Bill Kennedy Shaw
Encyclopedia
Major William Boyd Kennedy Shaw OBE
(October 26, 1901–April 23, 1979) was a British
desert explorer, botanist, archaeologist and founding member of the Long Range Desert Group
(LRDG) during World War II
. He was known, variously as Bill Shaw or Bill Kennedy Shaw, but preferred the latter form of his name, which he always used in his writings.
F. S. Kennedy Shaw, of King's Orchard, Teffont Magna
, Wiltshire
. He was educated at Radley College
.
In the 1920s and 1930s Kennedy Shaw contributed to the exploration of the Libyan Desert
in the area around the south western corner of modern Egypt
with his particular interest and skills as a botanist, archaeologist and navigator. He made three major trips:
During the winter of 1927/1928 Kennedy Shaw and Douglas Newbold, on leave from the Sudan Government service travelled the Arba’in slave road from Selima and Bir Natrun and covered 1000km on camel.
In October 1930 Kennedy Shaw accompanied Ralph Alger Bagnold
on a trip from Cairo
to Ain Dalla, into the sand sea, past Ammonite hill then past the Gilf Kebir
south to Uweinat and on to Wadi Halfa
, returning via the Arba’in slave road via Salima oasis, Kharga and then Aysut.
He also travelled with Bagnold in 1932 from Cairo to Kharga
, to Uweinat, Sarra, Tekro, Uweinat, El Fasher, Bir Natrun, Merga, Laqia, Selima, Wadi Halfa, Dakhla, Bahariya
and Cairo, a total distance of 6000 miles.
During World War II, Bagnold travelled to Jerusalem where Kennedy Shaw was working for the Palestine government to recruit him as the Intelligence and Chief Navigation officer in the British Army
's new Long Range Desert Group
(LRDG) being formed by Bagnold. Kennedy Shaw served initially as a Lieutenant
in the General List. He transferred to the Intelligence Corps in 1940 and the Special Air Service
in 1944. He reached the rank of Major
, being mentioned in despatches during his service.
From 1944 to the end of the war in Europe he served as the GSO 2 (Intelligence) at SAS Brigade Headquarters. He was also an author who wrote one of the earliest books on the LRDG, "Long Range Desert Group"(1945) which was subject to pre-publication approval by the War Office who required changes to be made to his text; in particular the actual codenames of the operations he described and some real names of individuals involved in special operations. He also wrote several articles in the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society
(RGS). The Greenhill Military Paperbacks edition of his book contains supplementary notes on his life and has updating amendments to his original text, commissioned by the publisher from authorities on the subject, which notes and explains the original excisions.
Kennedy Shaw died in Lichfield
in 1979.
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...
(October 26, 1901–April 23, 1979) was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
desert explorer, botanist, archaeologist and founding member of the Long Range Desert Group
Long Range Desert Group
The Long Range Desert Group was a reconnaissance and raiding unit of the British Army during the Second World War. The commander of the German Afrika Corps, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, admitted that the LRDG "caused us more damage than any other British unit of equal strength".Originally called...
(LRDG) during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. He was known, variously as Bill Shaw or Bill Kennedy Shaw, but preferred the latter form of his name, which he always used in his writings.
Life
Kennedy Shaw was the son of ColonelColonel
Colonel , abbreviated Col or COL, is a military rank of a senior commissioned officer. It or a corresponding rank exists in most armies and in many air forces; the naval equivalent rank is generally "Captain". It is also used in some police forces and other paramilitary rank structures...
F. S. Kennedy Shaw, of King's Orchard, Teffont Magna
Teffont Magna
Teffont Magna, also sometimes called Upper Teffont, is a small village in the south of Wiltshire, England.For most of its history Teffont Magna was a chapelry of neighbouring Dinton, and in 1934 it was combined with the village of Teffont Evias, just to the south, to form a united...
, Wiltshire
Wiltshire
Wiltshire is a ceremonial county in South West England. It is landlocked and borders the counties of Dorset, Somerset, Hampshire, Gloucestershire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire. It contains the unitary authority of Swindon and covers...
. He was educated at Radley College
Radley College
Radley College , founded in 1847, is a British independent school for boys on the edge of the English village of Radley, near to the market town of Abingdon in Oxfordshire, and has become a well-established boarding school...
.
In the 1920s and 1930s Kennedy Shaw contributed to the exploration of the Libyan Desert
Libyan Desert
The Libyan Desert covers an area of approximately 1,100,000 km2, it extends approximately 1100 km from east to west, and 1,000 km from north to south, in about the shape of a rectangle...
in the area around the south western corner of modern Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
with his particular interest and skills as a botanist, archaeologist and navigator. He made three major trips:
During the winter of 1927/1928 Kennedy Shaw and Douglas Newbold, on leave from the Sudan Government service travelled the Arba’in slave road from Selima and Bir Natrun and covered 1000km on camel.
