Most decorated · 16 medals and honours, 1 for gallantry
Brigadier Stanley Crump
Stanley Crump was the regular Army Service Corps officer who fed, fuelled and supplied the 2nd NZ Division throughout the Second World War, after learning the trade supplying the Mounted Rifles in Egypt and Palestine in the First. He won the DSO for the desert campaigns, plus an OBE (1939), a CBE (1945) and the American Bronze Star. He is on the list because his 16 items and a single gallantry award span both wars.
16medals and honours
1of them for gallantry
His medals and honours
Won for gallantry
Gallantry award
Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
Announced 19 February 1943 (service in Greece, Libya and Egypt, 1941-42) · Middle East (Greece, Libya, Egypt) · Colonel, NZ Army Service Corps, 2NZEF
Gazetted: Announced in NZ press 20 Feb 1943; citation printed in NZ Gazette, 21 September 1944 (Cenotaph, Wikipedia)
Crump, who had commanded the 2NZEF Army Service Corps since its formation, won the DSO for keeping the 2nd Division supplied in Greece, Libya and Egypt. The citation praises his gallant bearing under fire, his personal leadership in difficult situations and his drive in getting ammunition, petrol, rations and water to the Division, which it says inspired his units with his aggressive spirit. The Libyan campaign of late 1941 is the obvious backdrop: Rommel's raid overran forward supply depots and the Division's ammunition ran short until convoys got through.
Wikipedia dates the award to the NZ Gazette of 21 Sep 1944 but the Auckland Star (18 Feb 1944) and the NZ Herald (20 Feb 1943) show it was already announced in February 1943; the 1944 Gazette is probably the later printing of the citation.
Counted in his gallantry totalSource: New Zealand Herald 20 Feb 1943, 'Bravery Awards', https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/NZH19430220.2.36; Auckland Star 18 Feb 1944, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19440218.2.63; Online Cenotaph record C36243, https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C36243
Every other medal and honour (15)
1914-1915 Star1915 (service) · EgyptQualified by arriving in the Egyptian theatre before the end of 1915 (Cenotaph embarkation 9 October 1915).British War Medal 1914-19201915-1919 (service) · Egypt, France, Sinai-PalestineWW1 overseas service with the NZEF in Egypt, France and Palestine.Victory Medal1915-1919 (service) · Egypt, France, Sinai-PalestinePaired with the British War Medal for WW1 service.Coronation Medal 193712 May 1937 · New ZealandCommemorative medal for George VI's coronation.Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE)1939 New Year Honours (1 January 1939) · WellingtonHonour for his peacetime work as Deputy Quartermaster-General and Director of Supplies and Transport at Army Headquarters, shortly before he took command of the NZASC for the war.1939-1945 Star1940-1945 (service) · Middle East, Greece, LibyaOperational service with 2NZEF from 1940.Africa Star (with 8th Army clasp)1941-1943 (service) · North AfricaNorth African campaign service, with the 8th Army clasp (clasp not counted separately).Italy Star1943-1945 (service) · ItalyService in the Italian campaign.Defence Medal1939-1945 (service)Listed by the Cenotaph; qualifying service not independently checked.War Medal 1939-1945 (with oak leaf)1939-1945 (service)Full-time service in the war; the oak leaf is the MiD emblem (the MiD is counted separately as one item).New Zealand War Service Medal1939-1945 (service)NZ medal for Second World War service.Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE)1945 · Italy / 2NZEFHonour for his war command of the Army Service Corps; the Evening Post of 1947 says he received the CBE in 1945.Bronze Star Medal (USA)Presented 9 May 1947 (service in Italy, 1943-45) · ItalyAwarded by the United States for meritorious service in Italy, where he kept supplies moving through the hardest stretches of the campaign. The US Minister, Avra Warren, presented it in Wellington on 9 May 1947; the…New Zealand Long and Efficient Service Medal1930s-1940s (Permanent Force service) · New ZealandLong service medal for a regular officer with service stretching from 1914 to 1949.Mentioned in DespatchesWW1 (16 January 1918, per Cenotaph) and WW2 (12 January 1942) · Egypt/Palestine (WW1); Greece and Crete (WW2)Mentioned in despatches for supply and transport work with the Mounted Rifles in the Middle East in the First World War, and again in the first 2NZEF list (Greece and Crete). The Evening Post of 1947 says he was…
His story
Territorial commission
Crump was commissioned as a second lieutenant in No. 2 Company, Army Service Corps, Auckland Military District, soon after the war began.
Source: Russell, Brigadier Stanley Crump (Massey MA thesis 2022), https://mro.massey.ac.nz/bitstream/handle/10179/18029/RussellMAThesis.pdf
Joins the NZEF
He attested into the NZEF on 19 July 1915 and embarked from Wellington on 9 October 1915 for Egypt (Cenotaph). The Massey thesis says he sailed with the 8th Reinforcements at the end of 1915.
Source: Online Cenotaph record C36243, https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C36243; Russell thesis
Rifle Brigade requisitioning officer
He served as Requisitioning Officer, NZ Rifle Brigade, in Egypt until April 1916 and then in France until September 1916.
