Individual Report: X87 John CRAWFORD

Rank:	First Name:	Second Name:
General Information
Major	John	Neilson Brown
From:	Enlistment Region:	Date of Birth (y-m-d):
Arcola SK	Manitoba	1906-01-10
Appointment:	Company:	Platoon:
A/2ic HKVDC Field Ambulance	Brigade Headquarters	Attd WG

Transportation - Home Base to Hong Kong

Members of 'C' Force from the East travelled across Canada by CNR troop train, picking up reinforcements enroute. Stops included Valcartier, Montreal, Ottawa, Armstrong ON, Capreol ON, Winnipeg, Melville SK, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper, and Vancouver, arriving in Vancouver on Oct 27 at 0800 hrs.

The Winnipeg Grenadiers and the local soldiers that were with Brigade Headquarters from Winnipeg to BC travelled on a CPR train to Vancouver.

All members embarked from Vancouver on the ships AWATEA and PRINCE ROBERT. AWATEA was a New Zealand Liner and the PRINCE ROBERT was a converted cruiser. "C" Company of the Rifles was assigned to the PRINCE ROBERT, everyone else boarded the AWATEA. The ships sailed from Vancouver on Oct 27th and arrived in Hong Kong on November 16th, having made brief stops enroute at Honolulu and Manila.

Equipment earmarked for 'C' Force use was loaded on the ship DON JOSE, but would never reach Hong Kong as it was rerouted to Manila when hostilities commenced.

On arrival, all troops were quartered at Nanking Barracks, Sham Shui Po Camp, in Kowloon.

Battle Information

We do not have specific battle information for this soldier in our online database. For a detailed description of the battle from a Canadian perspective, visit Canadian Participation in the Defense of Hong Kong (published by the Historical Section, Canadian Military Headquarters).

Wounded Information

No wounds recorded.

Hospital Information

Name of hospital	Date of admission	Date of discharge	Comments	Reference
HK-BMH	N/A	N/A

POW Camps

Camp ID	Camp Name	Location	Arrival Date	Departure Date
HK-SA-02	Shamshuipo	Kowloon, Hong Kong	42 Sep 26	43 Aug 19
HK-AS-02	Argyle Street	Kowloon, Hong Kong	43 Aug 19	44 May 11
HK-SA-02	Shamshuipo	Kowloon, Hong Kong	44 May 11	45 Sep 10

Transportation SE Asia to Home

Transport Mode	Arrival Destination	Arrival Date	Comments
USS Admiral Hugh Rodman	Vancouver, BC	1945-10-07	Manilla to Vancouver, BC

No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.

Post-war Photo

Decorations Received

Image	Name of Award	Abbreviation	References	Precedence	Comments
	Member of The Most Excellent Order of The British Empire	MBE	39, 40, 124	04
MBE Citation Canada Gazette dated 15 June 1946 (No. 24, Vol. 80, p.3849) and CARO/6632 dated 17 June 1946. Major Crawford was captured at Hong Kong in December 1941. Throughout his entire period as a prisoner-of-war Major Crawford's devotion to duty was conspicuous. At all times he performed his duties as a medical officer in an exceptionally efficient, conscientious, zealous and unselfish manner under the most adverse and trying conditions. In September 1942 Canadian prisoners-of-war were moved from North Point to the main prisoner-of-war camp at Shamshuipo. Just prior to this move an epidemic of diphtheria broke out in North Point Camp. This disease had been prevalent in Shamshuipo Camp prior to the arrival of the Canadians and on their arrival a great spread of the disease took place among the Canadians. At the same time as this epidemic was rife an outbreak of malaria and dysentery occurred, and these three diseases caused about one hundred deaths among Canadians. There can be no doubt that the efficient handling of these epidemics by the officers of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps and their volunteer orderlies did much to prevent a considerably higher death rate. Major Crawford established, practically without assistance from the Japanese, a Canadian hospital in the Canadian section of the camp and was assisted in his duties by the other medical officers. Sick parades during this period, from the latter part of September 1942 until February 1943, continued at the rate of about 200 in the morning and another 200 in the evening after personnel had returned from working parties. During the epidemic of diphtheria it was necessary frequently for Major Crawford to deal with Japanese medical sergeants and medical orderlies by subterranean means to purchase serum to counteract this disease. During this period also, besides the diseases already mentioned, many men were suffering from pellagra, beri beri and other diseases caused from lack of proper nourishment and it became necessary to hospitalize large numbers of men. Major Crawford remained at Shamshuipo Camp for the whole period until the Canadians were liberated in September 1945 and displayed outstanding qualities of courage and devotion to duty at all times, doing everything in his power to alleviate the sufferings of the men. He was responsible for the preservation of essential medical records and managed, though searches were frequent by the Japanese, to conceal from them and retain for future purposes, individual medical histories. Major Crawford's conduct was at all times an inspiration to all ranks and cannot be too highly praised. NOTE: The following Commendation provided by C.65193 Rifleman V.J. Wurm, Royal Rifles of Canada for Captain Banfill (M.O. att. R.R.C.), Major Crawford (M.O. att. Winnipeg Grenadiers) and Captain GRAY (M.O.) These three Medical Officers did very good work during their captivity at Sham Shui Po Camp, Kowloon. They worked night and day, and their work was especially good during the diphtheria epidemic October 1942-February 1943. They worked under very difficult conditions, without any medical supplies, except what the Chinese could smuggle through, for which the M.O.'s had to pay an exorbitant price. And the M.O.'s and orderlies had to take a lot of abuse - being slapped around, this slapping they received was at its height during the epidemic, the Japs blaming the M.O.'s and Orderlies for the men dying.

