Capt Basil Graham Homfray Keymer, DFC

[RFT]

Capt Keymer was the recipient of the following awards:-

D.F.C., for South Russia.

Russian "Order of St Anne, 3rd Class with Swords."

Russian "Order of St Stanislaus 2nd Class with Swords."

Italian "Merito di Guerra."

He should have qualified for the British War Medal & Victory Medal. Can anyone confirm this for me.

Also, does any member know if he received the Bar to the D.F.C.

Thanks in anticipation.

[Esskay]

Rob - the Haileybury archives website includes a Bar to his DFC in his mention - http://www.haileybury.herts.sch.uk/archive...SSIA%201919.htm

as does CWGC - but I can't find it in a quick LG search

Looking at both Ancestry and the NA site no MIC comes up - I think as an officer his medals would have had to be applied for - perhaps his father didn't for him - though there is a medal card for a Chaplain B N Keymer who may well have been his father - he was certainly listed in the LG as a pre WW1 TF Chaplain

The Royal Aero Club Certs on Ancestry have a card and a great photo of Basil on them - can't remember if you have access to these or not - just yell if you'd like them posted up here.

Cheers

Sue

[Esskay]

A brief death notice in The Times - Saturday, Nov 22, 1919 - only mentions DFC and the the Italian Croce di Guerra

Cheers

Sue

[RFT]

Hello Sue

I was hoping you might surface on this one.

The Times extract is new to me and will now form part and parcel of my archive on Capt Keymer.

Your lead is correct, Capt Keymer was the son of Basil Nathaniel Keymer, a clergyman.

Thanks for the offer but I have access to the Royal Aero Club Certs. The photo attached to his certificate confirms that the 18ins x 14ins portrait photo, which hangs in my studio, is indeed that of Capt Keymer (in RAF uniform). He was only in the RAF for 18 months and so this photograph of mine was probably taken in 1918, soon after receiving his commission.

As for the medals -

A note on his service record states "service considered for the grant of War Medal." I can only assume this, and the Victory Medal, may have been awarded (probably for service in South Russia), but this has yet to be confirmed.

I will certainly check out the site you have mentioned.

Once again, thank you very much indeed for your input.

Best regards

Rob

[Guest]

I am fascinated you have a photo of Capt Keymer. I would love to have a copy. My email is  edward.keymer@keymer-cavendish.co.uk

 

I have never visited his grave in Russia but wish to.

 

He was the brother of Bernard Keymer, my grandfather, who was an RFC Chaplain and later Chaplain at Cranwell. "No Empty Chairs" by Ian Mackersey tells of his exploits. Lord Trenchard used to fly him down to fish on the River Test at the invitation of the Sopwiths, who built the Camel. The RAF motto "Per Ardua Astra" is my grandfather's initiative. I will try to find his address to Officers on the day of their "passing out" parade.

 

He had 4 sons. John was killed over Germany in 1941 in a Wellington. Michael baled out of his Spitfire at Bazinghen (between Calais and Boulogne) in Aug 1940 and was executed by a German Officer. He is buried in the village churchyard and I visit regularly.

 

My father Col Philip Keymer MC, was York and Lancs, 51 Commando and 1 Para in WW2. His MC was awarded in the breakout from Tobruk after a successful night attack, taking their objective with 6% casualties, whereas units in daylight attacks suffered over 50% losses. He had taught his Company night fighting, using Commando experience. He died 10 years ago at 93.

 

Not all relevant to WW1, but I am proud of them all.

PNK Royal Tournament c.1970.pdf

Bazinghen Press Article 2012.pdf

40 Squdrn Farewell Dinner 1st Jan 1918.pdf

Basinghen account.pdf

BWK - Mention in Dispatches.pdf

BWK.pdf

Michael Keymer.pdf

John Keymer.pdf

[topgun1918]

For B G H Keymer:

 

Distinguished Flying Cross - London Gazette number 31046 (3 December 1918), page 14323

Bar to DFC - London Gazette number 31703 (22 December 1919), page 15840

Croce di Guerra - London Gazette number 31273 (5 April 1919), page 4513

 

Graeme

 

[RFT]

Hello Edward Keymer and welcome to the GWF.

 

It was good to see this topic reappear following a lapse of close to 10 years!