Source: Russell thesis
Mounted Rifles supply officer
As a lieutenant, then temporary captain from January 1917, he ran supply and transport for the NZ Mounted Rifles Brigade in Egypt and Palestine, a job his brigadier said the brigade never failed on.
Source: Russell thesis
Mentioned in despatches
His first mention in despatches, recorded by the Cenotaph against the London Gazette of 16 January 1918, p.938.
Source: Online Cenotaph record C36243, https://www.aucklandmuseum.com/war-memorial/online-cenotaph/record/C36243
Permanent Army Service Corps
Back in New Zealand in August 1919, he joined the Staff Corps and from 1923 commanded the permanent ASC, also serving as Deputy Adjutant and Quartermaster-General. He was made OBE in the 1939 New Year Honours.
Source: Russell thesis; Wikipedia, 1939 New Year Honours (New Zealand)
CRASC, 2NZEF
He embarked with the First Echelon in January 1940 and commanded the NZASC through Greece, Libya, Egypt and Italy; colonel by 1942, brigadier from February 1944. DSO announced February 1943, CBE in 1945.
Source: Auckland Star 18 Feb 1944, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/AS19440218.2.63; New Zealand Herald 20 Feb 1943
J Force and Japan
He received the US Bronze Star in Wellington on 9 May 1947, then commanded NZ troops in Japan (J Force) in a relieving capacity and served on the BCOF staff until returning in April 1949.
Source: Evening Post 9 May 1947, https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/EP19470509.2.99; Russell thesis
Rank and insignia
The ranks he held, and the badge a soldier of that rank wore. These are simplified illustrations.
Second LieutenantDecember 1914 / NZEF 1915 · TFShoulder strap: one pipLieutenantby October 1916Shoulder strap: two pipsCaptainJanuary 1917 · temporaryShoulder strap: three pipsMajorStaff Corps; temporary major May 1919; Major by 1939Shoulder strap: crownLieutenant Colonel1940Shoulder strap: crown and one pipColonelby 1942-43Shoulder strap: crown and two pipsBrigadierFebruary 1944Shoulder strap: crown and three pips
His ships
HMNZT 30-34 (Maunganui, Tahiti, Aparima, Navua or Warrimoo)WW1 troopship, Wellington to SuezDeparted 9 October 1915; the exact ship is not recorded (Cenotaph).
Afterwards
Crump retired in 1950 after more than 35 years' service, having been Commandant of the Royal NZ Army Service Corps in 1949. He died at Lower Hutt on 13 July 1974, aged 85, with a full military funeral at St James' Church. Historian Julia Millen called him the 'Father of the Service'.
Later awards, not counted here: OBE (1939); DSO (announced Feb 1943); Mention in Despatches (Jan 1942); CBE (1945); Bronze Star, USA (presented May 1947).
This is the Service Record sign as we would make it from his record: his rank, name, regiment, number and date of embarkation. The medals on the sign are worked out automatically, so the medals listed above are the ones to rely on.
The Service Record
Photograph
We haven’t hosted a photograph here
Rather than copy someone else’s image onto our own site, we’d rather send you to see it where it’s properly held: his full record at the Auckland War Memorial Museum’s Online Cenotaph.
The Online Cenotaph omits the OBE (1939 New Year Honours) which I found in the Wikipedia honours list and in 1943-44 newspapers; counted as a separate item from the later CBE (he held both).
CBE: the Cenotaph and Wikipedia say CBE; Feb 1943 and Feb 1944 newspapers still style him 'O.B.E., D.S.O.', and the 1947 Evening Post says CBE in 1945. Date and gazette not traced.
DSO: Wikipedia/Cenotaph cite NZ Gazette 21 Sep 1944 for the citation, but the DSO was announced on 19-20 Feb 1943 (NZ Herald), so 1944 is likely a later printing. The citation text quoted by Wikipedia/Cenotaph reads as a DSO citation.
Bronze Star: confirmed by Evening Post 9 May 1947 as for meritorious service in Italy; counted as an item but not as gallantry. Cenotaph lists it; Wikipedia and the thesis do not.
Mention in Despatches counted once; two mentions recorded (WW1: Cenotaph gives LG 16 Jan 1918 p.938, which I did not open; WW2: 12 Jan 1942 list seen). The Evening Post 1947 says mentioned in both wars.
Embarkation: Cenotaph 9 October 1915 (HMNZT 30-34), Massey thesis 'end of 1915' with 8th Reinforcements; attestation 19 July 1915. Born 25 Jan 1889 per Cenotaph; Wikipedia headings show 1888/1889 inconsistency (category says 1888).
Coronation Medal 1937, Defence Medal, Long and Efficient Service Medal and the Africa Star 8th Army clasp rest on the Cenotaph only.
Wikipedia lists 'Victory Medal with oak leaf' while the Cenotaph has the oak leaf on the 1939-1945 War Medal; no effect on the count.
Nothing argues against listing him as a New Zealander of the First World War: NZEF officer, 5/565, served Egypt, France, Palestine 1915-19.
