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About
209631A/Lt.Col. John Sherwood Kelly VC, DSO, MID.
British Army att. 1st Btn Royal Iniskilling Fusiliers Norfolk Regiment
from:South Africa
Jack Sherwood Kelly was wounded four-times-wounded with a combat record going back to the 1896 Matabele Revolt. At 16 he fought in Matebeleland. He joined the Cape Mounted Police and was at the Relief of Mafeking, South Africa. He joined the Somaliland Burgher Corps fighting the "Mad Mullah" in Somaliland. In 1906 he toko part in the Zulu Rebellion. He married Nellie and prior to the outbreak of the First World War, he was housemaster at Langley School and a member of the Territorial Army.
At Gallipoli, he commanded a regular army Scottish battalion. He was 37 years old, and an Acting Lieutenant-Colonel in the Norfolk Regiment, British Army, Commanding the 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers when he was awarded the VC.
"On 20th of November 1917 during the Battle of Cambrai at Marcoing, France, when a party of men were held upon the near side of a canal by heavy rifle fire, Lieutenant Colonel Sherwood Kelly at once ordered covering fire, personally led his leading company across the canal and then reconnoitered, under heavy fire, the high ground held by the enemy. He took a Lewis gun team, forced his way through obstacles and covered the advance of his battalion, enabling them to capture the position. Later he led a charge against some pits from which heavy fire was coming, capturing five machine-guns and 46 prisoners."
218486Pte. John Kelly
British Army 7th Battalion Royal Irish Regiment
from:Stoke on Trent
(d.22nd Aug 1918)
This is my Great Uncle John Kelly - his Sister Mary was my Nana. He had two brothers - Tom and Joe. John was born in 1900, a third child of Hugh and Elizabeth Kelly in Wolstanton, Burslem, Staffs. They lived nearby in 6 Grant Street, Cobridge, Stoke-on-Trent.
When the Great War stared, the Royal Dublin Fusiliers formed new service battalions which continued with the same service number series that was in use before the war. Due to this, it is possible to confirm that John enlisted in May 1915 at the Hanley Recruiting depot or via a recruiting officer. When he started his service with the Royal Dublin Fusiliers as a Private his service number was 20815. He must have been only 16 years old at this time. After his initial training in 1916, Private John Kelly was posted to the 2nd Battalion which was part of the 48th Brigade, 16th (Irish) Division from 15th November 1916.
It is impossible to say which battles John served in and when his next transfer took place but as his Medal Index Card and Victory medal/British War Medal roll states, he was posted to the 7th (South Irish Horse) Battalion, Royal Irish Regiment and his new regimental number was 26476. However, as 7th (SIH) Battalion War Diary from 1918 states, that they received reinforcements after their horrific casualties in March when the battalion was caught in the maelstrom of the German Kaiserschlacht (Kaiser's Battle) offensive. Extra men from Royal Dublin Fusiliers and Royal Munster Fusiliers arrived on the 1st May and 26th June and they were taken into the Battalion in Widdebroucq area, near Aire during July. Most likely Private Kelly was one of these reinforcements. At the end of July the BattalionĆ¢ā‚¬ā„¢s strength was 31 officers and 830 other ranks and ready for action. At this time they were part of the 49th Brigade, 16th (Irish) Division. On the 7th August they were moved into the front line moving from Oxelaere towards Boeschepe. Looks like then luck turned bad for John. On the 19th and 20th August the Battalion War Diary indicates 2 wounded, and on the 23rd August in the Boeschepe area 4 men killed and 3 wounded.
John Kelly most likely was one of these wounded and he was transported to the 62nd (1/2nd London) Clearing Station where he died of wounds on the 22nd August 1918. He was only 18 years old. He is buried Arneke British Cemetery in France, Grave Reference III.E.11 next to other 568 identified casualties.
1206272Cpl. John James Kelly
Australian Imperial Force 4th Div. Trench Mortar Bty. Australian Field Artillery
from:Redcastle, Victoria, Australia.
(d.6th May 1917)
John James Kelly died on 6th May 1917 aged 33 and is buried in the St Sever Cemetery extension in France. He was the son of John and Catherine Kelly. Native of Redcastle, Victoria, Australia.
