THE PRO PATRIA PROJECT

KEOGH Michael Sullivan

NZ1009, Group Captain, Royal New Zealand Air Force

CITATION

George Cross

Gazetted 14 June 1916

The King has been pleased to approve of the Albert Medal of the second class being conferred upon Michael Sullivan Keogh, Chief Petty Officer, HMS Ark Royal in recognition of gallantry in endeavouring to save life as detailed below:

On the 19th August 1915, an aeroplane piloted by the late Captain C.H Collett, DSO, RMA, was ascending from Imbros Aerodrome, and had reached a height of 150 feet when the engine stopped.  The machine was upset by the powerful air currents from the cliffs, and fell vertically to the ground, while the petrol being carried burst into flames which immediately enveloped the aeroplane and the pilot.  Chief Petty Officer Keogh, upon arriving at the scene of the accident, at once made an attempt to save Captain Collett by dashing into the midst of the wreckage, which was a mass of flames.  He succeeded in dragging the fatally injured officer nearly clear of the flames when he was himself overcome by the burns which he had received from the blazing petrol.

Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (OBE)

Gazetted Birthday Honours 1943

This officer is an Engineer Specialist and has served continuously in the Royal Navy, Royal Air Force and the RNZAF since 1910.  In 1939 he was allowed to retire from the Royal Air Force in order to take up an appointment with the RNZAF.  In September 1939, he was appointed Director of Repairs and Maintenance at Air Force Headquarters.  Under Wing Commander Keogh the Engineering Branch of the RNZAF has been developed to a high state of efficiency more particularly in two important respects.  In the first place, flying accidents which could be attributed to faulty maintenance have been almost entirely eliminated by the processes of inspection introduced and enforced by Wing Commander Keogh.  In the second place, the successful expansion of the RNZAF and the very high figures of hours flown have been largely due to Wing Commander Keogh’s resource and ability in making bricks without straw.  Despite constant shortages of essential spare parts and equipment, Wing Commander Keogh has contrived to manufacture and extemporise and so make the best of every adverse situation.

KNOWN AWARDS

George Cross [ex Albert Medal]

Officer of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire

1914-15 Star

British War Medal

Victory Medal

War Service Medal 1939-45

New Zealand War Service Medal

[Group Captain Keogh exchanged the insignia of the Albert Medal for that of the George Cross in 1972]

NOTES

Born 15 May 1889 Limerick, County Cork, Ireland

Died 22 July 1983 Swale, Kent, England

Cremated at Vintners Park Crematorium, Maidstone, Kent, England