Sir.RICHARD NUGENT O'CONNOR (1889-1981)
Born in India Srinigar, Kashmir on 21 August 1889, KT, GCB, DSO, MC

   

 

Service in World War I 

O'Connor's early service during World War I included periods as Signal Officer of 22 Brigade in 7 Division; Captain, in command of 7th Division Signal Company; and Brigade Major in 91 Brigade, 7th Division. In February 1915 he was awarded the Military Cross, and in March of that year saw service in the Battle of Arras, and attacks on Bullecourt. In June 1917, O'Connor was appointed temporary Lt Col and commander of 2 Infantry Battalion in the Honourable Artillery Company, as part of 7th Division, and was awarded the DSO. The Division was transferred in November that year to the Italian Front, near the River Piave, for operations against Austrian forces. In late October 1918, O'Connor was directed to capture the Grave of Papadopoli on the River Piave. The operation was successfully carried out by 2nd Battalion between 24 and 27 October, and O'Connor was awarded the Italian Silver Medal of Honour (Medaglia d’Argento) and a Bar to his DSO

 

Prisoner of War, Castle Vincigliata Fiesole, Florence ( Italy) campo 112

O'Connor and Neame were captured by a German reconnaissance night patrol on 7 April 1941, and O'Connor spent the next two and a half years as a Prisoner of War, mainly near Florence in Italy. O'Connor found himself in impressive company, fellow inmates including Maj Gen Sir Adrian Carton de Wiart and Air Vice Marshal O T Boyd. Escape plans were quickly laid, and the escape narratives (4/5/1 and 4/5/2) closely document, with the aid of plans, the first attempt, over the castle walls and subsequent month's solitary confinement. The second initially successful attempt, via the escape tunnel constructed between October 1942 and March 1943, was made in the company of de Wiart.  The two were captured in the region of the Po Valley, Bologna while Brig Combe and AVM Boyd reached Como. Fellow inmates Brigs Miles and James Hargest secured their escape by journeying to Switzerland. The final and successful escape was made after the Italian surrender (8 settembre). Following unsuccessful attempts at a rendezvous with a submarine at Cattolica and Cervia, O'Connor arrived by boat at Termoli and transferred to Bari as the guest of General Alexander on 21 December 1943.O'Connor maintained links in later life made with members of the Italian resistance, who had sheltered him during his escape.  

 

O Connor a sinistra e Gambier Parry futuri prigionieriO Connor era figlio di un ufficiale di carriera di stanza in India e nel 1914 era già al fronte a fianco dei Francesi. Nel 1917, all'atto del trasferimento del Corpo d'armata inglese sul Piave, comanda un battaglione. Per una brillante azione alla Grave di Papadopoli negli ultimi giorni di guerra ottiene la medaglia d'argento al valor militare. Nel 1936 comandava una brigata in India e due anni dopo era Governatore militare a Gerusalemme. Da qui il Gen. Maitlnad "Jumbo" Wilson, comandante le truppe inglesi in Egitto, lo fece chiamare il 7 giugno 1940 per assegnarli il comando della Western Desert Force. Gli inglesi all'epoca, sopravvalutandoci, pensavano di dover fare una guerra di difesa in attesa di tempi migliori, circondati come erano da territori e mari italiani. Anche se leggermente balbuziente, riusciva ad essere molto chiaro e convincente coi suoi sottoposti sulla tattica da seguire. Bloccato nella sua offensiva dal prelievo di uomini per la Grecia, finì prigioniero il 7 aprile del 1941 per un errore del suo autista. Durante la campagna d'Africa portò sempre il nastrino della medaglia d'argento conferitagli dagli Italiani nella Grande Guerra. "Il più affascinante degli scontri nel deserto contro Rommel non ebbe mai luogo" così ebbe a dire Correlli Barnett storico inglese. Fuggito nei giorni dell'armistizio, venne imbarcato su un sottomarino che lo portò a Bari presso il comando di Alexander. Ottiene quindi un comando in Normandia all'VIII C.d.A, ma un insucesso a Caen lo fa relegare dal comando attivo. Trasferito in India, Vi resta fino al 1946 quando, richiamato da Montgomery, si occupa della smobilitazione, compito questo che lo mette in conflitto con molti reduci, che credevano di aver trovato un posto di lavoro. Nel 1948 si ritira a vita privata fino alla morte avvenuta il 17 giugno 1981. Coi partigiani che parteciparono alla sua liberazione mantenne negli anni rapporti epistolari.

 

1. Order of the Bath (Knight Commander of the Bath-KCB)
2. Order of the British Empire (In several grades, including Officer and Commander- OBE, CBE)
3. Distinguished Service Order (DSO)
4. Military Cross (MC)
5. Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)
6. Air Force Cross (AFC)
7. Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM)
8. RAF Conspicuous Gallantry Medal
9. George Medal (GM)
10.Military Medal (MM)
11.Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM)
12.Air Force Medal (AFM)
13.British Empire Medal (BEM) - (Ribbon is smaller than that of the Order)
14.1939-45 Star
15.Atlantic Star
16.Air Crew Europe Star
17.Africa Star
18.Pacific Star
19.Burma Star
20.Italy Star
21.France and Germany Star
22.Defence Medal
23.1939-45 War Medal    

Torna all'indice dei personaggi

Chiudi