
. This dispute peaked in 1979, after 18 soldiers were killed in the Warrenpoint ambush
, when Creasey demanded the Army take over control of policing. However, he had a good working relationship with Roy Mason
, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
. He was replaced as commander by Lieutenant-General Sir Richard Lawson
on 1 December 1979.
He was appointed as Commander-in-Chief of United Kingdom Land Forces in 1980, but left this shortly thereafter to return to Oman, at the personal request of the Sultan. Creasey had waived retirement to become Deputy Commander-in-Chief and Chief of Defence Staff, in the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces in 1981, and oversaw a far-reaching reform of the Ministry of Defence and a modernisation of the army. Among other features, the redesigned system gave him complete control of arms procurement, which with the approval of the Sultan, ensured that many contracts went to British firms. Perhaps unsurprisingly, his role in Oman was controversial in the country, with many senior Omanis criticising his methods. He left Oman in 1985, and settled down into retirement.
General (United Kingdom)
General is currently the highest peace-time rank in the British Army and Royal Marines. It is subordinate to the Army rank of Field Marshal, has a NATO-code of OF-9, and is a four-star rank....
Sir Timothy May Creasey KCB OBE (21 September 1923 – 5 October 1986) was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer who became General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
of the British Army in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
, as well as the commander of the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces
Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces
The Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces are the Royal Army of Oman , Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman and other defence forces of the Sultanate of Oman...
.
Regimental career
Creasey was born in 1923, and educated at Clifton CollegeClifton College
Clifton College is a co-educational independent school in Clifton, Bristol, England, founded in 1862. In its early years it was notable for emphasising science in the curriculum, and for being less concerned with social elitism, e.g. by admitting day-boys on equal terms and providing a dedicated...
. He joined the Army on leaving school, and was commissioned in the Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
on 1942, as a junior officer in the 10th Baluch Regiment
10th Baluch Regiment
The 10th Baluch or Baluch Regiment was a regiment of the British Indian Army from 1922 to 1947. After the Partition of India, it was transferred to the Pakistan Army. In 1956, it was amalgamated with the 8th Punjab and Bahawalpur Regiments...
. He served with them in South-East Asia, Italy and Greece, before transferring into the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
and joining the Royal Norfolk Regiment
Royal Norfolk Regiment
The Royal Norfolk Regiment, originally formed as the Norfolk Regiment, was an infantry regiment of the British Army. The Norfolk Regiment was created on 1 July 1881 as the county regiment of Norfolk...
.
In 1955, he was a major in 39th Infantry Brigade
39th Infantry Brigade (United Kingdom)
The British 39th Infantry Brigade was a military formation of the British Army that was first established during World War I and reformed in the 1950s.-World Wars:...
, which served in Kenya during the Mau Mau Uprising
Mau Mau Uprising
The Mau Mau Uprising was a military conflict that took place in Kenya between 1952 and 1960...
, and in the following year experienced a different form of unconventional warfare whilst posted to Ulster, during the 1956 IRA border campaign
Border Campaign (IRA)
The Border Campaign was a campaign of guerrilla warfare carried out by the Irish Republican Army against targets in Northern Ireland, with the aim of overthrowing British rule there and creating a united Ireland.Popularly referred to as the Border Campaign, it was also referred to as the...
. After a spell as an instructor at the Staff College
Staff college
Staff colleges train military officers in the administrative, staff and policy aspects of their profession. It is usual for such training to occur at several levels in a career...
, he was promoted to command the 1st Battalion of the newly formed Royal Anglian Regiment
Royal Anglian Regiment
The Royal Anglian Regiment is an infantry regiment of the British Army, part of the Queen's Division.The regiment was formed on 1 September 1964 as the first of the new large infantry regiments, through the amalgamation of the four regiments of the East Anglian Brigade.* 1st Battalion from the...
in 1965, and saw service in the Aden Emergency
Aden Emergency
The Aden Emergency was an insurgency against the British crown forces in the British controlled territories of South Arabia which now form part of the Yemen. Partly inspired by Nasser's pan Arab nationalism, it began on 10 December 1963 with the throwing of a grenade at a gathering of British...
. He earned an Officer of the Order of the British Empire for his service in this period.
Senior command
After Aden, he was promoted to command 11th Armoured Brigade in the British Army of the RhineBritish Army of the Rhine
There have been two formations named British Army of the Rhine . Both were originally occupation forces in Germany, one after the First World War, and the other after the Second World War.-1919–1929:...
