Alfred Keogh facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Alfred Henry Keogh
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Sir Alfred Keogh
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| Born | 3 July 1857 Dublin, UK |
| Died | 30 July 1936 (aged 79) London, UK |
| Allegiance |  United Kingdom |
| Service/ |
British Army |
| Years of service | 1880–1910 1914–1918 |
| Rank | Lieutenant-General |
| Commands held | Director-General Army Medical Services No. 3 General Hospital |
| Battles/wars | Second Boer War First World War |
| Awards | Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order Companion of Honour Knight of Grace of the Venerable Order of Saint John Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown (Belgium) Grand Officer of the Legion of Honour (France) Grand Officer's Cross of the Order of the White Eagle (Serbia) |
| Other work | Rector of Imperial College London (1910–22) |
Lieutenant-General Sir Alfred Henry Keogh (3 July 1857 – 30 July 1936) was a very important medical doctor in the British Army. He was the main leader of the army's medical services, called the Director-General Army Medical Services. He held this big job twice: first from 1905 to 1910, and then again from 1914 to 1918 during the First World War.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Alfred Henry Keogh was born in Dublin, Ireland, on July 3, 1857. His father, Henry Keogh, was a lawyer and a judge.
Alfred went to college at Queen's College, Galway. He then studied medicine at Guy's Hospital in London. In 1878, he earned his medical degree from the Queen's University of Ireland. After finishing his studies, he worked as a doctor in hospitals in London.
Military Career
In 1880, Keogh joined the Army Medical Services as a doctor. His first job was at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich. He quickly moved up in rank.
Serving in Wars
In 1899, when the Second Boer War started, he was sent to South Africa. He became the commander of a large army hospital near Cape Town. During this war, he worked in different areas like the Cape Colony and the Orange Free State.
After returning from the war in 1902, he became the Deputy Director-General of the Army Medical Services. This meant he was the second-in-command.
Leading the Army Medical Services
In 1905, Alfred Keogh was promoted to Lieutenant-General. He also became the Director-General Army Medical Services, the top medical officer for the entire British Army. He retired from the army in 1910.
However, when the First World War began in 1914, he was asked to come back. He became the Director-General again. He was in charge of making the army's medical services much bigger to help all the soldiers during the war. He managed the medical care for soldiers in the UK. He left this role and the army in June 1918.
Later Life
After his military career, Sir Alfred Keogh became the head of Imperial College London. He worked there from 1910 to 1922.
He passed away in London on July 30, 1936, at the age of 79. A special church service was held for him, and he was buried in Marylebone Cemetery.
Honours and Awards
Sir Alfred Keogh received many important awards for his service. In 1900, he was given the Companion of the Order of the Bath (CB) for his work in the South African war. He also became a Knight of Grace of the Venerable Order of Saint John in 1903.
He received even higher honours, such as Knight Commander and later Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Bath (GCB). This was for his amazing work during the First World War. He was also made a Companion of Honour (CH) and a Knight Grand Cross of the Royal Victorian Order (GCVO). These awards showed how much the King and country valued his contributions.
He also received awards from other countries, including Belgium, France, and Serbia, for his international medical efforts during the war.
Legacy
Sir Alfred Keogh's work left a lasting impact:
- The Keogh Platoon is named after him. This group is part of the Royal Army Medical Corps (RAMC), which is the army's medical branch.
- The Keogh Barracks in Surrey, a military base, is also named in his memory.
- Keogh Hall, a student residence at Imperial College London, honors him.
