John “Jack” Sherwood-Kelly VC CMG DSO

b. 13/01/1880 Lady Frere, South Africa. d. 18/08/1931 London.

John “Jack” Sherwood-Kelly (1880-1931) was born at Lady Frere, Queenstown, Cape Province, South Africa, on 13th January 1880, the older twin of Hubert. He was born with the surname Kelly, Sherwood would be added later. His father, Captain John James Kelly was Irish, and served in the Frontier Armed and Mounted Police in 1868 and was one time Mayor of Lady Frere. He was also a local Native Law Agent with a good reputation. He also earned a Royal Humane Society Bronze Medal for saving ten lives when an Italian ship foundered in the Chintsa River. John senior married Emily Jane Didcott in 1877. Tragedy struck when John junior was just 12, when his mother was killed when driving a cart which overturned when her horse bolted. The loss of his mother had a profound effect on John junior for the rest of his life, as well as the loss of his twin brother who died in a riding accident aged 13. His father remarried to Selena Collins in 1894, having employed her as a governess and housekeeper originally. John junior had twelve siblings from his father’s two marriages.

John (also called “Jack”) attended the Queenstown Grammar School, Dale College in King William’s Town and St Andrew’s College in Grahamstown. At school John was keener on the outdoor activities such as horse riding and boxing, in which he excelled, than school work. John was expelled from all three educational establishments for rebellious and uncontrolled behaviour.

In 1896, age 16, John enlisted in the British South Africa Police (BSAP) and saw action in the Matabele revolt in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). He would be dismissed from the BSAP for insubordination two months before the outbreak of the 2nd Anglo Boer War (1899 – 1902). He enlisted in the Southern Rhodesia Volunteers and saw action as a Trooper in the Relief of Mafeking as a Private in Colonel Plumer’s Column.

On 8th January 1901 John was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Imperial Light Horse (ILH) and later joined Kitchener’s Fighting Scouts as a Lieutenant and saw action in Rhodesia, Orange Free State and Transvaal. He was twice mentioned in despatches during this time. He was also reduced to the ranks for insubordination in May 1902.

After the Anglo Boer War (1899 – 1902) John returned to civilian life were he worked in his father’s store, but this was not what John had in mind, he was a warrior at heart – and what he does next is an extraordinary journey which sees him take part in battles all over the world.

Having resigned his commission he volunteered to serve with the British forces again in Somaliland for the 3rd Expedition against Haji Muhammad Abdullah Hassan (known to the British as Mad Mullah) over the period November 1902 to July 1903.

South Africa sent a British Mounted Infantry Company (141 men) from the 4th Bn The King’s Royal Rifle Corps, commanded by Captain G.C. Shakerley, and a Boer Mounted Infantry Company, known as the Somaliland Burgher Corps (100 men) commanded by Captain W. Bonham DSO. The men brought their own horses and 50% spares for remounts. In a strange twist, John Sherwood-Kelly joined the Boer Corps. During the period he was promoted to the rank of Sergeant.

In 1904 he was reduced to a Trooper again for insubordination, and returned to South Africa where he worked at first as a trader and later as a recruiter of native labour in the Transkei. In 1905/6 he again saw action during the Zululand Bambatha Rebellion.

Over the period 1906 to 1912 John was involved in the family business in Butterworth which was involved in the recruiting labour for the mines. Finding a lasting solution for the Irish crisis remained a challenge for the British and in 1910 another attempt failed. The situation deteriorated and by 1912/13 the call went out for “all unionists” to return to Ireland. Being from Irish descent John and another brother of his, Edward answered the call and travelled to Ireland where they both joined the Ulster Volunteer Force.

With war clouds gathering over Europe late 1913 and early 1914 the Irish crisis dropped on the list of priorities and by July 1914 John and Edward travelled to London. John being a man that liked adventure saw the gathering of war clouds as an opportunity for him to become involved. John soon joined the 2nd Battalion King Edward’s Horse as a Private. With a chest full of medals it was not long before John was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant. During this time John met Nellie Green and soon John and Nellie were active in the London social life.

During the Gallipoli campaign a Jack Sherwood-Kelly, would command the King’s Own Scottish Borderers and would be decorated with a Distinguished Service Order (DSO) for his actions at Chocolate Hill, Suvla on 21st August 1915. He therefore became the first South African to be awarded the DSO during World War One. Despite being wounded twice, he led his men to capture an enemy position. On 21st October 1915 John’s lungs got badly burned by gas from the Turks and he was evacuated to the hospital, but returned to the frontline on 28 October, where he was given the command of 1st King’s Own Scottish Borderers and earned the nickname “Bomb Kelly”.

During his leave to recover from his wounds, John married Nellie on 22nd April 1916. Early May 1916 saw John recalled to the front once again in command of a battalion, this time the 1st Battalion Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers as part of the 29th Division preparing for the upcoming Battle of the Somme. In France, leading his Battalion from the front during the fighting in the Beaumont Hamel sector John was shot through the lung and he was saved by Jack Johnson until he could be evacuated back to London. During July 1916 John and his wife Nellie embarked on a recruiting tour to South Africa where John was received as hero. On his return to England in September 1916 John immediately reported for duty. John remained in England and on 29th November 1916 received his Distinguish Service Order (DSO) from King George V.

During November 1916 John was posted to the 3rd Battalion Kings Own Scottish Borderers as a Major. Very soon after arrival requested to be transferred to the 10th Norfolk Reserve Battalion.

