Colonel J B H Kealy DSO DL
November 1943. He commanded the 5th Battalion from October 1947 to December 1950.
John Basley Hope Kealy was born on 16th May 1907 and educated at Marlborough and the RMC Sandhurst where he was a senior under-officer. He was commissioned in The Queen's Royal Regiment in January 1927 and served with the 1st Battalion in Hong Kong, Malta and North China. He was adjutant at the Depot from 1932 to 1934 and was seconded to 5th Bn The King's African Rifles from 1935 to 1937.
He was adjutant of the Army School of Physical Training from 1938 to 1940 and then attended the Staff College, Camberley.
In 1941 he was Air Liaison Officer 12 Corps with 26th Squadron RAF at Gatwick and GSO II Air Support 2 Bomber Group in 1941-42. In 1942 he was posted to the 2/7th Battalion as second-in-command when 56th Division went to the Middle East.
From 30th April 1943 he commanded the 2/6th Battalion after its commanding officer had been killed at Enfidaville until in November 1943 when he was severely wounded at Camino in Italy. For his fine leadership of the Battalion he was awarded the DSO.
In 1944 he was Mentioned in Despatches for his services in the Middle East. From 1944 he was GSO II and later GSO I of M T 4 in the War Office dealing with officer training and was responsible for the amalgamation of Woolwich and Sandhurst into the Royal Military Academy Sandhurst. From October 1947 to December 1950 he commanded the 5th Battalion and retired from the Army on 20th April 1951. He then became Secretary of the Sussex Territorial and Auxiliary Forces Association. In 1956 he was 'Honorary Colonel of the 5th Battalion and on amalgamation in 1961 was Honorary Colonel of 3rd Bn The Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment until April 1967. See J M A Tamplin's The Lambeth and Southwark Volunteers page 312.
He died on 24th November 1990.
« Previous 
Back to list Next »
