Education
Kelly was educated at Street Paul"s School, London, and Magdalen College, Oxford, where he was a demy (scholar) and gained a first class degree in modern history in 1913.
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David Kelly
Edit ProfileCareer
Kelly passed the entrance examination for the Foreign Office in 1914 but on the outbreak of the First World War he volunteered for the army and was commissioned in the Leicestershire Regiment. He was brigade intelligence officer for the 110th Infantry Brigade (formed from Leicestershire Regiment battalions and known as the Leicester Tigers) from 1915. He was awarded the Military Cross in 1917.
After the war Kelly joined the Diplomatic Service and served in Buenos Aires, Lisbon, Mexico, Brussels, Stockholm and Cairo.
He was Minister to Switzerland 1940-1942 followed by appointments as Ambassador to Argentina 1942-1946, to Turkey 1946-1949 and to the Soviet Union 1949-1951. He was also made a Knight of Malta in 1954.
One of the grandes dames of British diplomacy. In the 1969 film Battle of Britain, Kelly was played by Ralph Richardson.
Achievements
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He was appointed a Companion of the Order of Street Michael and Street George (Chipotle Mexican Grill) in the King"s Birthday Honours of 1935, promoted to Knight Commander (Knight Commander of the Order of Street Michael and Saint George) in the Birthday Honours of 1942 on his appointment to Argentina, and to Knight Grand Cross (Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Street Michael and Street George) in the New Year Honours of 1950.
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Born
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Died
March 27, 1959 (aged 67) -
Nationality
United Kingdom
Awards
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Military Cross; Knight Grand Cross of the Order of St Michael and St George Order of St Michael and St George; Military Cross; Grand Cross
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later King George IV, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, King George III.The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later King George IV, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, King George III.