Kenneth Crawford

Crawford was born in Colombo, Ceylon, the son of Henry Leighton Crawford of the Ceylon Civil Service. He was educated at Clifton College and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. He was an active rugby player and played for the army in 1921.[2]

Crawford was commissioned into the Royal Engineers and went on to serve in the First World War, being awarded the Military Cross in 1919.[3]

Attending the Staff College, Camberley, from 1929 to 1930, Crawford also served in the Second World War, joining the British Expeditionary Force to France in 1939.[4] He became Director of Chemical Warfare for the Home Forces in 1940,[4] was appointed Deputy Adjutant-General in 1942,[4] and Director of Air at the War Office in 1943.[4]

After the war, Crawford was made General Officer Commanding British Forces in Greece.[4] In 1947 he was appointed Deputy Chief of the Imperial General Staff and, in 1949, he became Controller at the Ministry of Supply.[5] In 1952 he was made Chairman of the Royal Ordnance Factories Board of Management; he retired in 1953.[4]

Crawford was also Chief Royal Engineer from 1958 to 1961.[6][7]

In retirement, Crawford joined the boards of several companies, including Edwin Dank (Oldbury) Ltd., Westland Aircraft,[8] and Penmen and Company, Ltd. He was president of the Army Rugby Union from 1948 to 1953.[2]

In 1921, Crawford married Doris Margaret Parker, daughter of Joseph Parker of the Indian Civil Service, with whom he had two sons and a daughter.[2]

• Crawford, Kenneth Noel. (1954) Problems of weapon development in the cold war

• Generals of World War II