Geoffrey Charles Tasker Keyes
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant-Colonel Geoffrey Charles Tasker Keyes, VC
, MC
(18 May 1917 – 18 November 1941) was a Scottish
recipient of the Victoria Cross
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British
and Commonwealth
forces. At the time he was the youngest lieutenant colonel in the British Army.
, a British naval hero in World War I
and the first Director of Combined Operations during World War II. He attended Kingsmead School in Seaford
, Sussex, Eton
and the Royal Military College
.
Keyes was a member of the MCC
.
and was later attached to No. 11 (Scottish) Commando
, which was sent to the Middle East
as part of Layforce
.
Following the allied invasion of Syria
on 8 June 1941, No.11 Commando were sent to successfully lead the crossing of the Litani River
in Lebanon
, fighting against troops of the French Vichy
régime, during which Keyes played a leading part. In this operation, Keyes earned the Military Cross
.
headquarters to attack various targets behind enemy lines, including headquarters, base installations and communications facilities. One of the objectives was the assassination of Erwin Rommel
, the commander of the Axis forces in North Africa. The raid was intended to disrupt enemy organisation before the start of Operation Crusader
.
The operation, codenamed Operation Flipper, was led by Lt. Col. Robert Laycock
. Keyes, who had been present throughout the planning stage, selected the most hazardous task for himself: the assault on the headquarters of Rommel's Afrika Korps
established in a lone house near Beda Littoria. Because in the night of landing on the 11th November 1941 a storm was blowing, some Commandos from the secret party were washed from the deck of their submarine into the sea. Once inside, Keyes got inmediately involved in a wrestle with a German soldier named Jomatten, whereupon his Commando mate Campbell fired a round that killed Keyes by accident during the actual attack on the night of 17/18 November. Other British Commandos were then taken POW. Keyes was buried with full military honours in a local Catholic cemetery on Rommel's orders. It was later ascertained that Rommel himself had not even been present in this HQ, being still in Greece, having left the house two weeks earlier. This fatal accident was covered up later by British authorities and other versions of Operation Flipper are therefore not to be trusted. The actual chain of events had been clarified i.a. bu former SAS-agent Michael Asher for National Geographic TV. For his actions, Keyes was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross
, the citation read:
. He is remembered on the Kingsmead School War memorial in Seaford, Sussex and also in the parish church in the village of Tingewick
in Buckinghamshire, home of the Keyes family. His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum
, London.
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, MC
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
(18 May 1917 – 18 November 1941) was a Scottish
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
recipient of the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to 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...
and Commonwealth
Commonwealth of Nations
The Commonwealth of Nations, normally referred to as the Commonwealth and formerly known as the British Commonwealth, is an intergovernmental organisation of fifty-four independent member states...
forces. At the time he was the youngest lieutenant colonel in the British Army.
Family
Keyes was the oldest son of Admiral of the Fleet Roger John Brownlow Keyes, 1st Baron KeyesRoger John Brownlow Keyes, 1st Baron Keyes
Admiral of the Fleet Roger John Brownlow Keyes, 1st Baron Keyes, Bt GCB KCVO CMG DSO RN was a noted British admiral, with an active service life that included 19th-century African anti-slavery patrols to the Allied landings in Leyte in World War II...
, a British naval hero in World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
and the first Director of Combined Operations during World War II. He attended Kingsmead School in Seaford
Seaford, East Sussex
Seaford is a coastal town in the county of East Sussex, on the south coast of England. Lying east of Newhaven and Brighton and west of Eastbourne, it is the largest town in Lewes district, with a population of about 23,000....
, Sussex, Eton
Eton College
Eton College, often referred to simply as Eton, is a British independent school for boys aged 13 to 18. It was founded in 1440 by King Henry VI as "The King's College of Our Lady of Eton besides Wyndsor"....
and the Royal Military College
Royal Military College
The Royal Military College can refer to:* Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario, Canada* Royal Military College Saint-Jean in Saint-Jean, Quebec, Canada* Royal Military College, Duntroon in Campbell, Australian Capital Territory, Australia...
.
Keyes was a member of the MCC
Marylebone Cricket Club
Marylebone Cricket Club is a cricket club in London founded in 1787. Its influence and longevity now witness it as a private members' club dedicated to the development of cricket. It owns, and is based at, Lord's Cricket Ground in St John's Wood, London NW8. MCC was formerly the governing body of...
.
Early actions
Geoffrey Keyes was commissioned into the Royal Scots Greys. He saw action at NarvikNarvik
is the third largest city and municipality in Nordland county, Norway by population. Narvik is located on the shores of the Narvik Fjord . The municipality is part of the Ofoten traditional region of North Norway, inside the arctic circle...
and was later attached to No. 11 (Scottish) Commando
No. 11 (Scottish) Commando
No. 11 Commando was a battalion-sized commando unit of the British Army during the Second World War. Formed in Scotland members of No. 11 Commando adopted the Tam o'shanter as their official headress....
, which was sent to the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
as part of Layforce
Layforce
Layforce was an ad hoc military formation of the British Army consisting of a number of commando units during the Second World War.Formed in February 1941 under the command of Colonel Robert Laycock, after whom the force was named, it consisted of approximately 2,000 men and served in the Middle...
