John Kealty Forsyth
Encyclopedia
Major General
John Kealty Forsyth CMG
(8 February 1867 – 12 November 1928) was an Australian Army
colonel
and temporary brigadier general
in World War I
. He retired in 1925 as a Major General
.
Forsyth enlisted in the Queensland Mounted Rifles as a trooper in November 1885. He served as a non commissioned officer before being commissioned a second lieutenant in the Queensland Mounted Infantry on 18 July 1892. He was promoted to lieutenant on 4 November 1892 and captain on 22 September 1896. He joined the Queensland Permanent Forces at a staff lieutenant on 1 August 1897, and was promoted to captain on 1 February 1901. Forsyth served as adjutant of the 4th Queensland Mounted Infantry from 1 March 1901 to 27 February 1902, of the 2nd Queensland Mounted Infantry and 4th Infantry Regiment from 28 February 1902 to 30 June 1902, and of the 2nd Queensland Mounted Infantry again from 1 July 1902 to 12 November 1905.
Forsyth moved to Melbourne, where he served as a staff officer. He became secretary to the Inspector General, Major General Finn, from 13 November 1905 to 1 October 1906. He joined the Victorian Instructional Staff on 1 February 1907 and was promoted to major on 28 May 1908. In 1909-1910 he was posted to India
on exchange duty with the British Indian Army
as brigade major of the Amballa Cavalry Brigade. Returning to Melbourne, he was Deputy Assistant Adjutant General (DAAG) for Instruction from 1 to 31 December 1910. Forsyth was a GSO2 at Army Headquarters from 1 November 1911 to 30 June 1912, became Director of Equipment on 1 July 1907, and was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 1 March 1914. On 1 August 1914, he became Quartermaster General and a member of the Military Board.
as a temporary colonel. Appointed to command the 1st Division's mounted regiment, the 4th Light Horse Regiment, he also took on responsibility for raising the 1st Light Horse Brigade, whose commander designate, Colonel Henry George Chauvel
, was still on duty in the United Kingdom
. Forsyth embarked with the brigade on 21 October 1914 and handed over command to Chauvel on the latter's arrival in Egypt
in November 1914. Forsyth then concentrated on training his own regiment, who referred to him as "Dad".
In May 1915, the light horse were ordered to Gallipoli
dismounted to reinforce the infantry. Forsyth arrived at Anzac
on 5 May 1915. On 19 May 1915, he became the Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General (AA & QMG) of the 1st Division. From 30 May to 8 June he was acting commander of the 2nd Brigade in the absence of Colonel J. McCay, who had been wounded at Krithia
, along with most of the brigade's officers. When McCay was evacuated with a broken leg, Forsyth became commander of the 2nd Brigade on 26 July 1915 and was promoted to colonel and temporary brigadier general. He remained at Anzac with his brigade, fighting another battle at the German Officers' Trench in August, until it was evacuated to Mudros on 10 December 1915.
The 2nd Brigade returned to Egypt in January 1916, and moved to Serapeum
, where it guarded the Suez Canal
. On 27 March 1916, it sailed for France
. The brigade spent a time in the relatively quiet Armentieres
sector before it was committed on the Somme
at Pozieres
in July. There it was subjected to intense artillery bombardments. Forsyth suffered a breakdown in his health and was evacuated to England
. When he was discharged from the hospital, he became commander of 'B' Training Group at Rollestone, England. Ill health forced his return to Australia
in December 1916. For his services on the Western Front he was mentioned in dispatches and was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) on 1 January 1917.
) on 16 February 1917 and was promoted to brevet
colonel on 24 September 1917. On 2 July 1918, he once again became Quartermaster General and a member of the Military Board. He was promoted to temporary major general in January 1921 but had to relinquish the rank when he was placed on the unattached list in 1922. He retired with the rank of major general on 9 February 1925.
In 1928, Forsyth was selected as a Nationalist Party
candidate for the Senate
. While campaigning in Sea Lake, Victoria
, he came down with influenza
and died nine days later on 12 November 1928. He was buried at Boroondara Cemetery, Kew
, with full military honours.
