John Keir
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant General Sir John Lindesay Keir KCB
(6 July 1856 – 3 May 1937) was a British Army
officer during the Boer War
and the First World War. After early service in the Royal Artillery
, he commanded the 6th Division in the British Expeditionary Force when it was mobilised in 1914, and was later promoted to lead VI Corps
on the Western Front
. However, he was relieved of command in 1916 after a personal spat with his commanding officer, and forced to retire.
in February 1876. He was posted to a Royal Field Artillery
battery in India, and after six years was awarded his "jacket" and transferred to the Royal Horse Artillery
. In 1884, promoted to captain, he returned to the RFA. He had become a skilled rider in the artillery, and whilst he was too heavy to compete in traditional horseracing, he participated in point to point racing and similar events. After attending the School of Gunnery he entered the Staff College
in 1892, and passed out, newly promoted to major, to command a field battery in England. He later transferred back to the RHA, where he was commanding a battery at the outbreak of the Boer War
in October 1899.
His battery was not sent out with the expeditionary force, and he remained at home during the early stages of the war. However, in early 1901 he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and offered command of the 1st Battalion of the newly formed Imperial Yeomanry
, volunteer mounted infantry being raised for service in South Africa. He commanded the battalion for several months along the Orange River
, and in December 1901 was assigned to command the Royal Artillery Mounted Rifles, a similar force drawn from regular artillerymen; he remained with this unit until the end of the war, receiving a brevet
colonelcy. For his services in South Africa, he was mentioned in despatches as well as awarded the Queen's medal
with five clasps.
After the war, he was posted to India, where he was formally promoted to colonel and appointed an Assistant Adjutant-General. In 1907, he was given the command of a brigade at Allahabad
, promoted to major-general in 1909, and returned home in 1911. In July 1912 he was given command of the South Midland Division, part of the Territorial Force
, and remained with them until July 1914, when he was transferred to take command of the 6th Division, a Regular Army formation based in Ireland.
; later in the year, he commanded it at the Battle of Armentieres
. In mid-1915, he was appointed to take command of the newly formed VI Corps (United Kingdom)
, which saw some action during the Battle of Loos
in September. In December, his corps was attacked with phosgene
, the first time this form of chemical warfare was used.
On 8 August 1916, he was relieved of his command; whilst officially described as due to exhaustion or illness, the cause of this was a personal dispute between Keir and Edmund Allenby, his commanding general in Third Army; Allenby was notorious for his overbearing manner, and had gained the nickname "the Bull" for the manner in which he treated his subordinates. Keir had finally complained to Douglas Haig
, commander of the Expeditionary Force, and as a result was nicknamed "the Matador" - the man who could handle "the Bull". However, Allenby took his revenge by officially complaining about Keir's front-line preparations; Haig supported Allenby, despite Keir's threats to appeal to higher authority, and Keir was sent home in some disgrace. He was never given further command, and spent the remainder of the war fulminating about the role of privileged "cavalry generals", who he argued held a disproportionate amount of senior posts when compared to infantrymen, artillerists or engineers. He formally retired from the Army in July 1918, and published his memoir of the war, A Soldier's-Eye View, the following year.
As well as his knighthood, which he had received with his promotion in 1915, he was awarded the Medaille Militare and appointed a Grand Officer of the Belgian Order of the Crown
. In retirement, he served as a Deputy Lieutenant
and Justice of the Peace
for Warwickshire
.
Order of the Bath
The Most Honourable Order of the Bath is a British order of chivalry founded by George I on 18 May 1725. The name derives from the elaborate mediæval ceremony for creating a knight, which involved bathing as one of its elements. The knights so created were known as Knights of the Bath...
(6 July 1856 – 3 May 1937) was a British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
officer during the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
and the First World War. After early service in the Royal Artillery
Royal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
, he commanded the 6th Division in the British Expeditionary Force when it was mobilised in 1914, and was later promoted to lead VI Corps
VI Corps (United Kingdom)
VI Corps was an army corps of the British Army in World War I. It was first organised in June 1915 and fought throughout on the Western Front.-Prior to World War I:...
on the Western Front
Western Front (World War I)
Following the outbreak of World War I in 1914, the German Army opened the Western Front by first invading Luxembourg and Belgium, then gaining military control of important industrial regions in France. The tide of the advance was dramatically turned with the Battle of the Marne...
