When I was writing my book on Second Suffolk in Burma, one great Regimental character was mentioned several times; the redoubtable Cook Sergeant Cropley. I searched everywhere for a photograph of him but to no avail, then yesterday whilst looking for something else, I found two photographs of the 1945 ‘Christmas Cake Competition’ of Second Suffolk at Lahore and one of which contained a photo of none other that Cook Sergeant Cropley!!!
Harry Cropley was a pre-war soldier with Second Suffolk, having transferred to the Regiment in the mid 1930s from the West Yorks. By the time the Battalion were at Razmak in 1939-40, he was a Lance Corporal where his natural administrative skill for cooking and meal preparation had come to the fore. By the time of their arrival in Burma, he had been promoted to Cook Sergeant and remained in that role until they were withdrawn from the fighting front in August 1944 (and was most probably still at that rank when this photograph was taken sixteen months later).
One account I particularly like, is of his standing on an Arakan hillside in his white cook’s apron, unperturbed by Japanese snipers all around them!
Seen here in his white tropical service dress, I am now just trying to establish what the final medal on his medal bar is? I can see an India General Service, 1939-45 Star, Burma Star, Defence and War Medal, but what’s is the last? Long Service perhaps? Or a Coronation/Jubilee Medal?
Comments