British War Medal (122302 GNR. G.L. KEYS. R.A.); Victory Medal (122302 GNR G.L. KEYS. R.A.); Territorial Force War Medal (122302 GNR. C.L. KEYS. R.A.); Defence Medal; Territorial Force Efficiency Medal GVR (1660756 B.Q.M.SJT. G.L. KEYS. R.G.A.); Efficiency Medal GVR bar Territorial (1660756 B.Q.M. SJT. G.L. KEYS. R.A.)
George Leonard Keys was born in Chatham, Kent in 1897. He enlisted into the Royal Artillery on 5.8.1914 and was sent to France on 27.7.1917, serving with 13th Siege Battery and 166 Heavy Battery (City of Rochester). After the war he re-attested on 19.4. 1920 with the Territorial Army. He was promoted to Battery Quartermaster Sergeant and was awarded both the Territorial Force EM and the Efficiency Medal. He took his discharge on 12 May 1939.
Although not a qualified Solicitor, he was employed as a Conveyancing Clerk by the Municipality and was, at one time, Acting Town Clerk. According to the 1939 Register he was living at 76 Woodlands Road, Gillingham.
He served in the Home Guard in WWII and was awarded the Defence Medal.
A newspaper article in his respect, published on 26 August 1949 provided much information on him. It read:
"Not too old at 40 - a popular and well-known figure in local government left the Municipal Buildings, Gillingham on Wednesday. He is Mr George L. Keys, who has served on the council staff since 1932, and at the time of his departure was principal assistant to the Town Clerk. Mr Keys leaves to take up a position with a firm in the Birmingham area.
Prior to his service with Gillingham Council, Mr Keys worked for 20 years in the offices of Mr F.C. Boucher, a Rochester solicitor. Connected with the Territorials since 1913, when he joined the No.1 Co. Kent R.G.A. (T), he served on the Western Front in WWI and after being invalided home in 1919, served continuously with the "Terriers" until 1939.
In the last war he joined the Gillingham unit of the L.D.V. and was commissioned in 1941, transferring to the Ack-Ack battery in October 1942. Aged 51, Mr Keys is married with 3 children and, as someone pointed out, a fine answer to the cry "tool old at forty."
He passed away in Brighton in 1971
Medals are in good condition unless indicated otherwise. Sold with copied research and three blurred photographs of the recipient, along with biographical notes from the recipients son.
