Crutchley, Rear Admiral Victor, 1893-1986

Crutchley was the British Admiral who succeeded CRACE in command of a cruiser squadron based at Brisbane and was second in command to Rear Admiral TURNER at the invasion of Guadalcanal in August 1942. On the night of 6 August the invasion force came under attack from Vice-Admiral MIKAWA’s cruisers and was caught unprepared in the Battle of Savo Island. The Allies lost four cruisers and Crutchley was bitterly attacked by the US press for negligence. He continued to serve with US forces and patrolled the waters off New Guinea and took part in all of MACARTHUR’s amphibious operations.