THE VICTORIA CROSS AND OTHER CAMPAIGN MEDALS AWARDED TO LANCE CORPORAL LEONARD KEYWORTH, 24TH ( COUNTY OF LONDON ) BN, THE LONDON REGIMENT, HAS BEEN DONATED TO THE QUEEN'S ROYAL SURREY REGIMENT MUSEUM. |
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28 July 2005 |
After his untimely death by a sniper's bullet on 19th October 1915, Keyworth's Victoria Cross passed to his sister Lilly who retained possession of the Cross until she died in late 1962. In March 1963 a well known and respected medal collector purchased the Keyworth Victoria Cross and other campaign medals from the estate of Lilly Perkins ( née Keyworth ) for £460 and in whose possession the VC remained until March 2005, when they were donated to the Queen's Royal Surrey Regiment Museum based at Clandon House, Guldford, Surrey. |
For the award of the Victoria Cross [ London Gazette, 3 July 1915 ], Givenchy, France, 25 - 26 May 1915, Lance Corporal Leonard Keyworth, 24th ( County of London ) Bn, The London Regiment ( The Queen's ) T.F.
For most conspicuous bravery at Givenchy on the night of 25th - 26th May 1915. After the successful assault on the German position by the 24th Battalion, London Regiment, efforts were made by that Unit to follow up their success by a bomb-attack, during the progress of which 58 men out of a total of 75 became casualties. During this very fierce encounter Lance Corporal Keyworth stood fully exposed for two hours on the top of the enemy's parapet, and threw about 150 bombs amongst the Germans, who were only a few yards away.
Leonard Keyworth was invested with his Victoria Cross by King George V at Buckingham Palace, on the 12th July 1915.
At the end of September 1915 the Queen's again went into the front line during the Battle of Loos and held trenches between Loos and Lens for three days. In early October the battalion was involved in operations to capture Hulluch and on 15th October a member of 5th Field Ambulance recorded in his diary "steady stream of wounded, among whom is Lance Corporal Keyworth VC - hit in the head". Keyworth was moved to hospital at Abbeville and died on 19th October 1915 without regaining consciousness. He is buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery. |
Iain Stewart, 28 July 2005