MAJOR-GENERAL K. F. MACKAY-LEWIS, Colonel Commandant, Royal Artillery, who has died aged 95, won the MC in the First World War and an immediate DSO in the Second.

"Squirrel" (as he was known throughout his life) was awarded the MC in 1918 "for most gallant and efficient service in bringing his Battery into action under heavy enemy barrage on three occasions 500 yards behind the front line, successfully knocking out enemy machine guns".

The citation for his DSO in 1944 recorded how "his guns enabled an infantry brigade to hold its ground under enemy attack supported by tanks. He displayed coolness and determination and showed the utmost disregard for his personal safety. He was at all times complete master of the situation and a tower of strength throughout. and a very gallant one at that."

Kenneth Frank Mackay-Lewis was born on Jan 29.1897 and educated privately before being commissioned into the Royal Artillery in 1916. He served with the 9th-Scottish Division in France, and Belgium from 1916 to 1918. After the First World War he was ADC to the GOC Lowland Division and in 1922, ADC to the GOC Upper-Silesia Force.

At the end of 1922 Mackay-Lewis joined the Iraq Levies, a force of 600 made up of Arabs, Kurds, Assyrians and Yezidis, whose task was to keep law and order in the wild area North East of Baghdad, bordering on Iraq and Turkey.

Until the 1914-18 War Mesopotamia (Iraq) had been ruled somewhat inefficiently and often brutally by the Turks, and it was important to establish the authority of the British Mandate (a benevolent Protectorate leading to early independence), which the Arabs, translating the word into their own language, equated with domination. They therefore rose in rebellion against what seemed a betrayal of Allied promises of independence.

Although the rebellion had been suppressed, law and order’ was still fragile. In order to understand the language of the Iraq Levies Mackay-Lewis Compiled his own local dictionary derived from direct comparisons with the existing Authorised Version of the Bible and the local New Testament.

After three years in this volatile’ ‘area he returned to become Adjutant in the more placid Portsmouth and Isle of Wight district, but in 1927 he seized the opportunity to serve with the Nigeria Regiment in the Royal West Africa Frontier Force for a year.

Subsequently, after three years in a home posting in Colchester, he went to India in 1933, commanded 22 Mountain’ Battery on the North-West Frontier, and instructed at the School of Artillery at Quetta, where he kept polo ponies and played in the Quetta Band on Wednesday dance nights.

He had an inexhaustible repertoire of every kind of song, which he used to sing to the accompaniment of his banjolele, known as the "Buzz Box", which accompanied him wherever he went.

In 1938 he returned home to take the course at the Military College of Science and afterwards he became an instructor at the School of Artillery, Larkhill, from 1939 to 1941.

The next year he was appointed CO of 7th Survey Regiment, and subsequently received command of 185 Field Regiment, which he took to France.

During 1944 and 1945 he was CRA of 43 and 45 Divisions, and was mentioned in despatches. In 1947 and 1948 he was Commander, Corps of Royal Artillery, in Palestine during the terrorist campaigns which preceded the creation of The State of Israel at the end of the British Mandate. He was again mentioned in despatches.

His next posting was Brigadier, Royal Artillery, in Western Command in 1948; then GOC 4th Anti-Aircraft Group from 1949 to 1950. His last appointment .was Director of Royal Artillery at the War Office from 1950 to 1954.

On retirement Squirrel Mackay-Lewis settled at a 16th century moated farm. house near Colchester. He was chairman of the Earl Haig Memorial Homes, which involved much traveling, and of the Eastern Counties Schools; he was vice-chairman of the Royal Eastern Counties Hospital and the Essex St John’s Ambulance Corps; and was also secretary and treasurer of the Royal Artillery Marriage Society and on the Eastern Board of the" RA Association,

His great love .was sailing with his family in his four-ton gaff cutter. He- was a member of the Royal Ocean Racing Club and frequently raced in the Gunner yacht St Barbara. When he was too old to crew ,he went as "cook general", specialising in curries.

His winter recreation was shooting; he was also a keen naturalist and lover of music and books.

Mackay-Lewis was appointed CB in 1951 and an Officer of the Order of St John in 1953. He held the Belgian Croix de Guerre and was Colonel Commandant, Royal Artillery, from 1957.

He married, in 1930 Pamela Menzies Pyne; they had two Sons.