Alan MacDonald Keith (1957 - 1979)

Born 16 Jul 1957 in Glasgow; United Kingdom

Died 17 Jan 1979 at age 21 in Wedza, Rhodesia

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Andrew Field [send private message]

Biography

PATU Badge

Birth & Upbringing: Born 1957 in Glasgow, Scotland.
Education Alan was educated at Guinea Fowl School, near Gwelo. He studied at the University of Natal.
Military Service: The BSA Police was very much a para-military service and was the nation's first line of defense. The Police Anti Terrorist Unit of the British South Africa Police was a unit which operated in a quasi Special Forces role, seeking out and engaging the enemy in counter insurgency operations as an integral part of the Security Forces. The Unit was a highly successful structure.
Occupation: Joined the BSA Police as a national serviceman in January 1976 and on completion of his national service was attested into the Field Reserve in August 1978; Reg.No. 91564; served until January 1979. Essentially he was a civilian and was employed at Rio Tinto Rhodesia on the Eiffel Flats enterprise.
Demise: Killed on Active Service - friendly fire accident during the course of a contact with insurgents while serving as a Field Reservist on SB Attachement in Wedza (Operation Thrasher). Alan was operating with a PATU stick at the time of his demise. ^{[1] [2]}.
Cremation: His semi-military cremation service was held at Warren Hills Crematorium, Salisbury, on 22 January 1980

Sources

1. ↑ Andrew Field: BSA Police Roll of Honour BSAP Website
2. ↑ Obituary Notice Outpost 2/1979 Outpost Magazine: Journal of the BSA Police