Sydney Crookshank

Most of his early career was spent in colonial service; he later served as a senior officer during the First World War.

[1] As a temporary lieutenant colonel he was Commander, Royal Engineers (CRE), of 47th (1/2nd London) Division on the Western Front from 30 July 1915 to 27 November 1916.

[2][3][4] On 21 May 1916 in the Vimy sector the Germans fired a mine and attacked the division's positions in overwhelming numbers.

The situation was so critical for a while that Crookshank brought his Sappers of 47th (2nd London) Divisional Engineers up to man the trenches as infantry.

[7] In January 1917 he was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier general and made a chief engineer[8] of XV Corps.