Knowledge (XXG)

Rod Keller

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33: 239:, the quartermaster of the 3rd Division, called Keller a "conventional tactician" who was "very much a spit and polish officer who cut quite a figure in his battledress. We always cut a spare uniform for him, ironed and ready to go just in case. He cared for the division and was sensitive to any slight on its reputation. He was a very proud man and on top of the division's training." 242:
During the first month ashore in Normandy, it was noted he was "jumpy and high strung". The quartermaster of the 3rd Division, Côté was frustrated with Keller's chronic indecisiveness on D-Day and later stated in an interview that the responsibility of command seemed to be too much for him. Keller's
255:, Keller handled Operation Windsor poorly, sending a reinforced brigade in to handle a divisional operation and delegating the planning to one of his brigadiers. Keller was also reportedly shell-shy by August, and rumours began to spread among the division that "Keller was yeller." 233:. Major-General Keller was popular with his troops, who appreciated his manners and outspoken language; however, a drinking problem and several breaches of security measures before D-Day cost him the support of both his superior officers and his own staff. 516: 486: 506: 526: 496: 266:, refused to relieve him. Fate intervened when he was wounded by friendly fire on August 8. US bombers accidentally carpet bombed his divisional headquarters during 251:
upon its activation in Normandy, held off on making a decision about his relief, even refusing a resignation by Keller who himself admitted to the strain. During the
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immediate superiors in I British Corps and 2nd British Army considered him unfit to command the division, but Lieutenant General
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The Royal Military College of Canada was presented with an oil painting of Keller in 1965. Keller was RMC graduate Number 1341.
230: 158: 116: 218: 491: 270:. Keller received no further active military command. He died ten years later, in 1954, while in London after visiting 150: 32: 521: 226: 198: 177:
Rod Keller was born England and moved to Kelowna, British Columbia around 1902. Keller left BC and entered the
425: 448: 197:, the full-time professional army. Like many other promising Canadian officers of that era, he attended 481: 476: 336:
Zuehlke, Mark (2005). Juno Beach: Canada's D-Day Victory. Toronto: Douglas & McIntyre, 2005 p.31
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Despite the continued complaints from above and below, Simonds, and Lieutenant General
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officer who rose to divisional-level command in the Second World War. He commanded the
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Major General R.F.L. Keller addressing Canadian troops in Normandy, August 2, 1944.
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Holding Juno Canada's Heroic Defence of the D-Day Beaches: June 7–12, 1944
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and, between September 8, 1942, and August 8, 1944, he served as
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Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War
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https://matthewkbarrett.com/2023/08/12/maj-gen-r-f-l-keller/
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https://matthewkbarrett.com/2023/08/12/maj-gen-r-f-l-keller/
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https://matthewkbarrett.com/2023/08/12/maj-gen-r-f-l-keller/
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When Canada went to war, Rod Keller was sent overseas as a
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Canadian Commanders of the Order of the British Empire
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Class of 1965 Review, Royal Military College page 191
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Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry officers
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Index


Tetbury
Gloucestershire
London
Canadian Army
Major General
3rd Canadian Infantry Division
Second World War
Commander of the Order of the British Empire
Major General
CBE
Canadian Army
3rd Canadian Infantry Division
Juno Beach
D-Day
Royal Military College
Kingston, Ontario
First World War
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
Canadian Permanent Force
Staff College, Camberley
brigade major
Princess Patricia's Canadian Light Infantry
1st Canadian Infantry Brigade
major-general
General Officer Commanding
3rd Canadian Infantry Division
Ernest Côté
Guy Simonds
II Canadian Corps

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