, a post he held from 1968 until 1970, and then attended the Royal College of Defence Studies
Royal College of Defence Studies
The Royal College of Defence Studies is an internationally-renowned institution and component of the Defence Academy of the United Kingdom...
in 1971.
In 1972, he was appointed major-general and seconded to Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
, where he acted as Commander of the Sultan's Armed Forces
Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces
The Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces are the Royal Army of Oman , Royal Navy of Oman, Royal Air Force of Oman and other defence forces of the Sultanate of Oman...
. The new Sultan, Qaboos bin Said, had been trained at Sandhurst and served in the British Army, and as part of the revitalisation of his forces during the Dhofar Rebellion
Dhofar Rebellion
The Dhofar Rebellion was launched in the province of Dhofar against the Sultanate of Muscat and Oman, which had British support, from 1962 to 1976. It ended with the defeat of the rebels, but the state of Oman had to be radically reformed and modernised to cope with the campaign.-Background:In...
he requested a large number of British military advisors. Creasey's period in Oman was effective; he quickly established a centralised command of the Army, and helped take the initiative against the Dhofari rebels. His previous experience with the Indian Army proved an asset, as a sizeable proportion of the Omani army was made up of Baluchis. He left in February 1975, with the campaign winding down.
After a brief spell as Director of Infantry, he was appointed on 1 November 1977 to succeed Sir David House
David House
Lieutenant General Sir David George House GCB, KCVO, CBE, MC was a British Army officer who was General Officer Commanding in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, and later held the office of Black Rod.-Regimental career:...
as General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding
General Officer Commanding is the usual title given in the armies of Commonwealth nations to a general officer who holds a command appointment. Thus, a general might be the GOC II Corps or GOC 7th Armoured Division...
in Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland
Northern Ireland is one of the four countries of the United Kingdom. Situated in the north-east of the island of Ireland, it shares a border with the Republic of Ireland to the south and west...
.
His experience as a commander had largely been in small-scale "colonial wars", and as such he was a contentious choice for the position. He aimed to get quick results, and his belief that a military solution could be found to the problem put him at odds with the commander of the Royal Ulster Constabulary
Royal Ulster Constabulary
The Royal Ulster Constabulary was the name of the police force in Northern Ireland from 1922 to 2000. Following the awarding of the George Cross in 2000, it was subsequently known as the Royal Ulster Constabulary GC. It was founded on 1 June 1922 out of the Royal Irish Constabulary...
, Sir Kenneth Newman
Kenneth Newman
Sir Kenneth Leslie Newman, GBE, QPM was Commissioner of the Metropolitan Police from 1982 to 1987 and Chief Constable of the Royal Ulster Constabulary from 1976 to 1980...
. This dispute peaked in 1979, after 18 soldiers were killed in the Warrenpoint ambush
Warrenpoint ambush
The Warrenpoint ambush or the Warrenpoint massacre was a guerrilla assault by the Provisional Irish Republican Army on 27 August 1979. The IRA attacked a British Army convoy with two large bombs at Narrow Water Castle , Northern Ireland...
, when Creasey demanded the Army take over control of policing. However, he had a good working relationship with Roy Mason
Roy Mason
Roy Mason, Baron Mason of Barnsley, PC is a British Labour politician and former Cabinet minister.He was born in Royston, and grew up in Carlton, Barnsley in South Yorkshire...
, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, informally the Northern Ireland Secretary, is the principal secretary of state in the government of the United Kingdom with responsibilities for Northern Ireland. The Secretary of State is a Minister of the Crown who is accountable to the Parliament of...
. He was replaced as commander by Lieutenant-General Sir Richard Lawson
Richard Lawson (British Army officer)
General Sir Richard George Lawson KCB, DSO, OBE, KCSS is a former British Army officer, who served as General Officer Commanding in Northern Ireland during the Troubles, and later as Commander-in-Chief of Allied Forces Northern Europe....
on 1 December 1979.
He was appointed as Commander-in-Chief of United Kingdom Land Forces in 1980, but left this shortly thereafter to return to Oman, at the personal request of the Sultan. Creasey had waived retirement to become Deputy Commander-in-Chief and Chief of Defence Staff, in the Sultan of Oman's Armed Forces in 1981, and oversaw a far-reaching reform of the Ministry of Defence and a modernisation of the army. Among other features, the redesigned system gave him complete control of arms procurement, which with the approval of the Sultan, ensured that many contracts went to British firms. Perhaps unsurprisingly, his role in Oman was controversial in the country, with many senior Omanis criticising his methods. He left Oman in 1985, and settled down into retirement.