Lionel Buster Crabb, frogman and diver
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Lionel Buster Crabb, frogman and diver
Lieutenant Commander Lionel Kenneth Phillip Buster Crabb (1909-1956), British Royal Naval frogman and MI6 diver (some would say sabotage agent and alleged double agent), seen here in riding gear with his girlfriend Patricia Rose (centre) and a friend. Crabb disappeared in April 1956 during a reconnaissance mission investigating the Soviet cruiser Ordzhonikidze in Portsmouth Harbour. A body was found months later, but it was difficult to identify as the head and hands were missing. Date: circa 1930s
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Media ID 14346302
© Mary Evans Picture Library/DAVID LEWIS HODGSON
Agent Buster Crabb Cruiser Disappeared Diver Double Frogman Gear Investigating Kenneth Lieutenant Lionel Mission Ordkhonikidze Ordzhonikidze Phillip Portsmouth Reconnaissance Soviet Ussr
EDITORS COMMENTS
1. Title: "Lionel 'Buster' Crabb: The Enigmatic British Frogman and Alleged Double Agent in Military and Civilian Life" This photograph captures the enigmatic figure of Lieutenant Commander Lionel Kenneth Phillip 'Buster' Crabb (1909-1956), a British Royal Naval frogman and MI6 diver, in his riding gear with his girlfriend Patricia Rose and a friend. The image, taken in the circa 1930s, offers a rare glimpse into Crabb's civilian life, contrasting the daring exploits and clandestine missions that would later define his military career. Born in Southampton, England, Crabb joined the Royal Navy in 1926 and quickly excelled as a frogman, becoming one of the most skilled divers in the British military. In the 1940s, he was recruited by MI6 to conduct underwater reconnaissance and sabotage missions during World War II. Crabb's most notable mission involved the successful sabotage of the German battleship Tirpitz in Norway in 1942. However, Crabb's military career took a mysterious turn in April 1956, when he disappeared during a reconnaissance mission investigating the Soviet cruiser Ordzhonikidze in Portsmouth Harbour. Despite an extensive search, a body was found months later, but it was difficult to identify due to the missing head and hands. The circumstances surrounding Crabb's disappearance and the discovery of the body have fueled speculation and conspiracy theories, with some suggesting that he may have been a double agent working for the Soviet Union. Despite the unanswered questions surrounding his death, Crabb's legacy as a British hero and pioneering frogman lives on. This photograph serves as a poignant reminder of his multifaceted life, blending the daring exploits of a military operative with the simple pleasures of civilian life.
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