Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Captain

Unit:

Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), Imperial General Staff, War Office, British Government

Awarded on:

August 27th, 1947

Citation:
"KEUN started working for th British Intelligence in France at the end of 1941. By the middle of 1942 his contacts had as far developped that he moved to Paris, where he set his own organisation with direct communications with London.
During the following twelve months KEUN made two return visits to the U.K., once by air and once by sea. Subsidiary actions of his organisation were established in Lyons, Bordeaux, the Loire region and the north of France. For six months of this period, he was also in charge of a pick-up operations group, which maintained a monthly courier serivice with London.
Two days after he arrived in this country for the second time, KEUN learned by telegram that his co-chief in France had been seriously wouned by the Gestapo and had been forced into hiding. Fearing that the flow of information from England would suffer as a result of this incident, and in spite of very real physical fatigue after his journey to the U.K., KEUN insited on returning to France immediately. His parachute landing, however, was not successful, and his spinal vertibrae was severely injured. In spite of his doctor's advice that unless he remained on his back for some months he would be crippled for life, on at least three occasions he discarded his plaster cast, and in spite of great suffering he cycled seventy miles to ensure the delivery of a courier to an agent due to leave for England.
KEUN was arrested by the Gestapo on 29th June, 1944, was deported to Germany and was hanged at Buchenwald on 9th September, 1944.
Throughout his service, KEUN showed the highest possible courage and devotion to duty. His personal example was an inspiration to those who followed him, and his accomplishments in the field contributed largely to the liberation of France."

Posthumously awarded. Recommended for the George Cross.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Unit:

Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), Imperial General Staff, War Office, British Government

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Unit:

Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), Imperial General Staff, War Office, British Government

Silver palm

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Unit:

Secret Intelligence Service (SIS), Directorate of Military Intelligence (DMI), Imperial General Staff, War Office, British Government

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)