Image

Name of Award

Abbreviation

References

Precedence

Comments

Member of The Most Excellent Order of The British Empire

MBE

39, 40, 124

MBE Citation

Canada Gazette dated 15 June 1946 (No. 24, Vol. 80, p.3849) and CARO/6632 dated 17 June 1946.

Major Crawford was captured at Hong Kong in December 1941. Throughout his entire period as a prisoner-of-war Major Crawford's devotion to duty was conspicuous. At all times he performed his duties as a medical officer in an exceptionally efficient, conscientious, zealous and unselfish manner under the most adverse and trying conditions.

In September 1942 Canadian prisoners-of-war were moved from North Point to the main prisoner-of-war camp at Shamshuipo. Just prior to this move an epidemic of diphtheria broke out in North Point Camp. This disease had been prevalent in Shamshuipo Camp prior to the arrival of the Canadians and on their arrival a great spread of the disease took place among the Canadians. At the same time as this epidemic was rife an outbreak of malaria and dysentery occurred, and these three diseases caused about one hundred deaths among Canadians. There can be no doubt that the efficient handling of these epidemics by the officers of the Royal Canadian Army Medical Corps and their volunteer orderlies did much to prevent a considerably higher death rate.

Major Crawford established, practically without assistance from the Japanese, a Canadian hospital in the Canadian section of the camp and was assisted in his duties by the other medical officers. Sick parades during this period, from the latter part of September 1942 until February 1943, continued at the rate of about 200 in the morning and another 200 in the evening after personnel had returned from working parties.

During the epidemic of diphtheria it was necessary frequently for Major Crawford to deal with Japanese medical sergeants and medical orderlies by subterranean means to purchase serum to counteract this disease. During this period also, besides the diseases already mentioned, many men were suffering from pellagra, beri beri and other diseases caused from lack of proper nourishment and it became necessary to hospitalize large numbers of men.

Major Crawford remained at Shamshuipo Camp for the whole period until the Canadians were liberated in September 1945 and displayed outstanding qualities of courage and devotion to duty at all times, doing everything in his power to alleviate the sufferings of the men. He was responsible for the preservation of essential medical records and managed, though searches were frequent by the Japanese, to conceal from them and retain for future purposes, individual medical histories. Major Crawford's conduct was at all times an inspiration to all ranks and cannot be too highly praised.

NOTE: The following Commendation provided by C.65193 Rifleman V.J. Wurm, Royal Rifles of Canada for Captain Banfill (M.O. att. R.R.C.), Major Crawford (M.O. att. Winnipeg Grenadiers) and Captain GRAY (M.O.)

These three Medical Officers did very good work during their captivity at Sham Shui Po Camp, Kowloon. They worked night and day, and their work was especially good during the diphtheria epidemic October 1942-February 1943. They worked under very difficult conditions, without any medical supplies, except what the Chinese could smuggle through, for which the M.O.'s had to pay an exorbitant price. And the M.O.'s and orderlies had to take a lot of abuse - being slapped around, this slapping they received was at its height during the epidemic, the Japs blaming the M.O.'s and Orderlies for the men dying.

Other Military or Public Service

No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.

