FAMOUS SOLDIER’S DEATH

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 74, Issue 243, 14 October 1931, Page 6

FAMOUS SOLDIER’S DEATH

WINNER OF VICTORIA CROSS WHY HE LEFT THE ARMY •FEARLESS KELLY UFCAMBEAL” The death uf Lieut.-Colonel Juhn Sherwood-Kelly, V.C., in a nursing home at Kensington, London, recently has ended the career of one of the outstanding figures of the war. “Fearless Kelly’ 1 was the nickname that Colonci Sherwood-Kelly was known by in wartime. He won the V.C. at Cambrai for an act which was destribed as “of most conspicuous brav?ry. M It was one of the really great deeds of the war. Colonel Sherwood-Kelly was commanding a battalion of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, when a party of men "f another unit detailed to cover the of the C8A&1 by his battalion •were held up by heavy rifle fire. Without a second’s thought of his uwn safety, he the lead of his battalion and ordered “covering fire.’’ He led his troops across th«* canal, under a merciless hail of rifle and maehinc-gun fire. The left flank of his battalion was held ur by a thick belt of wire. He fought his way along with, a Lewis gun team, against all obstacles, got his gun in position, covered the advance of his battalion through the wire, and thus enabled them to cap turn the posi.' »n. Colonel Sherwood-Kelly, who vax born In 1880. served in the South African War, and was promoted ou the field for braverr mentioned in des-

patches, and was awarded four clasps to his Queen’s Medal, and two clasps to his King’s Medal. He was wounded five times in the Great War. An episode in Colonel SherwoodKelly’s career after the war brought his name once more into prominence. He was sent to North Russia, after the Armistice, and when he came back to England he wrote his famous letter to the Daily Express criticising the conduct of the military operations I there. 1 The publication of tills letter created a tremendous sensation all over the country. Questions were asked in the House, and Mi Winston Churchill, then ►Secretary of State for War, announced that Colonel Sherwood-Kelly had been removed from his command at Archangel by Lord Rawlinson for a serious offence under the Army Act. His next move was the “open’’ arrest of the colone’ by Horse Guards for contravening the King’s Regulations by writing to the Press on military matters. Later in the day he was released “without prejudice.” On October 28, 1929, Colonel Sher-wood-Kelly faced a court-martial in the Middlesex Guildhall. He pleaded guilty to the charge of contravening [the King’s Regulations, but when asked if he had anything to say, made a dramatic speech. He contended that, the offence in writing to the Daily ; Express was purely technical. “Loyalty to the Throne is with me a paramount ideal,” Colonel Sherwood Kelly said. “I have sacrificed every thing to carry those ideals into action. ”

The colonel bowed to hi.s judges aml marched out of the Court under his escort to await sentence. The sentence was “Severely reprimanded.” A few weeks later Colonel Sherwood

Kelly—“ Fearless Kelly of Cambrai” —left the Army. Friend’s Striking Tribute A personal friend of the deceased ays:— “Colonel Sherwood*-Kelly was a man if splendid appearance, tall and commanding. He was one of those in the war who laced death in the most fearless way, so that his men would follow him anywhere. Many a time in France he walked up and down outside the ' reach, showing his men where they might have to go ho was ready to go. “Of late years Colonel SherwoodKelly did a good deal of public speaking at political meetings, and seldom lid ho leave the hall without some humble comrade of the war coming up to him to shako hi.s hand. He was also . wonderful player of ball games—- ■ ricket, golf, lawn tennis and billiards.

On one occasion a friend took him to Hampton Court to play real tennis on Henry the Eighth’s court, and those who know that game also know how seldom a new player overcomes the difficulties of the service. Colonel Sherwood-Kelly, on the service being explained to him, mastered it at once, and the professional in charge said he had never seen a man play so •well in his first game.”