Charles Keightley

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Sir Charles Frederic Keightley
Charleskeightley.jpg
Sir Charles Keightley in 1949
Born (1901-06-24)24 June 1901
Died Script error: The function "death_date_and_age" does not exist.
Allegiance  United Kingdom
Service/branch  British Army
Years of service 1921–1957
Rank General
Commands held 30th Armoured Brigade
11th Armoured Division
6th Armoured Division
78th Infantry Division
V Corps
British Army of the Rhine
Far East Land Forces
Gibraltar
Battles/wars Second World War
Awards Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath[1]
Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the British Empire[2]
Distinguished Service Order[3]
Mentioned in Despatches (2)[4][5]
Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour (France)[6]
Commander of the Legion of Merit (United States)[7][8]
Other work Governor of Gibraltar
Deputy Lieutenant of the county of Dorset.[9]

General Sir Charles Frederic Keightley GCB, GBE, DSO, DL, , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , (24 June 1901 – 17 June 1974) was a senior British Army officer during and following the Second World War. Between 1958 and 1962 he was the Governor of Gibraltar.

Early life and career

Keightley was born in 1901 and, graduating from the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, was commissioned as a 2nd lieutenant in December 1921 into the 5th Dragoon Guards (Princess Charlotte of Wales's)[10] which through amalgamation with the [6th Inniskilling Dragoons] became 5th/6th Dragoons the following year. He was promoted lieutenant at the end of 1923[11] and captain in April 1932,[12] having served three years as the regiment's adjutant.[13][14] He attended Staff College, Camberley from January 1935[15] and after a staff posting was in October 1937 appointed brigade major of a mechanized cavalry brigade in Egypt.[16] He was able, however, in November to take part in the coronation of King George VI in London as a member of the procession accompanying the King and Queen.[17] In September 1938 his brigade became part of the new Mobile Division in Egypt commanded by the influential Percy Hobart.[18]

Keightley was able to benefit from Hobart's tutelage for only a brief period and having been promoted to the rank of major he was appointed in December 1938 an instructor at the Staff College, Camberley with a local rank of lieutenant colonel.[19]

Second World War

In 1940, he was appointed as Assistant Adjutant & Quartermaster General (chief administrative officer) of the 1st Armoured Division during that division's deployment to France. After the evacuation from France the division reformed in back in England[18] and on 13 May 1941, Keightley on promotion to acting brigadier was given command of the 30th Armoured Brigade, part of 11th Armoured Division by this time commanded by Percy Hobart. He was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire in July 1941.[20]

In late December 1941 he was promoted to acting major-general[21] to become Commandant of the Royal Armoured Corps Training Establishment. After only five months in this job he was briefly given command on 21 April 1942 of the 11th Armoured Division, which was then based in the United Kingdom and then on 19 May 1942 went to command the 6th Armoured Division, and commanded that division in the Tunisia Campaign and afterwards in the Italian Campaign. He was made a Companion of the Order of the Bath for his services in Tunisia and also was awarded the Legion of Merit by the United States government.[22][23] His permanent rank was advanced from major to lieutenant colonel in September 1943[24] and again to colonel in April 1944.[25]

In December 1943, he swapped commands with Major-General Vyvyan Evelegh the General Officer Commanding 78th Infantry Division which was also serving fighting in Italy and which became his first infantry command. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Order in August 1944 and his success as a commander of both armoured and infantry divisions led to his promotion in August 1944 to acting lieutenant-general[26] when he was given command of British Eighth Army's V Corps in Italy. At the age of just 42 he was the youngest British Army officer to command a corps in action during the war.[27] He commanded this corps during Operation Olive, the offensive on the Gothic Line in the autumn of 1944, and also during the final spring offensive in April 1945, when it took a lead role in forcing the Argenta Gap. The Corps moved into Austria with the surrender of the German Forces and forces that were fighting on the German site. On 8 May 1945, he signed a demarcation agreement with the Bulgarian First Army's Commander General Vladimir Stoychev in Klagenfurt.

