John Sherwood-Kelly

Few soldiers of his generation compressed as much combat, controversy and personal courage into one career as John Sherwood-Kelly. Born on 13 January 1880 at Lady Frere in the Cape Colony, he grew up in a household with strong military associations. His father, Captain John James Kelly, was an Irish veteran of the Frontier Armed and Mounted Police who later held local appointments and received a Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal for lifesaving. Sherwood-Kelly's childhood was marked by the deaths of his mother when he was twelve and his twin brother the following year. He attended Queenstown Grammar School, Dale College and St Andrew's College in Grahamstown, but his rebellious temperament resulted in his expulsion from all three schools.

At sixteen, Sherwood-Kelly enlisted in the British South Africa Police and saw active service during the Matabele Revolt of 1896 in Rhodesia. His service in this campaign was later represented in his medal group by the British South Africa Company Medal for Rhodesia 1896, rather than an 1893 Matabeleland entitlement. After being dismissed from the police for insubordination shortly before the Second Boer War, he joined the Southern Rhodesia Volunteers and served as a trooper with Colonel Plumer's column during the operations culminating in the Relief of Mafeking. On 8 January 1901 he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Imperial Light Horse and subsequently served as a Lieutenant with Kitchener's Fighting Scouts. Operations in Rhodesia, the Orange Free State and the Transvaal brought him two Mentions in Despatches, although another disciplinary episode saw him reduced to the ranks in May 1902.

After the South African War he volunteered for the Third Somaliland Expedition against the forces of Haji Muhammad Abdullah Hassan, serving with the Somaliland Burgher Corps from 1902 into 1903. He was promoted to sergeant during the campaign, but in 1904 was again reduced to trooper following disciplinary trouble. Returning to South Africa, he worked as a trader and in labour recruitment in the Transkei and Butterworth districts, while also seeing further active service during the Bambatha Rebellion of 1906.

The worsening Home Rule crisis drew Sherwood-Kelly and his brother Edward to Ireland, where they joined the Ulster Volunteer Force. By July 1914 they had moved to London. Sherwood-Kelly joined the 2nd Battalion, King Edward's Horse, and his extensive previous combat experience soon brought commissioned rank. In November 1914 he was appointed temporary major in the 10th Battalion, Norfolk Regiment. The London Gazette confirms that appointment from 10 November 1914.

In July 1915 he transferred to the King's Own Scottish Borderers and went to Gallipoli. He distinguished himself during the fighting around Chocolate Hill at Suvla in August, where his conspicuous personal courage helped earn him the Distinguished Service Order. He later became known as "Bomb Kelly" for his enthusiasm for trench raiding and the use of Mills bombs. After the death of the battalion's commanding officer, Sherwood-Kelly assumed command of the 1st Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers on 28 October 1915. His DSO was formally gazetted on 2 February 1916, when he was listed as Temporary Major John Sherwood-Kelly of the Norfolk Regiment.

Early in 1916 Sherwood-Kelly went to the Western Front and briefly commanded the 1st Battalion, Essex Regiment. On 4 June 1916 he was shot through the left lung, a serious wound that removed him from front-line service for much of the remainder of the year. After recuperation and a recruiting tour in South Africa, he returned to Britain. In November he was posted to the 3rd Battalion, King's Own Scottish Borderers and subsequently sought transfer back to the Norfolk Regiment. The specialist battalion-command history supports the sequence from the 1st Essex in early 1916 to the 1st Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers the following year.

On 1 January 1917 Sherwood-Kelly was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George, CMG. He was not a Knight Grand Cross. In early 1917 he assumed command of the 1st Battalion, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers while retaining his regimental connection with the Norfolk Regiment. By the Battle of Cambrai he was serving as an Acting Lieutenant-Colonel commanding the Inniskillings.

On 20 November 1917, during the opening of the Battle of Cambrai near Marcoing, Sherwood-Kelly personally led his battalion across the Canal de Saint-Quentin under heavy fire. After crossing, he reconnoitred the enemy-held ground, moved to a flank where thick wire had halted the advance, forced his way through with a Lewis-gun team and established covering fire that enabled his men to continue. He later personally led an attack on enemy positions, capturing five machine guns and forty-six prisoners. His leadership throughout the action resulted in the award of the Victoria Cross. The award appeared in London Gazette issue 30471 in January 1918.

King George V presented Sherwood-Kelly with the Victoria Cross at Buckingham Palace on 23 January 1918. By then his honours included the Victoria Cross, the Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George and the Distinguished Service Order, together with campaign medals reflecting service from Rhodesia and the South African War through Somaliland and the First World War. His surviving group includes the British South Africa Company Medal associated with Rhodesia 1896, the Queen's South Africa Medal with four clasps, the King's South Africa Medal with two clasps, the Africa General Service Medal with Somaliland 1902-04 clasp, the 1914-15 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal with Mention in Despatches oak leaf.

In 1919 Sherwood-Kelly volunteered for the Allied intervention in North Russia, taking command of the 2nd Battalion, Hampshire Regiment and later serving with forces on the railway front. His relations with senior command deteriorated amid disagreements over operations against Bolshevik forces and a proposed gas-supported raid. After returning to Britain he publicly criticised aspects of the North Russian campaign in letters to the Daily Express and Sunday Express.

Sherwood-Kelly was arrested on 13 October 1919 and tried by court martial at Westminster Guildhall on 28 October 1919 for communicating his views on military matters to the press without authority. He pleaded guilty and received a severe reprimand. He relinquished his commission shortly afterwards and was permitted to retain the honorary rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. The 28 October date is independently supported by the Royal Irish regimental museum and is more credible than the 6 October date given by VictoriaCrossOnline, since 6 October was one of the dates of the press correspondence forming part of the case.

Sherwood-Kelly spent his later years in Britain and abroad, including work connected with Bolivia Concessions Limited. After contracting malaria, he returned to London and died in a Kensington nursing home on 18 August 1931, aged fifty-one. Both the Australian War Memorial and contemporary reporting support 18 August as the death date. He was buried with military honours at Brookwood Cemetery in Surrey. His Victoria Cross and medal group are preserved in Johannesburg at the South African National Museum of Military History.