Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Awarded the Distinguished Service Order (www.awm.gov.au)

'Recommendation: Meritorious service and devotion to duty while in command of the 103rd Battery, from 1/3/16 to 1/9/16, while the Division was holding the line at Sailly 20/4/16 to 2/7/16 and during the operations on the Somme including the capture of Pozieres 20th July to 23rd August.

The 103rd Battery was a new battery, and Major Jopp was responsible for its organization and training which was very thoroughly carried out.' SOURCE: 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 103 Date: 29 June 1917.

'Arthur Keith Jopp

Arthur Keith Jopp was one of the few members of the Australian Imperial Force to fly over Gallipoli. He served throughout the Gallipoli campaign, first as a Captain in the 7th Field Battery and then as a seconded observer with the Royal Naval Air Service. While in Egypt, he volunteered for service with No. 3 Squadron. He often sent fall-of-shot corrections for naval gunfire and on one occasion succeeded in causing the sinking of a Turkish resupply vessel. He also participated in bombing missions and on several occasions engaged enemy aircraft, but with no success. After Gallipoli, he returned to the artillery and later served in France. He retired as a Major in 1917 with the Distinguished Service Order.' 100th Anniversary Tribute Gallipoli 1915 - 2015 (www.defence.gov.au)

'Arthur Harold Keith-Jopp, and all family members used the hyphenated surname of Keith-Jopp, however when Arthur joined the Army his surname was recorded as Jopp and this is the name on all his medals and records. In the recorded information outlining his air service, his name is shown in both formats, namely as Jopp and also as Keith-Jopp.

Arthur Harold Keith-Jopp was Australia's sole representative in the Air over Gallipoli.

When Australia remembers the sacrifices and hardships endured on the Gallipoli Peninsula, little thought if any is ever given to that of the war in the air over our trenches. That may largely be due to the fact that the Australian Flying Corps was in its infancy and would not become fully operational until later in the war. The sole responsibility of the air over Gallipoli fell to the Royal Navy and in particular the newly formed number 3 Squadron of the Royal Naval Air Service.

Due to the large numbers of Australians on the Peninsula, it made sense to the commander of No3 Sqn, Wing Commander Samson to put an Australian artillery observer in the sky. Commander Samson recorded the following 'Captain Jopp, an Australian who was a great fellow, usually came with me. As well as Helles and the Fleet we had Anzac to look after; and we did a lot of artillery co-operation for the Australians registering their heavy batteries on the Turk's guns, Jopp was the observer whom I detailed to specialise on Anzac; he had an eye like a hawk and it wasn't long before he had discovered most of the guns that were causing trouble.' Jopp also spotted warships onto enemy guns that were bursting shrapnel over the Nek in the August Offensive. He left no record of what he felt looking down on that tiny battlefield.

Whilst in the air Captain Keith-Jopp was confronted by many enemy planes with Sir Charles Rosenthal noting that Capt. Jopp already 'had four encounters with enemy Taube's (planes) by the middle of August 1915.' One of these encounters was also recorded by Commander Bell-Davies of Victoria Cross (Gallipoli) fame of whom Captain Keith-Jopp was observing for, stating that on the 10th August 'we met a German Ettrich (sic) Taube over Anzac. The pilot did not see us and I was able to come close behind him. Jupp (sic) who had a rifle, started shooting and must have made good practice, for at about the fifth shot I saw the pilots face as he turned to look behind before going into a vertical dive. We heard afterwards that the Australians had full view of the encounter from their trenches. Convinced that we had shot down the German, they all started cheering.'

Over the duration of Captain Keith-Jopp's service in Gallipoli a good many more of his exploits were recorded, including taking part in the bombing of ships in Ak Bashi Liman. Commander Samson reported 'A terrible panic occurred, the tugs that had got Dhows in tow cut them off and steamed for the Asiatic shore. The gangs on the beach, who were now well used to aeroplane bombs, dropped everything and fled to the hills. I was trying to get a hit on the two steamers which were still at anchor. The eighth shot hit one. Jopp said "What correction must I signal?" I said, "Report O.K." (hit), the ninth shell hit the second steamer.

Among the many gems published in reports, the following illustrates the lengths to which these pioneers adapted; 'To extend the range of his aeroplanes Charles (Samson) installed long-range petrol tanks which saw Keith Jopp conducting mid-air refuelling using a rubber hose and a petrol tin!'

It was not long before Captain Keith-Jopp was wounded, Commander Harold Kerby (later Air Vice Marshall) wrote about the incident, 'Commander Samson, with Captain Keith Jopp as observer, started away this morning on early reconnaissance and over Suvla the machine was struck by an anti-aircraft shell and Jopp was wounded. They managed to get down safely, landing on the salt lake, but the machine was destroyed by Turkish shelling. Keith Jopp is in a hospital ship.'

However this did not stop Captain Keith-Jopp and before long was in flight again as Commander Samson wrote, 'I despatched Thomson with Jopp as his observer to see what they could do to the large camp I had located at Kara Bunar; right thoroughly they stirred things up with two 12lb and four 20lb bombs. As they approached, the Turks began to stream out of the tents; but some were too late. One 12lb fell amongst the tents and demolished three of them; the second one fell amongst a large body of men running to seek shelter in a gully. Jopp observed that the explosion killed a great many.'

Captain Keith-Jopp was the only Australian uniform in the air in a fully active role during the entire Gallipoli campaign. A man recognised for his ability among his peer group and often selected by his boss, Commander Samson, to accompany him on many dangerous missions.

There seems little doubt that had Keith-Jopp been under direct Australian Command whilst 'in the air' over Gallipoli, he would have unquestionably been recommended for a higher award than a 'MiD' as the RNAS pilots all received decorations (DSCs).

By the end of December our troops had departed the Peninsula and Captain Keith-Jopp resumed his role with the Australian Artillery. For his efforts in the air over Gallipoli, Captain Keith-Jopp was Mentioned in Despatches and promoted to Major. With promotion came command of his own Artillery Battery (103rd) in France, where he was to go on to be awarded the Distinguished Service Order. The 103rd Battery was a new battery, and Major Jopp was responsible for its organization and training which was very thoroughly carried out. Post WWI Arthur Keith-Jopp joined the Australian Commonwealth Bank in London and later the National Bank of South Africa Durban, Natal and was working there when WWII started and he saw service as Officer Commanding the South African Coastal Defences.

Also, interestingly, Major Keith-Jopp was the brother-in-law of General Sir Henry George Chauvel GCMG, KCB.' Noble Numismatics Pty Ltd (www.noble.com.au)