Major General Sir Keith Lindsay Stewart, KBE, CB, DSO (30 December 1896 – 13 November 1972) was a professional soldier in the New Zealand Military Forces.

He served during the First and Second World Wars and was Chief of the General Staff of the New Zealand Military Forces from 1949 to 1952.

While Chief of General Staff, he oversaw the deployment of New Zealand's military personnel to Korea to assist the United Nations during the Korean War.

[1] In 1914, Stewart entered the Royal Military College, Duntroon in Australia, having passed its entrance exams.

He also spent a period of time with the headquarters of the Australian and New Zealand Mounted Division, which was serving in the Sinai and Palestine campaign.

He held staff positions in Southern Command, the military district that covered the South Island of New Zealand, until 1939.

[1] Following the outbreak of the Second World War in September 1939, Stewart was posted to Army Headquarters in Wellington, with responsibility for training and staff duties.

[5] Stewart commanded the brigade through the early stages of the Italian campaign before handing over responsibility to Brigadier Howard Kippenberger in November 1943.

He led the brigade through the Battle of Monte Cassino and up until early August 1944, when he was captured by German forces while visiting the front line.

He was mentioned in despatches twice during the course of the war as well as being awarded the United States Legion of Merit and the Greek Military Cross.

[1][7] Appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in the 1945 Birthday Honours,[8] Stewart returned to New Zealand in July 1945.