Kenneth Mayhew | |
|---|---|
 Mayhew in 2011. | |
| Born | 18 January 1917 Helmingham, Suffolk, England |
| Died | 13 May 2021 (aged 104) |
| Allegiance | United Kingdom |
| Service | British Army |
| Years of service | 1939–45 |
| Rank | Major |
| Unit | Suffolk Regiment |
| Battles / wars | Second World War |
| Awards | Knight 4th Class of the Military William Order (Netherlands) |
Major Kenneth George Mayhew (18 January 1917 – 13 May 2021) was a British Army veteran of the Second World War. Mayhew was one of the recipients of the Military William Order, the highest honour of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.
Conscripted in 1939 Mayhew served as an officer of the 1st Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment. He commanded a company which landed in Normandy in 1944 and fought in the North West Europe Campaign. Mayhew was injured while fighting in the Netherlands. He resumed command of his company before being injured again and returning to the United Kingdom.
In 1946 Mayhew was knighted by Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands, receiving the Knight fourth class of the Military William Order. The chapter of the order lost contact with him in the 1980s until he was seen wearing his medal at a memorial service in 2011. He subsequently became an active member of the order.