Death and Cemetery Information

Date of Death (y-m-d)	Cause of Death	Death Class
1997-06-28		Post War
Cemetery Location	Cemetery	Grave Number	Gravestone Marker
Ottawa Ontario Canada	Beechwood Cemetery	Memorial Wall

Gravestone Image

Obituary / Life Story

JOHN N.B. CRAWFORD M.B.E., K. St. J., E.D., M.D., LL.D.

(Brigadier-General - Retired) (Former Deputy Minister of Health)

After a long life of honour, integrity and contribution, John Neilson Brown Crawford died peacefully, surrounded by those who loved him, on Saturday, June 28, 1997 in Ottawa. Born in Winnipeg in 1906 of a pioneer family, Dr. Crawford gained his M.D. in 1930. He did post-graduate work in New York City and on his return to Canada, was a member of the staff of the Winnipeg Children's Hospital and St. Boniface Hospital and a lecturer in paediatrics at the University of Manitoba. In 1933, he was commissioned as an officer in the R.C.A.M.C. and in 1939 was called up for active duty and served as Senior Medical Officer of the Winnipeg Grenadiers in Hong Kong where, with the rest of the garrison, he was taken prisoner by the Japanese and remained a P.O.W. until August 1945. His decision to remain in the post-war regular army brought him to Ottawa where he served as Director of Medical Research, Senior Consultant to D.G.M.S. and Executive Staff Officer of the Canadian Forces Medical Council.

In 1956 he retired from the army to accept an appointment as Director General of Treatment Services, Department of Veterans Affairs. In 1965 he was appointed by cabinet as Federal Deputy Minister of Health in the Department of Health and Welfare. He has represented Canada at diplomatic conferences for the revision of the Geneva Conventions and is the author of numerous articles and technical papers on military medicine. He is associated with the Order of St. John in Canada and was a Knight of Grace of that Order. Dr. Crawford was a playing member of the Royal Ottawa Golf Club for over 40 years and a keen student of language and archaeology. His greatest joy was his family and the strength of love that bound us together. His understanding, his gentle humour and his great wisdom will be missed by those he leaves behind.

Only and much loved son of Robert Crawford and Janet Kerr Brown Crawford, he is now survived by his loving wife and life companion, Lillian Maude (Hopper), his son John David Crawford (Cheryl) of Toronto and daughter Natalie (John T. Gibb-Carsley) of Perth, Ont. Also mourning his loss and celebrating his life are grandchildren, Michael, Cheryl and Mark Crawford of Toronto and Victoria Gibb-Carsley, John M.L. Gibb-Carsley, Althea Gibb-Carsley and one great-grandchild Alexander.

The family sincerely thanks Dr. A. Winter and the nursing staff at New Edinburgh Square for their compassionate care and those at DVA for their kindness. Friends may visit at the Central Chapel of Hulse, Playfair and McGarry, 315 McLeod St., Ottawa, from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Tuesday, July 1. A funeral service will be held in the chapel on Wednesday, July 2 at 11:00 am. Cremation Beechwood Crematorium.

In memorium donations to the charity of your choice would be appreciated by the family.

Loved in Life - In Death Remembered.

Winnipeg Free Press, June 30, 1997, pg 30

Memoriable Manitobans: John Neilson Brown Crawford (1906-1997) Physician.

Born at Winnipeg on 10 January 1906, son of Robert Crawford (1870-1959) and Janet Kerr Brown (1869-1945, daughter of Alexander Brown), he received medical training at the Manitoba Medical College, graduating in 1930 then taking postgraduate training in pediatrics at New York City. During the 1930s, he practiced at the Winnipeg Childrens Hospital, St. Boniface Hospital, and lectured in pediatrics at the University of Manitoba. He was also a member of the McNulty Clinic, the first private medical clinic in Winnipeg, at 264 Edmonton Street, in partnership with P. H. McNulty and William Black.

In 1933, he became an officer in the Canadian Army Medical Corps, being called for active duty at the onset of the Second World War. He served with Canadian forces at Hong Kong, was taken prisoner and spent 3 and a half years in a Japanese POW camp, being liberated in August 1945. He remained in the military after the war. Awarded an MBE, in 1956 he retired from the Army and became Director General of Treatment Services in the Department of Veterans Affairs. He was later appointed Deputy Minister of Health and Welfare in the Canadian federal government, retiring in 1969. He was given an honorary doctorate by the University of Manitoba in 1959.

He died at Ottawa, Ontario on 28 June 1997. Taken from a page prepared by Gordon Goldsborough. Page revised: 6 April 2011

Links and Other Resources

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General Comments

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End of Report.

Report generated: 27 Apr 2025.

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