On 1st January 1917 John Sherwood Kelly was awarded the Distinguished Order of St Michael and St George, Third Class or Companion, post nominal CMG. It is awarded for service to the Empire, partly for his recruiting drive in South Africa. In February 1917 John was again posted to the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers as Officer Commanding, replacing Richard Willis VC. Early part of 1917 saw a new British offensive in Vimmy and Arras which was followed by offensives in Ypres and Passchendaele. A smaller offensive was planned for November 1917 in the Cambrai sector, using the new weapon “the Mark 1 Tank”.

On 20th November 1917, the opening day of the first Battle of Cambrai, 87th Brigade advanced on Marcoing, three miles south-west of Cambrai. 1st Battalion, The Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers, crossed the Canal de St Quentin by the lock east of Marcoing copse. For his gallantry during the crossing of the canal and in leading the attack against the enemy defences on the far side, Acting Lieutenant Colonel John Sherwood-Kelly was awarded the highest accolade for bravery – the Victoria Cross. (VC)

Two companies of 1st Battalion, The Border Regiment, crossed the canal by the railway bridge at Marcoing and one at the lock by the railway station at the north-eastern outskirts of the town. During the action Sergeant Charles Spackman was awarded the VC for attacking a machine-gun which threatened this advance. On 11th January 1918 the London Gazette reported that John had been awarded the Victoria Cross which he received from King George on 23rd January 1918 at Buckingham Palace.

After the end of World War 1, John Sherwood-Kelly took command of the second Battalion of the Hampsire Regiment in the North Russian Campaign in July 1919. Here he came under criticism from the British Command in Russia, firstly for withdrawing his troops from an attack against the Bolsheviks at Trotsia, he cited improper terrain to attack (it was a mash), no communication and stiff resistance from the Bolsheviks.

But the criticism did not stop there, in 1919 the British developed a new and more effective gas, they chose to trial it on the Bolsheviks. John Sherwood-Kelly was now in command of a very mixed outfit on the railway front as part of the Vologda Force, and he was ordered to carry out the attack on the Bolsheviks under the cover of a large ground discharge of this new poisonous gas. John objected, possibly because of his experience of gas and wounds he had sustained from it, but also because he felt the objects of the raid could be achieved by other means which did not put his men to overt risk. The gas attack did not take place, and John was relieved of his command and returned to Britain. On arrival, he promptly went to the press and publicly criticised the British campaign in North Russia in the Daily Express and Sunday Express.

Incensed that such a highly decorated officer should be so critical, Churchill wanted an example made, and against all advice not to, John Sherwood Kelly was court marshalled on the 6th October 1919 on the grounds of contravening The Kings Regulations (which restricted officers from dealing with the media on military matters). John pleaded guilty, but also entered a plea in mitigation, which read: “I plead with you to believe that the action I took was to protect my men’s lives against needless sacrifice and to save the country from squandering wealth it could ill afford.”

He was found guilty and severely reprimanded. A man of very strong principle he resigned from the Army with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel just two weeks later and entered politics. John Kelly-Sherwood stood for the Conservative Party and took part in two General Elections for the constituency of Clay Cross in Derbyshire. His controversial and outspoken style even struck a chord among hardened socialist supporters in this largely mining seat. He was defeated in the 1923 elections and again in 1924. However, true to his character, during the election rallies, Kelly again hit the national headlines having thrashed some hecklers at Langwith.

In later years, Kelly worked for Bolivia Concessions Limited building roads and railways across Bolivia and went big game hunting in Africa where he contracted malaria after a few months. He returned to London where he died in a nursing home at 31 Queens Gate, Kensington on the 18th August 1931. He was granted a full military funeral and is buried at Brookwood Military Cemetery in Surrey, England. His funeral was paid for by Ernest Short as other relatives were in South Africa and unable to attend. Initially the War Office opposed the military funeral, but when Short said he would cover their expenses they agreed. London District then provided a bearer party together with two drummers, who played the Last Post at his graveside. The 18 pounder gun carriage was manned by the Royal Field Artillery and the Grenadier Guards provided a firing party. Aldershot Command provided a chaplain. Appropriately his headstone has the words “one who never turned his back but marched breast forward”. He is commemorated on a plaque at St Anne’s Cathedral, Belfast, on the South African VCs plaque held at the Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town, and on a VC commemorative stone at the National Memorial Arboretum, Alrewas, Staffordshire.

In addition to his VC, CMG and DSO he was awarded the British South Africa Company Medal 1890-97 with clasp “Rhodesia 1896”, Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902 with four clasps (Rhodesia, Orange Free State, Relief of Mafeking and Transvaal), King’s South Africa Medal 1901-02 with two clasps (South Africa 1901 and South Africa 1902), Africa General Service Medal 1902-56 with clasp “Somaliland 1902-04”, 1914-15 Star, British War Medal 1914-20, and Victory Medal 1914-19 with Mentioned in Despatches oakleaf. After his death his medals are believed to have been in the possession of one of his brothers. In 1959, the South African National Museum of Military History paid £250 to John’s sister-in-law, Mrs I Kelly, for them. His medals are held by the National Museum of Military History, Johannesburg, South Africa.

LOCATION OF MEDAL: NATIONAL MILITARY MUSEUM, JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA.

BURIAL PLACE: BROOKWOOD CEMETERY, BROOKWOOD, SURREY.

BLOCK 86, GRAVE 196296.