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
John Kealty Forsyth CMG
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
(8 February 1867 – 12 November 1928) was an Australian Army
Australian Army
The Australian Army is Australia's military land force. It is part of the Australian Defence Force along with the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Australian Air Force. While the Chief of Defence commands the Australian Defence Force , the Army is commanded by the Chief of Army...
colonel
Colonel
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...
and temporary brigadier general
Brigadier General
Brigadier general is a senior rank in the armed forces. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries, usually sitting between the ranks of colonel and major general. When appointed to a field command, a brigadier general is typically in command of a brigade consisting of around 4,000...
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...
. He retired in 1925 as a Major General
Major General
Major general or major-general is a military rank used in many countries. It is derived from the older rank of sergeant major general. A major general is a high-ranking officer, normally subordinate to the rank of lieutenant general and senior to the ranks of brigadier and brigadier general...
.
Early life and career
John Kealty Forsyth was born in Brisbane, Queensland on 8 February 1867, the son of a builder. He was educated at Fortitude Valley State and the Normal School, Brisbane and became a clerk in a sawmill and later in a solicitor's office.Forsyth enlisted in the Queensland Mounted Rifles as a trooper in November 1885. He served as a non commissioned officer before being commissioned a second lieutenant in the Queensland Mounted Infantry on 18 July 1892. He was promoted to lieutenant on 4 November 1892 and captain on 22 September 1896. He joined the Queensland Permanent Forces at a staff lieutenant on 1 August 1897, and was promoted to captain on 1 February 1901. Forsyth served as adjutant of the 4th Queensland Mounted Infantry from 1 March 1901 to 27 February 1902, of the 2nd Queensland Mounted Infantry and 4th Infantry Regiment from 28 February 1902 to 30 June 1902, and of the 2nd Queensland Mounted Infantry again from 1 July 1902 to 12 November 1905.
Forsyth moved to Melbourne, where he served as a staff officer. He became secretary to the Inspector General, Major General Finn, from 13 November 1905 to 1 October 1906. He joined the Victorian Instructional Staff on 1 February 1907 and was promoted to major on 28 May 1908. In 1909-1910 he was posted to India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
on exchange duty with the British Indian Army
British Indian Army
The British Indian Army, officially simply the Indian Army, was the principal army of the British Raj in India before the partition of India in 1947...
as brigade major of the Amballa Cavalry Brigade. Returning to Melbourne, he was Deputy Assistant Adjutant General (DAAG) for Instruction from 1 to 31 December 1910. Forsyth was a GSO2 at Army Headquarters from 1 November 1911 to 30 June 1912, became Director of Equipment on 1 July 1907, and was promoted to lieutenant colonel on 1 March 1914. On 1 August 1914, he became Quartermaster General and a member of the Military Board.
World War I
On 15 August 1914 Forsyth joined the First Australian Imperial ForceFirst Australian Imperial Force
The First Australian Imperial Force was the main expeditionary force of the Australian Army during World War I. It was formed from 15 August 1914, following Britain's declaration of war on Germany. Generally known at the time as the AIF, it is today referred to as the 1st AIF to distinguish from...
as a temporary colonel. Appointed to command the 1st Division's mounted regiment, the 4th Light Horse Regiment, he also took on responsibility for raising the 1st Light Horse Brigade, whose commander designate, Colonel Henry George Chauvel
Henry George Chauvel
General Sir Harry Chauvel GCMG, KCB was a senior officer of the Australian Imperial Force who fought at Gallipoli and in the Middle Eastern theatre during the First World War. He was the first Australian to attain the rank of lieutenant general and later general, and the first to lead a corps...
, was still on duty in the United Kingdom
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...
. Forsyth embarked with the brigade on 21 October 1914 and handed over command to Chauvel on the latter's arrival in 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...
in November 1914. Forsyth then concentrated on training his own regiment, who referred to him as "Dad".
In May 1915, the light horse were ordered to Gallipoli
Gallipoli
The Gallipoli peninsula is located in Turkish Thrace , the European part of Turkey, with the Aegean Sea to the west and the Dardanelles straits to the east. Gallipoli derives its name from the Greek "Καλλίπολις" , meaning "Beautiful City"...
dismounted to reinforce the infantry. Forsyth arrived at Anzac
Anzac Cove
Anzac Cove is a small cove on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey. It became famous as the site of World War I landing of the ANZAC on April 25, 1915. The cove is a mere long, bounded by the headlands of Ari Burnu to the north and Little Ari Burnu, known as Hell Spit, to the south...
on 5 May 1915. On 19 May 1915, he became the Assistant Adjutant and Quartermaster General (AA & QMG) of the 1st Division. From 30 May to 8 June he was acting commander of the 2nd Brigade in the absence of Colonel J. McCay, who had been wounded at Krithia
Krithia
Krithia is a small Turkish village in the Eceabat District ofÇanakkale Province, Turkey, about 4 miles from the tip of the Gelibolu Peninsula....
