Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Three: Lieutenant-Colonel A. J. H. Keyes, Royal Garrison Artillery

British War and Victory Medals (Lt. Col.); Serbia, Order of the White Eagle, 2nd type, 4th Class breast badge with swords, silver-gilt and enamel, enamel damage to blue pendalia below crown, good very fine and better (3) £700-800

Serbia, Order of the White Eagle, 4th Class with swords London Gazette 15 February 1917. ‘Major, Royal Artillery.’

Alfred John Hudlestone Keyes was born in 1873 and educated at Cheltenham College and the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich. Commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the Royal Artillery in 1893, he was appointed a Lieutenant in November 1896 (London Gazette 22 December 1896) and was advanced to Captain in April 1900 (London Gazette 8 May 1900). Served as Adjutant 1900-03; In 1907 he attended the Gunnery Staff Course at the School of Gunnery. Appointed Staff Captain, R.A. in February 1909 (London Gazette 16 February 1909) and seconded to the Staff, 1909-13. Restored to the establishment of the R.G.A. in February 1913. Promoted to Major in August 1914 (London Gazette 8 September 1914. Awarded the Brevet of Lieutenant-Colonel in June 1917 (London Gazette 8 August 1917); served as Temporary Lieutenant-Colonel, October 1917-May 1918, and was promoted to that rank in June 1918 (London Gazette 15 October 1918. Served in India, Gibraltar, Ceylon and East Africa. Was A.A. & Q.M.G. of Malta, 1917-18 and served in France and Flanders, 10 October - 11 November 1918. For his wartime services he was awarded the Serbian Order of the White Eagle 4th Class. After the war he was placed on Half Pay but was restored to Full Pay whilst employed with an Inter-Allied Commission of Control in 1922. Returned to Half Pay in March 1925. Keyes ceased to be an officer in R.A.R.O. in November 1928. Lieutenant-Colonel Keyes died in 1933. With copied gazette extracts and m.i.c. and modern photograph of his memorial stone.