221048Pte. John Kelly
British Army 8th Btn Royal Irish Rifles
from:7 Gibson Street, Belfast
John Kelly served with the 8th, 3rd and 36th Battalions of the Royal Irish Rifles.
221393Pte. John Kelly
British Army 1st Btn. Hampshire Regiment
from:St Helens
(d.22nd April 1918)
John Kelly was killed at Pacaut Wood and is buried at Mont Bernanchon Military Cemetery
245337Pte. John McKie Kelly
British Army 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders
from:Hamilton
(d.26th August 1918)
257602Pte. John Joseph Kelly
British Army 8th Btn. East Lancashire Regiment
from:Oswaldtwistle
John Kelly served with the 8th Battalion, East Lancashire Regiment in WW1. He was posted to France on 12th of April 1917 and was wounded for the first time on 31st of July 1917 and then again on 25th of September 1917. He was listed as wounded 26th of October 1917.
John was admitted as a casualty 6th of November 1917 and was medically discharged from the West Bridgeford Hospital, Nottingham 23rd of January 1918. He is listed as having disability V.D.H. and his pension of 27/6d was to be reviewed in 26 weeks.
John sadly passed away prematurely in 1938 due to inoperable wounding, he was aged 40 years.
232746Pte. Joseph Kelly
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
Enlisted 1914.Discharged 1916
1206335Pte. Joshua William Kelly
British Army 5th Btn Devonshire Regiment
from:Douglas, Isle of Man
Joss Kelly enlisted at Douglas on 20th of Feb 1917, aged 18 years 6 months. It was his second attempt at enlistment. He was 5' 3 1/2" and weighed 7 1/2 stone. The recruiting sergeant sent him away the first time, telling him he should come back when he'd grown a bit. He served in Palestine and France, where he was wounded at Rheims on 20th of Jul 1918. His record states: 'While advancing, a shell burst in close proximity and he was wounded in the leg'. Nature of Disability: 'Right foot [blown] off, stump gangrenous and full of maggots'. Treatment of Disability: 'Operation 24 Jul 1918, amputation [of right leg] 6 inches below [the] knee'. He was discharged as an invalid..
Like a lot of injured ex soldiers, he wasn't able to return to his profession as a Clothier's Assistant - his former employer wouldn't employ a cripple - so he made his living working various menial jobs. He was my great-grandfather. He lived to be 80. I suppose he was one of the lucky one's. He went over-the-top, aged 19, was blown up and left for dead three days in no-mans land. But he did at least survive.
232747Pte. M. Kelly
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
223138Sgt. Michael Kelly
British Army 1st Battalion Royal Irish Regiment
from:Kelly's lane, Kilkenny, Ireland
(d.26th Apr 1915)
Michael Kelly was the son of the late Joseph and Mary Kelly, of Kilkenny; husband of Bridget (nee Saunders) of Kilkenny
237324Able Sea. Michael Kelly
Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Drake Battalion
from:Cornamuckle, Ballymoe, Co. Galway
(d.14th Nov 1915)
Michael Kelly was the Son of Mrs. M. Kelly of Cornamuckle, Ballymoe. He is buried in the Ballinakill Graveyard, Co. Galway, Ireland.
241967L/Cpl. Michael Kelly
British Army 5th Btn. Royal Irish Regiment
(d.18th April 1915)
Lance Corporal Kelly is buried close to south boundary in the Newtown Forbes Old Graveyard, Clongesh, Co. Longford, Ireland.
263547L/Cpl. Michael Kelly
British Army 547th (Kent) Field Company Royal Engineers
After many years of research, I discovered that my paternal grandfather, Michael Kelly, was admitted to the Wakefield Asylum in August 1918 suffering from the effects of shell-shock. He spent the rest of his life in mental institutions dying in 1961. It was from his medical records I discovered his unit. The 547th (Kent) Field Company, RE did not arrive in France until June 1918 and the War Diary tells me they were not involved in any action in this period. I can surmise that he may have been wounded prior to June 1918 attached to a Tunneling Company, and they saw to his physical wounds before interning him into Wakefield in August.
Can anyone tell me of the Tunnelling Coy that the 547th may have seconded Sappers to?
500818Spr. Nathaniel Kelly
Australian Imperial Forces 1st Australian Tunnelling Coy.
