THE PRO PATRIA PROJECT

KEATLEY John Edmund

25/887, Sergeant, 3rd Battalion, New Zealand Rifle Brigade, WW1

CITATION

Distinguished Conduct Medal

Gazetted 16 January 1919, p868

For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty near Gouzeaucourt on the 9th September 1918.  This non-commissioned officer’s company after an advance over ground swept by machine-gun fire, was driven back, leaving several wounded men lying out in the open.  Although wounded, he went back to report the situation to company headquarters, and on his return, finding that the attempts to rescue the wounded had only resulted in the would-be rescuers becoming casualties, he went out himself under a hail of bullets and rescued two men.  On reaching a third man he found he was already dead.  He saved these two men from becoming prisoners, and set a magnificent example to all ranks

KNOWN AWARDS

Distinguished Conduct Medal

British War Medal

Victory Medal

NOTES

Born June 1889, Kawa Kawa, New Zealand

Died 21 January 1975, Whangarei, New Zealand