. However, he was relieved of command in 1916 after a personal spat with his commanding officer, and forced to retire.
Early career
After being educated at Wimbledon School, Keir studied at the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, from where he joined the Royal ArtilleryRoyal Artillery
The Royal Regiment of Artillery, commonly referred to as the Royal Artillery , is the artillery arm of the British Army. Despite its name, it comprises a number of regiments.-History:...
in February 1876. He was posted to a Royal Field Artillery
Royal Field Artillery
The Royal Field Artillery of the British Army provided artillery support for the British Army. It came into being when the Royal Artillery was divided on 1 July 1899, it was reamalgamated back into the Royal Artillery in 1924....
battery in India, and after six years was awarded his "jacket" and transferred to the Royal Horse Artillery
Royal Horse Artillery
The regiments of the Royal Horse Artillery , dating from 1793, are part of the Royal Regiment of Artillery of the British Army...
. In 1884, promoted to captain, he returned to the RFA. He had become a skilled rider in the artillery, and whilst he was too heavy to compete in traditional horseracing, he participated in point to point racing and similar events. After attending the School of Gunnery he entered the Staff College
Staff college
Staff colleges train military officers in the administrative, staff and policy aspects of their profession. It is usual for such training to occur at several levels in a career...
in 1892, and passed out, newly promoted to major, to command a field battery in England. He later transferred back to the RHA, where he was commanding a battery at the outbreak of the Boer War
Boer War
The Boer Wars were two wars fought between the British Empire and the two independent Boer republics, the Oranje Vrijstaat and the Republiek van Transvaal ....
in October 1899.
His battery was not sent out with the expeditionary force, and he remained at home during the early stages of the war. However, in early 1901 he was promoted to lieutenant-colonel and offered command of the 1st Battalion of the newly formed Imperial Yeomanry
Imperial Yeomanry
The Imperial Yeomanry was a British volunteer cavalry regiment that mainly saw action during the Second Boer War. Officially created on 24 December 1899, the regiment was based on members of standing Yeomanry regiments, but also contained a large contingent of mid-upper class English volunteers. In...
, volunteer mounted infantry being raised for service in South Africa. He commanded the battalion for several months along the Orange River
Orange River
The Orange River , Gariep River, Groote River or Senqu River is the longest river in South Africa. It rises in the Drakensberg mountains in Lesotho, flowing westwards through South Africa to the Atlantic Ocean...
, and in December 1901 was assigned to command the Royal Artillery Mounted Rifles, a similar force drawn from regular artillerymen; he remained with this unit until the end of the war, receiving a brevet
Brevet (military)
In many of the world's military establishments, brevet referred to a warrant authorizing a commissioned officer to hold a higher rank temporarily, but usually without receiving the pay of that higher rank except when actually serving in that role. An officer so promoted may be referred to as being...
colonelcy. For his services in South Africa, he was mentioned in despatches as well as awarded the Queen's medal
Queen's South Africa Medal
The Queen's South Africa Medal was awarded to military personnel who served in the Boer War in South Africa between 11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902. Units from the British Army, Royal Navy, colonial forces who took part , civilians employed in official capacity and war correspondents...
with five clasps.
After the war, he was posted to India, where he was formally promoted to colonel and appointed an Assistant Adjutant-General. In 1907, he was given the command of a brigade at Allahabad
Allahabad
Allahabad , or Settled by God in Persian, is a major city of India and is one of the main holy cities of Hinduism. It was renamed by the Mughals from the ancient name of Prayaga , and is by some accounts the second-oldest city in India. It is located in the north Indian state of Uttar Pradesh,...
, promoted to major-general in 1909, and returned home in 1911. In July 1912 he was given command of the South Midland Division, part of the Territorial Force
Territorial Force
The Territorial Force was the volunteer reserve component of the British Army from 1908 to 1920, when it became the Territorial Army.-Origins:...
