Alexander Kearsey Alexander Horace Cyril Kearsey DSO , OBE ( 17 December 1877 – 8 October 1967 ) was a highly decorated career British Army officer who served in the Second Boer War and the First World War . He was also an English cricketer , but his military career limited his cricketing appearances . The son of Francis Kearsey , he was born at Burstow Hall , Surrey . He was educated at Rottingdean School and Clifton College , before attending the Royal Military College , Sandhurst . Military career . After graduating from Sandhurst , Kearsey was commissioned into the York and Lancaster Regiment on 7 May 1896 . He was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant on 7 May 1896 , and was later promoted to Lieutenant in 1900 . Kearsey fought in the Second Boer War , being present at the Relief of Ladysmith . During the operations in the Relief , Kearsay was severely wounded at Venters Spruit on 20 January 1900 . The following month , having recovered from his injuries sufficiently enough , he took part in action at Spion Kop , Vaal Kranz and toward the end of February , action at Tucela Heights and Pieters Hill . Kearsey later took part in operations in Natal from March to June 1900 , including at the Battle of Laing ' s Nek . He also took part in operations in Transvaal Colony from May to June 1901 and operations in Orange River Colony from December 1901 to 31 May 1902 . Mentioned twice in dispatches during the course of the war by Sir Redvers Buller , he was also mentioned in the London Gazette in a list of soldiers and officers who had distinguished themselves in the conflict . Weeks later he was made a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order , with the insignia being presented by Edward VII on 14 March 1902 . Following the Boer War , Kearsey was promoted to Captain on 12 March 1904 , while the following year he was transferred to the 10th Royal Hussars . He then served in the Territorial Force as an adjutant from March 1908 to April 1911 . With the outbreak of the First World War , Kearsey attended the Staff College , Camberley , and was promoted to Major on 11 November 1914 . At the start of the war , he was posted as part of the Embarkation Staff at Southampton , following which he procceded to Belgium with the 1st Life Guards , 7th Cavalry Brigade . He took part in the First Battle of Ypres and saw action at Neuve - Chapelle . In 1915 , he was attached to the staff of the 7th Cavalry Brigade , and August 1915 he was appointed Brigade Major with the 1 / 2nd South - Western Mounted Brigade , seeing action in Gallipoli . He later commanded the 5th Dorset Regiment for months , till May 1916 . Following this , he was appointed GS01 with the 54th Division , Egyptian Expeditionary Force , seeing action at the first and Second Battle of Gaza , both of which ended in Ottoman victories . He later commanded 1 / 5th King ' s Own Scottish Borderers , seeing action at the Battle of El Teb , during the course of which he was wounded . At the time he was a temporary Lieutenant Colonel . For his services in the conflict , Kearsey was decorated by the Kingdom of Serbia with the Order of the Karađorđe ' s Star , 4th Class with Swords and the Order of the Nile . Transferring to the fledgling Royal Air Force , he commanded the Cadet Wing and was appointed Staff Officer , 1st grade on 28 December 1918 . During his life , Kearsey published a number of his records including , " The War Records of the York and Lancaster Regiment , South Africa , 1900 – 1902 , 1903 " , which detailed his time with the York and Lancaster Regiment in the Boer War . He also published records of the campaign in Egypt and Palestine during the First World War . He later wrote a number of books analysing military strategy . Ribbons . < br > Cricket . As a cricketer , Kearsey ' s batting style is unknown , but is known he fielded as a wicket - keeper . While serving in the British Raj , he made his first - class debut for the Europeans against the Parsees in 1903 . He ended the Europeans first - innings unbeaten on 0 . In their second - innings , he was dismissed for 2 runs by Maneksha Bulsara . His second first - class appearance came for the Europeans in 1905 , in a repeat of his debut match . In this match , he was dismissed for a duck by Jehangir Warden in the Europeans first - innings , while in their second - innings he was dismissed for 4 runs by the same bowler . Taking up position behind the stumps , he took a single catch and made a single stumping . He later made two Minor Counties Championship appearances in 1913 for Buckinghamshire , against Berkshire and Wiltshire . He did not appear for Buckinghamshire after this season . Personal life . Kearsey married Frances Mitford , the daughter of Algernon Freeman - Mitford , 1st Baron Redesdale and Lady Clementina Gertrude Helen Ogilvy , on 30 April 1907 . The couple had one son . Kearsey died in Wandsworth , London on 8 October 1967 . He had survived his wife Frances , who had died in 1951 , by 16 years .