In East Tyrol and Carinthia, Keightley's army received the surrender of the "Lienz Cossacks" under their leaders Peter Krasnov, Kelech Ghirey, and Andrei Shkuro and the XVth SS Cossack Cavalry Corps under Helmuth von Pannwitz. At the Yalta Conference, the British committed themselves to return Soviet citizens to the Soviet Union. After consulation with Harold Macmillan Keightley proceeded to hand over these prisoners and their families regardless of their nationality, including people with French, German, Yugoslav, or Nansen passports. The prisoners were delivered by deceit and force to SMERSH at Judenburg; many were executed immediately, the remainder sent to the Gulag.[28]

In mid-1945, Keightley was appointed Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire,[29] and nominated to lead a proposed "Commonwealth Corps" during Operation Coronet, the second stage of a planned invasion of Japan. The corps was to have been made up of infantry divisions from the Australian, British and Canadian armies. However, the Australian government objected to the appointment of an officer with no experience fighting the Japanese and the war ended before the details of the corps were finalised.

Post-war

In 1946, Keightley left Austria and reverted to his permanent rank of major-general (to which he had received promotion in February 1945),[30] to become Director of Military Training at the War Office. In 1948, he became the Military Secretary to the Secretary State of War, gaining the permanent rank of lieutenant-general.[31] On 21 September 1949, he assumed command of the British Army of the Rhine in Germany[32] relinquishing the role in April 1951.[33] He was appointed a Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath during his time in the post.[34]

In May 1951, he became the Commander in Chief, Far East Land Forces[35] in the rank of general. In September 1953, he was appointed Commander in Chief Middle East Land Forces.[36] Also in 1953 Keightley received the honorary appointment of Aide-de-Camp General to the Queen for a three-year tenure.[37][38] His tenure at Middle East Land Forces included the period of the Suez Crisis and Keightley was C-in-C of Operation Musketeer in 1956.[39] For his services during the period October to December 1956 he was advanced to Knight Grand Cross in the Order of the British Empire and also received the Legion of Honour (Grand Officer) from the French government. In January 1957 he relinquished his Middle East command[40] and retired from the army that August.[41]

From 23 November 1947 to 23 November 1957,[42] he held the honorary post of Colonel of the 5th Royal Inniskilling Dragoon Guards. He also held the honorary post of Colonel Commandant, Royal Armoured Corps, Cavalry Wing until April 1968.[43]

In retirement Keightley was appointed Governor and Commander in Chief, Gibraltar, a post he held from May 1958[44] until October 1962 when he retired from the army a second time since his role as Commander in Chief, although not paid for out of the army's budget, had technically returned him to active duty.[45] From 1963 he was appointed Member of the Royal Patriotic Fund Corporation.[46][47] He died in 1974.

Keightley Way, a road and tunnel in Gibraltar was named in his honour.[48]

Career summary

  • Commissioned into 5th/6th Dragoons 1921
  • Brigade Major, Mechanized Cavalry Brigade, Egypt 1937–1938[49]
  • Instructor at Staff College, Camberley 1938–1940
  • Assistant Adjutant & Quartermaster-General 1st Armoured Division, France 1940
  • Commanding Officer 30th Armoured Brigade 1941
  • Commandant of Royal Armoured Corps Training Establishment 1942
  • General Officer Commanding 11th Armoured Division 1942
  • General Officer Commanding 6th Armoured Division, North Africa 1942–1943
  • General Officer Commanding 78th Infantry Division, Italy 1943–1944
  • General Officer Commanding V Corps, Italy 1944–1945
  • Director of Military Training, War Office 1946–1947
  • Military Secretary to Secretary of State of War 1948
  • Commander in Chief British Army of the Rhine, Germany 1949–1951
  • Commander in Chief Far East Land Forces 1951–1953
  • Commander in Chief Middle East Land Forces 1953–1957
  • Aide-de-Camp General to the Queen 1953–1956
  • Governor & Commander in Chief of Gibraltar 1958–1962