, and remained with them until July 1914, when he was transferred to take command of the 6th Division, a Regular Army formation based in Ireland.
Senior command
Keir had hardly been in command of his new division for a month when the First World War broke out, and it was mobilised as part of the British Expeditionary Force for service on the Continent. However, the original plan of sending six divisions to France was altered due to fears of German landings in the United Kingdom, and the 6th spent the first month of the war in reserve in East Anglia. It landed in France in September, and immediately saw service at the Battle of the AisneFirst Battle of the Aisne
The First Battle of the Aisne was the Allied follow-up offensive against the right wing of the German First Army & Second Army as they retreated after the First Battle of the Marne earlier in September 1914...
; later in the year, he commanded it at the Battle of Armentieres
Battle of Armentières
This battle was part of Race to Sea campaign. During this battle the British successfully held the line in their sector, against repeated German assaults.To the south it merged into the battle of La Bassée, to the north into the battle of Messines....
. In mid-1915, he was appointed to take command of the newly formed VI Corps (United Kingdom)
VI Corps (United Kingdom)
VI Corps was an army corps of the British Army in World War I. It was first organised in June 1915 and fought throughout on the Western Front.-Prior to World War I:...
, which saw some action during the Battle of Loos
Battle of Loos
The Battle of Loos was one of the major British offensives mounted on the Western Front in 1915 during World War I. It marked the first time the British used poison gas during the war, and is also famous for the fact that it witnessed the first large-scale use of 'new' or Kitchener's Army...
in September. In December, his corps was attacked with phosgene
Phosgene
Phosgene is the chemical compound with the formula COCl2. This colorless gas gained infamy as a chemical weapon during World War I. It is also a valued industrial reagent and building block in synthesis of pharmaceuticals and other organic compounds. In low concentrations, its odor resembles...
, the first time this form of chemical warfare was used.
On 8 August 1916, he was relieved of his command; whilst officially described as due to exhaustion or illness, the cause of this was a personal dispute between Keir and Edmund Allenby, his commanding general in Third Army; Allenby was notorious for his overbearing manner, and had gained the nickname "the Bull" for the manner in which he treated his subordinates. Keir had finally complained to Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig
Douglas Haig, 1st Earl Haig was a British soldier and senior commander during World War I.Douglas Haig may also refer to:* Club Atlético Douglas Haig, a football club from Argentina* Douglas Haig , American actor...
, commander of the Expeditionary Force, and as a result was nicknamed "the Matador" - the man who could handle "the Bull". However, Allenby took his revenge by officially complaining about Keir's front-line preparations; Haig supported Allenby, despite Keir's threats to appeal to higher authority, and Keir was sent home in some disgrace. He was never given further command, and spent the remainder of the war fulminating about the role of privileged "cavalry generals", who he argued held a disproportionate amount of senior posts when compared to infantrymen, artillerists or engineers. He formally retired from the Army in July 1918, and published his memoir of the war, A Soldier's-Eye View, the following year.
As well as his knighthood, which he had received with his promotion in 1915, he was awarded the Medaille Militare and appointed a Grand Officer of the Belgian Order of the Crown
Order of the Crown (Belgium)
The Order of the Crown is an Order of Belgium which was created on 15 October 1897 by King Leopold II in his capacity as ruler of the Congo Free State. The order was first intended to recognize heroic deeds and distinguished service achieved from service in the Congo Free State - many of which acts...
. In retirement, he served as a Deputy Lieutenant
Deputy Lieutenant
In the United Kingdom, a Deputy Lieutenant is one of several deputies to the Lord Lieutenant of a lieutenancy area; an English ceremonial county, Welsh preserved county, Scottish lieutenancy area, or Northern Irish county borough or county....
and Justice of the Peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
for Warwickshire
Warwickshire
Warwickshire is a landlocked non-metropolitan county in the West Midlands region of England. The county town is Warwick, although the largest town is Nuneaton. The county is famous for being the birthplace of William Shakespeare...
.