, along with most of the brigade's officers. When McCay was evacuated with a broken leg, Forsyth became commander of the 2nd Brigade on 26 July 1915 and was promoted to colonel and temporary brigadier general. He remained at Anzac with his brigade, fighting another battle at the German Officers' Trench in August, until it was evacuated to Mudros on 10 December 1915.
The 2nd Brigade returned to Egypt in January 1916, and moved to Serapeum
Serapeum
A serapeum is a temple or other religious institution dedicated to the syncretic Hellenistic-Egyptian god Serapis, who combined aspects of Osiris and Apis in a humanized form that was accepted by the Ptolemaic Greeks of Alexandria...
, where it guarded the Suez Canal
Suez Canal
The Suez Canal , also known by the nickname "The Highway to India", is an artificial sea-level waterway in Egypt, connecting the Mediterranean Sea and the Red Sea. Opened in November 1869 after 10 years of construction work, it allows water transportation between Europe and Asia without navigation...
. On 27 March 1916, it sailed for France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. The brigade spent a time in the relatively quiet Armentieres
Armentières
Armentières is a commune in the Nord department in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region in northern France. It is part of the Urban Community of Lille Métropole, and lies on the Belgian border, northwest of the city of Lille, on the right bank of the river Lys....
sector before it was committed on the Somme
Somme
Somme is a department of France, located in the north of the country and named after the Somme river. It is part of the Picardy region of France....
at Pozieres
Battle of Pozières
The Battle of Pozières was a two week struggle for the French village of Pozières and the ridge on which it stands, during the middle stages of the 1916 Battle of the Somme. Though British divisions were involved in most phases of the fighting, Pozières is primarily remembered as an Australian battle...
in July. There it was subjected to intense artillery bombardments. Forsyth suffered a breakdown in his health and was evacuated to England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. When he was discharged from the hospital, he became commander of 'B' Training Group at Rollestone, England. Ill health forced his return to Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
in December 1916. For his services on the Western Front he was mentioned in dispatches and was appointed a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George (CMG) on 1 January 1917.
Post war
Forsyth became Commandant of the 4th Military District (South AustraliaSouth Australia
South Australia is a state of Australia in the southern central part of the country. It covers some of the most arid parts of the continent; with a total land area of , it is the fourth largest of Australia's six states and two territories.South Australia shares borders with all of the mainland...
) on 16 February 1917 and was promoted to 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...
colonel on 24 September 1917. On 2 July 1918, he once again became Quartermaster General and a member of the Military Board. He was promoted to temporary major general in January 1921 but had to relinquish the rank when he was placed on the unattached list in 1922. He retired with the rank of major general on 9 February 1925.
In 1928, Forsyth was selected as a Nationalist Party
Nationalist Party of Australia
The Nationalist Party of Australia was an Australian political party. It was formed on 17 February 1917 from a merger between the conservative Commonwealth Liberal Party and the National Labor Party, the name given to the pro-conscription defectors from the Australian Labor Party led by Prime...
candidate for the Senate
Australian Senate
The Senate is the upper house of the bicameral Parliament of Australia, the lower house being the House of Representatives. Senators are popularly elected under a system of proportional representation. Senators are elected for a term that is usually six years; after a double dissolution, however,...
. While campaigning in Sea Lake, Victoria
Sea Lake, Victoria
Sea Lake is a town in the Mallee district of north-west Victoria, Australia and is situated on the southern shores of Lake Tyrrell. The town is located on the Calder Highway, north-west of Melbourne, and west of Swan Hill. Sea Lake is in the heart of Australia's "wheat belt", and is the main...
, he came down with influenza
Influenza
Influenza, commonly referred to as the flu, is an infectious disease caused by RNA viruses of the family Orthomyxoviridae , that affects birds and mammals...
and died nine days later on 12 November 1928. He was buried at Boroondara Cemetery, Kew
Kew, Victoria
Kew is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 6 km east from Melbourne's central business district. Its Local Government Area is the City of Boroondara. At the 2006 Census, Kew had a population of 22,516....
, with full military honours.