The Great War D.S.O. group of four to Lieutenant-Colonel John Alexander Geary, Royal Artillery:

The Great War D.S.O. group of four to Lieutenant-Colonel John Alexander Geary, Royal Artillery: Distinguished Service Order, George V; 1914 Star and Bar (CAPT: J. A. GEARY. R.F.A.); British War Medal 1914-20 (LT. COL. J. A. GEARY.); Victory Medal with oak leaves emblem (LT. COL. J. A. GEARY.); mounted for wearing, very fine and better. [4]

Born on the 16th October 1877, the third son of Lt. Gen. Sir Henry le Guay Geary, John Alexander Geary entered the Royal Artillery as 2nd Lieutenant on the 23rd March 1900. As a Lieutenant he served his father (then Governor of Bermuda) as ADC. He was promoted Captain on the 17th August 1912 and in this year he also married Edeline (née Roberts-West). He served with the British Expeditionary Corps in France and Flanders from the 19th August 1914, with 6th Battery RFA, which was part of XL Brigade, 3rd Division, in II Corps. He was in action at Mons and Le Cateau, and on the 2nd of March 1915 he was wounded, together with one OR, when the 6th Battery observing station was shelled. The other wounded man appears to have been 25401 Corporal Evi Feben, who died of his wounds on the following day. According to family tradition the observing station was situated in a barn, and Captain Geary suffered serious injuries in rescuing Feben, who was trapped by a fallen and burning beam. The recipient was promoted Major on the 26th July 1915. His D.S.O. was gazetted in the 14th January the following year and he was invested with it by the King at Buckingham Palace on the 14th April 1917. He was mentioned in despatches four time, and saw further service in Salonika.