.
Following the allied invasion of Syria
Syria-Lebanon campaign
The Syria–Lebanon campaign, also known as Operation Exporter, was the Allied invasion of Vichy French-controlled Syria and Lebanon, in June–July 1941, during World War II. Time Magazine referred to the fighting as a "mixed show" while it was taking place and the campaign remains little known, even...
on 8 June 1941, No.11 Commando were sent to successfully lead the crossing of the Litani River
Litani River
The Litani River is an important water resource in southern Lebanon. The river rises in the fertile Beqaa Valley valley, west of Baalbek, and empties into the Mediterranean Sea north of Tyre. Exceeding 140 km in length, the Litani River is the longest river in Lebanon and provides an average...
in Lebanon
Lebanon
Lebanon , officially the Republic of LebanonRepublic of Lebanon is the most common term used by Lebanese government agencies. The term Lebanese Republic, a literal translation of the official Arabic and French names that is not used in today's world. Arabic is the most common language spoken among...
, fighting against troops of the French Vichy
Vichy France
Vichy France, Vichy Regime, or Vichy Government, are common terms used to describe the government of France that collaborated with the Axis powers from July 1940 to August 1944. This government succeeded the Third Republic and preceded the Provisional Government of the French Republic...
régime, during which Keyes played a leading part. In this operation, Keyes earned the Military Cross
Military Cross
The Military Cross is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers and other ranks of the British Armed Forces; and formerly also to officers of other Commonwealth countries....
.
Operation Flipper
In October / November 1941 a plan was formulated at 8th ArmyEighth Army (United Kingdom)
The Eighth Army was one of the best-known formations of the British Army during World War II, fighting in the North African and Italian campaigns....
headquarters to attack various targets behind enemy lines, including headquarters, base installations and communications facilities. One of the objectives was the assassination of Erwin Rommel
Erwin Rommel
Erwin Johannes Eugen Rommel , popularly known as the Desert Fox , was a German Field Marshal of World War II. He won the respect of both his own troops and the enemies he fought....
, the commander of the Axis forces in North Africa. The raid was intended to disrupt enemy organisation before the start of Operation Crusader
Operation Crusader
Operation Crusader was a military operation by the British Eighth Army between 18 November–30 December 1941. The operation successfully relieved the 1941 Siege of Tobruk....
.
The operation, codenamed Operation Flipper, was led by Lt. Col. Robert Laycock
Robert Laycock
Major General Sir Robert Edward Laycock KCMG, CB, DSO, KStJ was a British soldier, most famous for his service with the commandos during the Second World War...
. Keyes, who had been present throughout the planning stage, selected the most hazardous task for himself: the assault on the headquarters of Rommel's Afrika Korps
Afrika Korps
The German Africa Corps , or the Afrika Korps as it was popularly called, was the German expeditionary force in Libya and Tunisia during the North African Campaign of World War II...
established in a lone house near Beda Littoria. Because in the night of landing on the 11th November 1941 a storm was blowing, some Commandos from the secret party were washed from the deck of their submarine into the sea. Once inside, Keyes got inmediately involved in a wrestle with a German soldier named Jomatten, whereupon his Commando mate Campbell fired a round that killed Keyes by accident during the actual attack on the night of 17/18 November. Other British Commandos were then taken POW. Keyes was buried with full military honours in a local Catholic cemetery on Rommel's orders. It was later ascertained that Rommel himself had not even been present in this HQ, being still in Greece, having left the house two weeks earlier. This fatal accident was covered up later by British authorities and other versions of Operation Flipper are therefore not to be trusted. The actual chain of events had been clarified i.a. bu former SAS-agent Michael Asher for National Geographic TV. For his actions, Keyes was posthumously awarded the Victoria Cross
Victoria Cross
The Victoria Cross is the highest military decoration awarded for valour "in the face of the enemy" to members of the armed forces of various Commonwealth countries, and previous British Empire territories....
, the citation read:
Further information
His body was later moved to Benghazi War Cemetery in LibyaLibya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
. He is remembered on the Kingsmead School War memorial in Seaford, Sussex and also in the parish church in the village of Tingewick
Tingewick
Tingewick is a village and civil parish about west of Buckingham in the Aylesbury Vale district of Buckinghamshire, England. The parish is bounded to the north by the River Great Ouse, to the east by a tributary of the Great Ouse, to the west by the county boundary with Oxfordshire and to the...
in Buckinghamshire, home of the Keyes family. His VC is on display in the Lord Ashcroft Gallery at the Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum
Imperial War Museum is a British national museum organisation with branches at five locations in England, three of which are in London. The museum was founded during the First World War in 1917 and intended as a record of the war effort and sacrifice of Britain and her Empire...
, London.
Reading list
- Keyes, Elizabeth. Geoffrey Keyes, V.C., M.C., Croix de Guerre, Royal Scots Greys, lieut.-colonel, 11th Scottish Commando (London : G. Newnes, [1956])
- Asher, Michael. Get Rommel: The secret British mission to kill Hitler's greatest general (Cassell Military Paperbacks, [2005])
External links
- Lieutenant Colonel G.C.T. Keyes in The Art of War exhibition at the UK National Archives