Crosthwaite-Eyre, John

Date of birth:: January 29th, 1915
Date of death:: 2000 (Zimbabwe)
Service number:: 134990
Nationality:: British

Biography

John Crosthwaite-Eyre was a mining engineer with First Class Honours from the Royal School of Mines. His family, well known in the New Forest, adopted the double-barrelled surname by Royal Licence. His brother Oliver later became MP for the New Forest, and Oliver’s son served as Official Verderer.

Crosthwaite-Eyre was commissioned into the Royal Engineers in May 1940 and transferred to the Intelligence Corps. He served as an intelligence officer in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight. He later joined the Special Operations Executive (SOE) and was deployed to West Africa in May 1941. Later that year, he became part of the team (as an explosives expert) behind Operation Postmaster. Crosthwaite-Eyre took part in Operation Felice in Tunisia in 1943. During this mission, he was captured and held in Italy and later in Germany. He escaped briefly before being recaptured near the Swiss border. He was finally liberated in 1945—reportedly by his brother.

He married Susan Elizabeth Sowerby, also affiliated with SOE, and had two children. Crosthwaite-Eyre died in Zimbabwe in 2000.

Do you have more information about this person? Inform us!