Name
Leslie Howard Keep (DSO, MC & Bar)
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
DSO, MC & Bar
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Biography
Leslie Keep was born at Auckland, New Zealand in1886. He was the eldest of three sons and one daughter born to John and Agnes Keep. All three sons served in the Great War. The family moved from New Zealand to Australia in the 1890’s, and after a short period spent in Birmingham lived at St Helens in Lancashire at the time of the 1901 Census. John was employed as the Secretary for Collieries. In 1901 Leslie attended Preparatory School at Aysgarth near Richmond in Yorkshire. By 1911 the family had moved to Abbots Langley, and lived at “Broomfield”, Gallows Hill Lane. At that point John Keep was recorded as living on Private Means, and employed four servants. Leslie had left school (at Malvern) and was employed as the Secretary to a Joint Stock Company.
Leslie, and his brother Douglas, were first recorded in the Abbots Langley Parish Magazine Roll of Honour in October 1914. They were both recorded serving with the rank of Lieutenant with the 2nd Battalion of the Bedfordshire Regiment. The February 1915 Parish Magazine noted that Leslie and Douglas had both been transferred to the 7th Bedford’s. Leslie continued to serve with the 7th Bedford’s until 7th July 1918, when he was attached to command the 2nd Bedford’s. He rose to the rank of Captain (by December 1915) and eventually Major, and went on to command both the 7th and 2nd Battalions.
The Keep brothers were also mentioned in the Langleybury Parish Magazine throughout the War, and were included in the Langleybury Roll of Honour when it was compiled at the end of hostilities
Leslie was awarded the Military Cross (MC), along with his brother, for his work in the 7th Bedford’s attack on the heavily defended Schwaben Redoubt, near Thiepval, on the Somme in September 1916. Both men organised and led repeated bombing attacks on enemy strong-points. He was later awarded the Distinguished Service Order in September 1918, for making personal reconnaissance of ground under constant machine gun fire at Ronssoy, France.
Tragically Leslie died near Pontresina, Switzerland on 20th January 1922 when he and a man called Bert Nathan fell into a crevasse. Bert Nathan survived. At the time of his death Leslie Keep lived at Wood Lodge, West Wickham, Kent.
Leslie Keep survived the War, as did his brother Norman. However his brother Douglas was killed in action on the night of 14/15th July 1917 when he was killed by a shell whilst supervising the laying of cables on the western edge of Zillebeke Lake, near Ypres.
All three brothers were also commemorated in the Roll of Honour for St Pauls Church Langleybury.
Additional Information
Formerly 2nd Battalions Bedfordshire Regiment
Acknowledgments
Roger Yapp - www.backtothefront.org