Publications

See also

Notes

  1. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39863. p. 2942. 26 May 1953. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  2. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 41092. p. 719. 4 June 1957. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  3. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 36637. p. 3605. 1 August 1944. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  4. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35020. p. 7175. 20 December 1940. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  5. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37368. p. 5791. 27 November 1945. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  6. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 41359. p. 2357. 11 April 1958. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  7. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 36125. p. 3579. 6 August 1943. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
  8. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37961. p. 2287. 20 May 1947. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  9. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 45225. p. 12069. 3 November 1970. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  10. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 32589. p. 724. 26 January 1922. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  11. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 32892. p. 9107. 28 December 1923. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  12. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 33820. p. 2719. 26 April 1932. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  13. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 33489. p. 2763. 26 April 1929. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  14. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 33822. p. 2888. 3 May 1932. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  15. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 34126. p. 547. 22 January 1935. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  16. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 34446. p. 6511. 22 October 1937. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  17. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 34453. p. 7033. 10 November 1937. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  18. ↑ 18.0 18.1 Mead 2007, p. 227.
  19. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 34580. p. 7996. 16 December 1938. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  20. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35204. p. 3739. 27 June 1941. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  21. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 35406. p. 129. 2 January 1942. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  22. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 36120. p. 3521. 3 August 1943. Retrieved 2008-08-01.
  23. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 36125. p. 3579. 6 August 1943. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  24. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 36160. p. 3965. 3 September 1943. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  25. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 36509. p. 2171. 9 May 1944. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  26. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 36669. p. 3941. 22 August 1944. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  27. ↑ Mead 2007, p. 229.
  28. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  29. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 37161. p. 3490. 3 July 1945. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  30. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 36940. p. 917. 13 February 1945. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  31. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 38197. p. 889. 3 February 1948. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  32. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 38794. p. 6161. 30 December 1949. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  33. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39231. p. 2797. 18 May 1951. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  34. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 38929. p. 2776. 2 June 1950. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  35. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39249. p. 3109. 1 June 1951. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  36. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39977. p. 4249. 2 October 1953. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  37. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 39930. p. 4249. 31 July 1953. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  38. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 40833. p. 4191. 17 July 1956. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  39. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  40. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 40990. p. 719. 29 January 1957. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  41. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 41158. p. 5033. 23 August 1957. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  42. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 41232. p. 6773. 19 November 1957. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  43. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 44558. p. 3864. 29 March 1968. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  44. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 41441. p. 5327. 8 July 1958. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  45. ↑ The London Gazette: (Supplement) no. 42813. p. 8265. 19 October 1962. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  46. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 43041. p. 5535. 28 June 1963. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  47. ↑ The London Gazette: no. 45667. p. 5536. 9 May 1972. Retrieved 2 September 2013.
  48. ↑ Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
  49. ↑ Mead, p. 227

References

  • Lua error in package.lua at line 80: module 'strict' not found.
Military offices
Preceded by GOC 11th Armoured Division
April 1942 – May 1942		 Succeeded by
Percy Hobart
Preceded by GOC 6th Armoured Division
May 1942 – December 1943		 Succeeded by
Vyvyan Evelegh
Preceded by GOC, V Corps
1944–1945		 Succeeded by
Post Disbanded
Preceded by Military Secretary
1948		 Succeeded by
Sir Robert Mansergh
Preceded by Commander-in-Chief of the British Army of the Rhine
1948–1951		 Succeeded by
Sir John Harding
Preceded by C-in-C Far East Land Forces
1951–1953		 Succeeded by
Sir Charles Loewen
Preceded by C-in-C Middle East Land Forces
1953–1957		 Succeeded by
Sir Geoffrey Bourne
Government offices
Preceded by Governor of Gibraltar
1958–1962		 Succeeded by
Sir Alfred Ward
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