Thomas Crowley
Nickname(s)Tomislav Kraulić
Born20 April 1949 (1949-04-20)
Ireland
Died10 June 1995 (1995-06-11) (aged 46)
Near Dubrovnik, Croatia
Buried
Split, Croatia
Allegiance UK
 Croatia
Service/branchBritish Army
Croatian Defence Forces
Years of service1967–1991 (British Army)
1991–1995 (Croatia)
RankMajor (Bojnik)
Service number006968 (Croatian Defence Forces)
UnitSpecial Air Service
Ante Paradžik First Battalion
Battles/warsVietnam War (claimed)
Gulf War
Croatian War of Independence
Siege of Dubrovnik
Operation Maslenica
Siege of Mostar
AwardsOrder of Petar Zrinski and Fran Krsto Frankopan

Thomas Crowley (20th April 1949 – 10 June 1995) was an Irishman who fought in the Croatian War of Independence.[1]

Initially a member of the British Army,[1] he travelled to Croatia in 1991 and joined as a volunteer with the Croatian Defence Forces.[2] He was assigned to the Ante Paradžik First Battalion, and participated as a commando in battles at Dubrovnik, Livno, Mostar, Popovo Polje, Operation Maslenica, and the liberation of Skabrnje. He was wounded at Zemunik.

In 1994 he led a training camp for the 114th brigade which trained more than 2,000 soldiers.[3]

Tomislav Kraulić (his other nickname which would be Croatian version of Thomas Crowley) was shy and rarely talked about himself. In his request for Croatian citizenship he wrote: "I came to Croatia to fight for its freedom. I would like to stay here after the war is over and live here if I survive. I like Croatia and Croatian people. This is my home."

He was killed in action near Dubrovnik in 1995 and is buried near Split.[4] Upon his death he held the rank of Major in the Croatian Defence Forces and in 2012 was posthumously awarded the Croatian Order of Petar Zrinski and Fran Krsto Frankopan.[5][6]

References

  1. 1 2 "Prije 21 godinu Irac Thomas Crowley život je dao za Hrvatsku". hrt.hr (in Croatian). Hrvatska radiotelevizija. 2016. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  2. ↑ "Thomas Crowley – Hrabro srce umrlo za Hrvatsku". vecernji.hr (in Croatian). Večernji list. 25 December 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  3. ↑ ""Irish Braveheart" Thomas Crowley posthumously awarded Croatian Medal of Honour". inavukic.com. 13 December 2012. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  4. ↑ "Grabar-Kitarović prisjetila se Irca koji je poginuo za Hrvatsku: 'Mi smo dvije prijateljske zemlje'". vecernji.hr (in Croatian). Večernji list. 4 April 2017. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
  5. ↑ "Thomas Crowley 1949-1995 profile". croatia.org. Retrieved 16 October 2016.
  6. ↑ "Vidio je snimku kako tenk gazi fiću i došao braniti Hrvatsku". 24sata.hr (in Croatian). 24sata. 10 June 2019. Retrieved 24 August 2020.
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