 

The photo of B G H Keymer is framed and am reluctant to remove it for copying purposes.  A smaller copy of the photo is held among my '47' archive which I will source for you at the weekend.  

 

The several photos and pdf files which you posted were most interesting.

 

Regards

 

Rob

Edited 27 March , 2018 by RFT

[Guest]

I went to Basil Keymer's memorial (Haidar Pasha) in Istanbul 2006. I have been to Krasnodar twice, but was unable to locate his actual grave.

The Day We Almost Bombed Moscow gives an excellent description of the activities of 47 Sqn, but does not mention Basil. Do you know the precise circumstances of his death?

[helpjpl]

51 minutes ago, Jonathon Keymer said:

I went to Basil Keymer's memorial (Haidar Pasha) in Istanbul 2006. I have been to Krasnodar twice, but was unable to locate his actual grave.

The Day We Almost Bombed Moscow gives an excellent description of the activities of 47 Sqn, but does not mention Basil. Do you know the precise circumstances of his death?

 

His Casualty Card and Casualty Form only record that he was KIA:

http://www.rafmuseumstoryvault.org.uk/ID/?7000249315

https://www.casualtyforms.org/form/29231

 

JP

[Ago]

Hello all,

Just a sidenote about BGH Keymer's service in Italy, which may explain the reason why he was granted also an Italian medal. Before serving in the Aegean and S-Russia he was with the 'Northern Squadron' of No.6 Wing RNAS in N-Italy, where he piloted the large Caproni Ca.4 triplanes that unit was equipped with.

Later he served with No.67 Wing RAF (Adriatic Group) at Taranto (S-Italy) and partook in the RAF's (very dangerous) air attacks on the Central Power's U-boat base  in Gulf of Cattaro. On one occasion, he almost miraculously survived a very close encounter  with Austria-Hungary's second most successful ace, Julius Arigi! 

Regards

Ago

Edited 15 July , 2019 by Ago

[RFT]

On 15/07/2019 at 11:00, Jonathon Keymer said:

I went to Basil Keymer's memorial (Haidar Pasha) in Istanbul 2006. I have been to Krasnodar twice, but was unable to locate his actual grave.
The Day We Almost Bombed Moscow gives an excellent description of the activities of 47 Sqn, but does not mention Basil. Do you know the precise circumstances of his death?

 

Hello Jonathon Keymer and welcome to the GWF.

 

Is there a family connection here?

 

In his history of 47 Squadron, H. A. Jones states that Capt. Keymer and Lt. W. B. Thompson were killed (24th Oct, 1919) when setting off on a raid.  In fact it was Lt. Douglas Blaxland Thompson who was flying as the Observer and both he and Capt. Keymer were killed as the aircraft was taking off.  Seemingly the bomb pull was accidentally released thereby setting off a chain reaction culminating in the release of the aircraft's cargo of bombs.  This catastrophic event (and 47 Squadron's role in south Russia) is well covered in Damien Wright's "Churchill's Secret War With Lenin."  A serious book for anyone with an interest in the British & Commonwealth Intervention in the Russian Civil War.

 

Regards,

 

Rob

 

 

Edited 23 October , 2019 by RFT
Revised text.

[Guest]

Thanks everyone - I have ordered both Churchill's Secret War with Lenin and No Empty Chairs (mentioned above).

I'm engaged in a longstanding personal project to visit the graves/memorials of the Keymers who are listed on the CWGC, and have visited Basil's memorial in Istanbul (though failed to locate the cemetery in Krasnodar; I go there occasionally with work, though I am not sure the cemetery still exists) as well as Michael's grave (France) and John's memorial (Runnymede - which also lists Harry, my grandfather's cousin). I've also visited the grave of Robert (Netherlands) and the memorials to William (France) and Arthur (India). I had to cancel a 2006 trip to visit a Keymer grave in Gaza, but I'll go one day.

 

I have had a massive interest in the Great War since I first saw the series ANZACs in about 1986. These days, I research and run annual battlefield tours (not professionally - it's just me a small group of like-minded enthusiasts) - covering local Bn, Bde, or Divisional actions in WW1 and WW2, and we occasionally use Albert (more specifically, "The Three Pigeons"...) as a base.

I'm from a military family spanning every generation since the Great War, though not all of the Keymers on CWGC are directly related to me - or even to each other. My project is a little eccentric; but with seven visits down, and only nine remaining, I can't stop now!