In October 1930 Kennedy Shaw accompanied Ralph Alger Bagnold
Ralph Alger Bagnold
Brigadier Ralph Alger Bagnold, FRS OBE, was the founder and first commander of the British Army's Long Range Desert Group during World War II. He is also generally considered to have been a pioneer of desert exploration, an acclaim earned for his activities during the 1930s...
on a trip from Cairo
Cairo
Cairo , is the capital of Egypt and the largest city in the Arab world and Africa, and the 16th largest metropolitan area in the world. Nicknamed "The City of a Thousand Minarets" for its preponderance of Islamic architecture, Cairo has long been a centre of the region's political and cultural life...
to Ain Dalla, into the sand sea, past Ammonite hill then past the Gilf Kebir
Gilf Kebir
Gilf Kebir is a plateau in the New Valley Governorate of the remote southwest corner of Egypt, and southeast Libya. Its name translates as "the Great Barrier"...
south to Uweinat and on to Wadi Halfa
Wadi Halfa
Wadi Halfa is a city in the state of Northern, in northern Sudan, on the shores of Lake Nubia . It is the terminus of a rail line from Khartoum and the point where goods are transferred from rail to ferries going down the Lake Nasser...
, returning via the Arba’in slave road via Salima oasis, Kharga and then Aysut.
He also travelled with Bagnold in 1932 from Cairo to Kharga
Kharga Oasis
El-Kharga , also known as Al-Kharijah, is the southernmost of Egypt's five western oases. It is located in the Libyan Desert, about 200 km to the west of the Nile valley, and is some 150 km long. It is located in and is the capital of New Valley Governorate...
, to Uweinat, Sarra, Tekro, Uweinat, El Fasher, Bir Natrun, Merga, Laqia, Selima, Wadi Halfa, Dakhla, Bahariya
Bahariya Oasis
El-Wahat el-Bahariya or el-Bahariya is a depression in Egypt. It is approximately 360 km away from Cairo. Located in Giza Governorate, the main economic sectors are agriculture, iron ore mining, and tourism...
and Cairo, a total distance of 6000 miles.
During World War II, Bagnold travelled to Jerusalem where Kennedy Shaw was working for the Palestine government to recruit him as the Intelligence and Chief Navigation officer in the 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...
's new Long Range Desert Group
Long Range Desert Group
The Long Range Desert Group was a reconnaissance and raiding unit of the British Army during the Second World War. The commander of the German Afrika Corps, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, admitted that the LRDG "caused us more damage than any other British unit of equal strength".Originally called...
(LRDG) being formed by Bagnold. Kennedy Shaw served initially as a Lieutenant
Lieutenant
A lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer in many nations' armed forces. Typically, the rank of lieutenant in naval usage, while still a junior officer rank, is senior to the army rank...
in the General List. He transferred to the Intelligence Corps in 1940 and the Special Air Service
Special Air Service
Special Air Service or SAS is a corps of the British Army constituted on 31 May 1950. They are part of the United Kingdom Special Forces and have served as a model for the special forces of many other countries all over the world...
in 1944. He reached the rank of Major
Major
Major is a rank of commissioned officer, with corresponding ranks existing in almost every military in the world.When used unhyphenated, in conjunction with no other indicator of rank, the term refers to the rank just senior to that of an Army captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel. ...
, being mentioned in despatches during his service.
From 1944 to the end of the war in Europe he served as the GSO 2 (Intelligence) at SAS Brigade Headquarters. He was also an author who wrote one of the earliest books on the LRDG, "Long Range Desert Group"(1945) which was subject to pre-publication approval by the War Office who required changes to be made to his text; in particular the actual codenames of the operations he described and some real names of individuals involved in special operations. He also wrote several articles in the Journal of the Royal Geographical Society
Royal Geographical Society
The Royal Geographical Society is a British learned society founded in 1830 for the advancement of geographical sciences...
(RGS). The Greenhill Military Paperbacks edition of his book contains supplementary notes on his life and has updating amendments to his original text, commissioned by the publisher from authorities on the subject, which notes and explains the original excisions.
Kennedy Shaw died in Lichfield
Lichfield
Lichfield is a cathedral city, civil parish and district in Staffordshire, England. One of eight civil parishes with city status in England, Lichfield is situated roughly north of Birmingham...
in 1979.