(d.14th Sep 1917)
12055332nd Lt. Oscar Ralph Kelly
Royal Flying Corps 53rd Sqd.
(d.12th May 1917)
Oscar Kelly was commissioned into the Northumberland Fusiliers in 1916 and transferred to the RFC in May 1917. He was killed whilst on a photographic mission flying in an RE8 from Bailleul over the front lines near Messines, when his aircraft was shot down. He is buried at Oosttaverne Cemetery.
232748Pte. Patrick Kelly
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Felling
Patrick Kelly was wounded and admitted to Hospital in July 1916. He was discharged in 1917
232749Pte. Patrick Kelly
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Blaydon
(d.1st July 1916)
Patrick Kelly is named on the Thiepval Memorial
241710Pte. Patrick Kelly
Royal Air Force 5th Stores Depot
from:Tullamore
(d.25th October 1918)
Patrick Kelly was the son of James and Annie Kelly, of Foley's Lane, Tullamore. He was 18 when he died and is buried near the South-West corner of the Mucklagh Catholic Churchyard, Lynally, Co. Offaly, Ireland.
254724Pte. Patrick Joseph Kelly
British Army 5th Battalion Connaught Rangers
from:Dewsbury, Yorkshire
(d.8th Oct 1918)
225930Lt.Col. Philip Edward Kelly
British Army Royal Irish Fusiliers
from:Armagh, Co. Armagh
(d.11th Oct 1918)
Lt.Col. Philip Kelly was killed in action at Dardizeele, Flanders aged 29. He is remembered on the Kelly Memorial in St. PatrickĆ¢ā‚¬ā„¢s Cathedral, Armagh.
881L/Cpl. Robert William Kelly
Australian Imperial Forces 36th Btn.
from:Nowra, New South Wales
(d.10th Jun 1917)
219734Pte. Robert Angus Kelly
Australian Imperial Force 34th Btn.
from:Come-By-Chance, New South Wales
Robert Kelly was my great uncle. He enlisted in June 1916 & left Sydney on 25.11.16 on board the HMAT Beltana A72 & arrived in England on 29.1.17. He crossed over to France on 22.5.17. He was wounded in action (gunshot wound to the right elbow) on October 1st 1917, spending time in the 11th & 18th General Hospitals in Camiers before being transferred to England on Nov. 5th, to the #3 Military Hospital in Canterbury.
He was discharged from hospital on December 18th & left England for home on January 24 1918. He returned to the district where he grew up, married & had 5 children. He died on October 14th 1947 in Walgett NSW.
232750Pte. Samuel Kelly
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Gateshead
(d.1st July 1916)
Samuel Kelly is named on the Thiepval Memorial
2373122nd Lt. Terence O'Neil William Kelly
British Army 4th Btn. Gordon Highlanders
from:Aberdeen
(d.23rd April 1917)
Terence Kelly was born on 20th of August 1893, in Quetta, Balochistan, Pakistan, the only son of William and Ellen Mary. He married Vaurie Ross (Vaevria) Fraser in 1912 in Old Machar, Aberdeenshire. They had one child during their short marriage, Terence who was born 28th August 1917, four months after his father's death in France on 2nd of May 1917, at the age of 23. He was a 2nd Lieutenant with the 4th Battalion Gordon Highlanders, and his wounds were sustained in action on 23rd April. Prior to enlisting he was a mining engineer in South Africa.
232751Pte. Terry Kelly
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Winlaton
Terry Kelly enlisted in 1914
224058L/Cpl. Thomas Kelly
British Army 5th Btn. Dorsetshire Regiment
from:Peckham, Surrey
(d.16th Aug 1917)
232752Pte. Thomas Kelly
British Army 24th (Tyneside Irish) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers
from:Durham City
256010Pte. Thomas Kelly
British Army 9th Btn. Lancashire Fusiliers
from:Manchester
All we really know is that Thomas Kelly served in the Dardanelles, and Palestine, and Mesopotamia because I can remember my mother telling me, he brought a cross back from the Middle East. He also served in France. He was part of the 9th Lancashire Fusiliers which was part of the 34th Brigade Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in 1915.
261312Pte. Thomas Kelly
British Army 4th Btn. Seaforth Highlanders
from:Belfast
Thomas Kelly was wounded in September 1915 but was refused an army pension. He died on the 6th of April 1919
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