A former Durban High School pupil is to receive one of the highest awards in the United Kingdom, The Military Cross, for his bravery during a 90-minute fire-fight in Afghanistan.
Peter Keogh jr, 30, who is now a sergeant in the 1st Battalion, the Royal Irish Regiment, will receive his medal during a ceremony before the Queen of England.
He received his certificate on Friday at the Wellington Barracks in England, alongside other soldiers who were also recognised for their bravery and leadership during Operation Herrick 13, an operational tour in Afghanistan from October 2010 to March 2011.
His proud father, Durban metro policeman for 35 years Peter Keogh sr, said his son would receive the award later this month from Queen Elizabeth.
“We joked that we would send him a Sharks rugby jersey, some curry powder from the Victoria Street Market, biltong and an AmaZulu soccer jersey to give to the Queen and Prince Phillip as a gift,” said Keogh sr, who is formerly from Liverpool.
According to the British Army website, Keogh jr led a patrol which completely overran seven Taliban positions in a single afternoon.
It said Keogh jr and his patrol came under attack soon after leaving their checkpoint.
“Despite heavy and accurate fire striking all around, Peter ensured his patrol regained the initiative, returning fire and assaulting the enemy position,” read the website.
The series of attacks lasted for an hour-and-a-half.
“At one point, the sergeant dashed, under fire, 150m across open ground to link with another patrol which had become pinned down. He then ran back to his patrol, again under fire.
“He then again put himself in the enemy firing line to administer first aid, and deliberately drew fire to himself to allow wounded soldiers to be carried away safely, before again dashing through enemy fire to retrieve weapons and equipment left by the insurgents,” the army said.
Speaking to the army’s website, Keogh jr said: “I just wanted to get everyone back. My actions weren’t a conscious decision, I just followed my instincts and acted without hesitation.
“Although some of us have been singled out, everyone did something spectacular on that tour.
“I will always think of those who didn’t come back.”
His dad was shocked to read about his son’s heroics.
Peter is very shy and humble, he said:
“All he said to us was that he might get a medal from the queen.
“It was only when we Googled his name on Friday that we read the details surrounding him receiving this award. We had no idea.
“When I spoke to him again, I asked him why he had put himself in the line of fire.”
Keogh jr’s sister Catherine, 24, said it was difficult not seeing him and when he is out on the field they do worry about him.
“We’re very close. We usually communicate via e-mail which is received as a fax and sent through to wherever he is summoned and where there is a camp or base that has electronics or phones. We sometimes don’t hear from him for weeks at a time. Parcels we send are sometimes only received much later,” she said.
The soldier has previously received medals for operational combat, but his dad said this was the first time he had received an award of this kind.
“I often tell Peter that this is not his war because he’s from Durban and he should be here going to the beach instead of fighting these battles,” Keogh sr said.
Keogh jr matriculated at DHS and spent a gap year in the United Kingdom with his grandmother. He went to a shopping mall where people were recruiting for the army and he signed up.
This was 11 years ago and his ambition is to join the military academy in Sandhurst.
Both his parents are metro police officers and Keogh sr said it was every boy’s dream to become a police officer or fireman.
His mom, Vicky, was seriously injured in May 2010. She had stopped to help a car that had broken down on the Southern Freeway, when a taxi swerved and hit her.
She suffered a crushed leg, broken shoulder and facial injuries. Keogh jr had visited his mother in hospital at the time of the accident just before he left for Afghanistan.
“My wife has had several operations, been in a wheelchair and still has to undergo another operation and scans.
“She hasn’t returned to work as yet, but is determined to do so,” Keogh sr said. - Daily News, page 1