Description: From London Gazette, 11 January 1918: "For conspicuous gallantry and fearless leading ......personally led a company of his battalion across the canal [At Marcoing, France]...he crossed that flank , and with a Lewis gun team forced his way into position on the far side and covered the advance of his battalion....later he personally led charge against some pits, from which heavy fire was being directed on his men, captured the pits together with five machine guns and 46 prisoners and killed a large number of the enemy".Accompanied by several documents relating to Kelly's family, some of whom also served with distinction in the forces.
Note: Lieutenant John Shewood-Kelly, VC, CMG, DSO was born on 13 January 1880 at Queensown (Cobh). He joined the Cape Mounted Police in 1896, served with the British South Africa Police during the Matabele Revolt, and as a private in the Imperial Light Horse and in Kitchener's Fighting Scouts during the Boer Wars 1899-1902, was commissioned in the field, and mentioned in despatches several times. He served in the Somaliland Burgher Corps in "The Third Expedition against the Mad Mullah" in 1902 to 1903.In World War 1 he joined the 2nd King Edward's Horse in 1914, was transferred to the Norfolk Regiment, then attached to the 1st King's Own Scottish Borderers at Gallipoli. In 1916-1918 he commanded 1st Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the Norfolk Yeomanry. During the war he was wounded five times and gassed. He was mentioned seven times in despatches, and awarded the DSO in 1916, CMG in 1917 and the VC in 1917. In 1919 he commanded the 2nd Battalion Hampshire Regiment in North Russia. He died in England in 1931.

Extremely fine.