John Keane, 1st Baron Keane

Keane was born in Belmont[2], Ireland, the second son of Sir John Keane, 1st Baronet.[1] He joined the British Army as an Ensign at age 11 in 1792. He rose to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in the 60th Foot and commanded a brigade in the Peninsular War.[1] For his services there, he was awarded the Army Gold Cross with two clasps for Martinique, Vitoria, the Pyrenees, Nivelle, the Nive, and Toulouse.[1] Promoted to Major-General, Keane commanded the British 3rd brigade at the Battle of New Orleans where he was wounded twice.[1] He served as commander-in-chief in the West Indies and also administered the colonial government of Jamaica.[1]

Lieutenant-General Keane served as Commander-in-Chief of the Bombay Army from 1834 to 1840 and commanded the combined British and British Indian army ("The Army of the Indus") during the opening campaign of the First Anglo-Afghan War and first Anglo Marri war. In February 1839, his forces seized Karachi.[3] He commanded the victorious British and Indian army at the Battle of Ghazni on 23 July 1839. For his service, he was elevated to the peerage as Baron Keane, of Ghuznee and of Cappoquin in the County of Waterford on 23 December 1839.[4][5]

John Keane married twice, firstly to Grace Smith, daughter of Lieutenant General Sir John Smith, whom he married in 1806, then secondly to Charlotte Maria Boland, the daughter of a Colonel Boland in 1840. From his marriage with Grace Smith the couple had six children:[6]

• Edward Arthur Wellington Keane (1815–1882), 2nd Baron Keane
• John Manly Arbuthnot Keane (1816–1901, 3rd Baron Keane
• George Disney Keane (26 September 1817 – 19 October 1891), married Katherine Mary McLeod on 13 July 1881
• Hussey Fane Keane (14 June 1822 – 26 October 1895), married Isabella Emma Elizabeth, daughter of the 5th Earl of Orkney on 11 January 1886
• Charlotte Amelia Keane (d. 22 June 1859)
• Georgiana Isabella Keane (d. 14 April 1854), married W.H. Penrose

Lord Keane died at Burton Lodge, Hampshire, England, on 24 August 1844.[1]

• Keane Baronets
• Baron Keane

• First Afghan War - www.national-army-museum.ac.uk