Major Henry Kelly VC, MC & Bar (10 July 1887 – 18 July 1960) was an English recipient of the Victoria Cross, the highest and most prestigious award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and

Commonwealth A commonwealth is a traditional English term for a political community founded for the common good. Historically, it has been synonymous with "republic". The noun "commonwealth", meaning "public welfare, general good or advantage", dates from the ...

forces. Kelly was born on 10 July 1887 in Collyhurst, Manchester. He was a temporary

second lieutenant Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank. Australia The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until ...

in the 10th Battalion,

The Duke of Wellington's (West Riding) Regiment The Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding) was a line infantry regiment of the British Army, forming part of the King's Division. In 1702, Colonel George Hastings, 8th Earl of Huntingdon, was authorised to raise a new regiment, which he di ...

during the First World War at the time of his award of the Victoria Cross in 1916. He was awarded a Military Cross and later a Bar to that medal in Italy in 1918. Other Military awards include the

Belgian Croix de guerre The ''Croix de guerre'' ( French) or ''Oorlogskruis'' (Dutch), both literally translating as "Cross of War", is a military decoration of the Kingdom of Belgium established by royal decree on 25 October 1915. It was primarily awarded for bravery ...

, the French Médaille militaire and the Spanish Grand Laurelled Cross of San Fernando.

Early life

Henry Kelly was born to Charles Kelly of Dublin and Jane (née McGarry) of Manchester. He was left the oldest of 10 children after his father died in 1904. He was educated at St Patrick's School and

Xaverian College Xaverian College is a Roman Catholic college in Manchester, England, south of the city centre in Rusholme. Established in 1862, Xaverian College has become one of the most oversubscribed Sixth form college in Greater Manchester, along with Lore ...

, both in Manchester. After moving to King Street in Moston, he was employed as a sorting clerk at the Newton Street sorting office and trained with the 'Manchester Royal Engineers territorial Regiment'.On 5 September 1914, aged 27, he enlisted into the Queen's Own Cameron Highlanders as a private. He transferred to the Manchester Regiment and became a lance corporal and two weeks later a sergeant major. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant on 12 May 1915 into the Duke of Wellington's Regiment (West Riding Regiment). On 29 October 1918 he was awarded the Victoria Cross, and, after being presented with his VC ribbon by the corps commander on 11 September, he was made a temporary lieutenant.

Award of Victoria Cross

On 4 October 1916, when Kelly was 29 years old, he performed an act of bravery at

Le Sars Le Sars is a commune in the Pas-de-Calais department in the Hauts-de-France region of France. Geography Le Sars is situated south of Arras, at the junction of the D11 and the D929 roads. Population Places of interest * The church of St.Pi ...

, France, for which he was awarded the Victoria Cross. Later he was also awarded the

and the French Médaille militaire.Manchesters Military and Civilian Heroes – Henry Velly VC MC

Award of Military Cross

In June 1918, as a Captain serving in the 10th Battalion, Kelly saw action in Italy on the Asiago Plateau, where he led a company and a half on a successful raid on Ave, to the south of Asiago, on the night of 21–22 June, after which he was awarded the Military Cross.

Award of Bar to Military Cross

Kelly was involved in later actions on Il Montello above the river Piave On 27 October 1918 during the Piave he led another successful attack across the Piave, after which he was awarded a bar to his Military Cross. Kelly left the army in 1920, having been promoted to the rank of Temporary Major and put in charge of a rest camp in France.

Between the wars

Kelly spent 1922–1923 in the

Irish National Army The National Army, sometimes unofficially referred to as the Free State army or the Regulars, was the army of the Irish Free State from January 1922 until October 1924. Its role in this period was defined by its service in the Irish Civil War, ...

during the

Irish Civil War The Irish Civil War ( ga, Cogadh Cathartha na hÉireann; 28 June 1922 – 24 May 1923) was a conflict that followed the Irish War of Independence and accompanied the establishment of the Irish Free State, an entity independent from the United ...

, then later joined the

International Brigades The International Brigades ( es, Brigadas Internacionales) were military units set up by the Communist International to assist the Popular Front government of the Second Spanish Republic during the Spanish Civil War. The organization existed f ...

, in 1936, as a foreign volunteer fighting against

Fascists Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy and th ...

in the Spanish Civil War and was ranked Commandante General. Here he was awarded the Grand Laurelled Cross of San Fernando. At the outbreak of the Second World War in 1939, aged 52, he rejoined the British army and served from thence as a lieutenant in the Cheshire Regiment. From October 1943 until February 1944 he was placed in charge of the District Claims office of London District, at Curzon Street. He was at that time court martialled and severely reprimanded for making an allegedly false claim for £2 10s. He later resigned his commission and left the army to return to work for the post office.

Post war

Kelly continued to work for the post office and lived in Wythenshawe, Manchester. Following a long illness Kelly died, on 18 January 1960, in Prestwich Hospital. He was buried in Southern Cemetery, Manchester.

Medal location

Kelly's Victoria Cross is displayed in The Duke of Wellington's Regimental Museum, located within the

Bankfield Museum Bankfield Museum is a grade II listed historic house museum, incorporating a regimental museum and textiles gallery in Boothtown, Halifax, England. It is notable for its past ownership and development by Colonel Edward Akroyd, MP, and its gr ...

Halifax, West Yorkshire Halifax () is a minster and market town in the Metropolitan Borough of Calderdale in West Yorkshire, England. It is the commercial, cultural and administrative centre of the borough, and the headquarters of Calderdale Council. In the 15th cen ...

, England.Duke of Wellington's Regimental Website