Grenville Temple Keogh

[Croix de Guerre]

Seeking information on an American volunteer with the french Air Force in 1917; Grenville Temple Keogh (1897-1969). He had been a volunteer with the American Field Service from 1916 until 1917.

[cukdul]

Hi,

Some infos about American Field Service in france here ;

http://net.lib.byu.edu/estu/wwi/memo...hist/AFS1l.htm

cukdul

[Dave_Kent]

Hi:

He is referenced in the book, FRIENDS OF FRANCE, but I don't know to what extent.

http://www.abebooks.com/servlet/Sear...France&x=0&y=0

Dave

[Croix de Guerre]

He left the Field Service in October 1917 and enlisted in the French Air Service. I believe he may have flew in Macedonia but I don't know which squadron and anything more about him.

[Froggy]

Bonjour

Here in an article about 'Volontaires Américains' in Nouvelle revue (july 1917)
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt...20Keogh.langFR
Grenville Temple Keogh is mentionned (among others ) here
http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt...20Keogh.langFR

"Grenville Temple Keogh, de New Rochelle (État de New-York). Conducteur à la 8e section automobile américaine, engagé volontaire. Pendant la nuit du 11 mars 1917, il fit volontairement deux voyages à un dangereux poste d'évacuation, sur une route bombardée intensément par des obus lacrymogènes. A la nuit tombante, l'ennemi ayant découvert la distance à laquelle se trouvait son autoambulance, celle-ci fut atteinte par des obus explosifs, dont l'un blessa le conducteur à la tête. Sûr de lui et audacieux, il avait été blessé en juin 1916, reprenant son service aussitôt qu'il avait été rétabli."

"Grenville Temple Keogh, of New Rochelle (New York)
. Driver to 8 US auto section, a volunteer. During the night of 11 March 1917, he voluntarily made two trips to a dangerous evacuation station on a road intensely bombarded by tear gas shells. At nightfall, the enemy having discovered the distance where was his ambulance, it was hit by explosive shells, one of which wounded him in the head. Confident and bold, he was already wounded in June 1916, resuming his service as soon as he had recovered."

Cordialement
Bruno

[Croix de Guerre]

Merci Froggy,

Thank you for the information, I had not seen that before. Nothing about a subsequent service as a French aviator though? Apparently Keogh was greatly affected by the war and became an alcoholic in the years following WWI.

[Froggy]

Bonjour

I did not find traces of him in archives of aviation escadrilles in the East
But it is true that many archives were destroyed
my personal feeling is that he probably had not been pilot, or have not time to go into a combat unit before the end of the war
Nonetheless I'll ask my forum with a specialist of the question
if by chance he obtained a pilot's license

Cordialement
Bruno

[Froggy]

Bonjour

There is no French Pilot license for Lieutenant Grenville Temple Keogh
So he probably served as observerin in Aviation ? or in sanitary service ?
Cordialement
Bruno

[Croix de Guerre]

'Daily Argus' thursday 12 september 1918
" Lieutenant Grenville Temple keogh, son of Supreme Court justice and Mrs Martin J Keogh, of Pelhalm road , New Rochelle, and well know, is on his way home, an invalid. He lost the use of one of his forearms as the result of an aeroplane accident last month. He is member of the French aviation corps.
The Daily Argus, suburban news jeudi 12 septembre 1918"

[Croix de Guerre]

The only real source is to consult the archives of french Armee Francaise Orient (AFO ) to which Orient Aviation were attached -The problem is that there are thousands of pages ....
The period documents are online .I started to look at the month of August 1918 (600 pages) month when or it that seems Keogh was injured
For those who can read the french it's here
http://www.memoiredeshommes.sga.defe...DGR__GR_26_N_I