Roydon Keith Palmer (1906 - 1943)

Born 22 Oct 1906 in Foxhill, Tasman, New Zealand

Ancestors

Husband of Mary Edith (McKee) Palmer — married 10 Jan 1933 in Christchurch, Canterbury, New Zealand

Died 7 Nov 1943 at age 37 in Bougainville Island, North Solomons, Papua New Guinea

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Biography

Roydon was born in 1906. He is the son of Roy Palmer and Elizabeth Tarrant.

^[1]BIRTH. PALMER. - At her residence, Foxhill, the wife of R. A Palmer, of a son. [Motueka and Taranaki papers please copy.]

^[2]MELBOURNE 12th November 1943, Thursday. -- Mr. Roydon Keith Palmer, war correspondent of the Melbourne "Herald" and the Sydney "Sun" in the South Pacific area, was killed instantly by a Japanese heavy bomb on Sunday. Mr. Palmer had been covering American operations at Bougainville, in the Solomons, and his recent messages had described the landing of United States marines at Empress Augusta Bay. He participated in the operation as a front-line correspondent Born in New Zealand in 1007; Mr. Palmer was educated at the Nelson College and the Canterbury University College. He entered journalism in New Zealand, and came to Australia in 1936 to join the staff of the "Herald," Melbourne He was an authority on aviation, and became a firm friend of the late Sir Charles Kingsford Smith with whom he made many flights He was the first journalist to fly around Australia He also made a flight to the United States when the Clipper service was inaugurated in 1940. Before being assigned to the South Pacific he represented the combined Australian Press as a correspondent with the Royal Australian Navy. Mr Palmer leaves a widow and two young children He has been buried in a war cemetery near where he was killed.

https://oztypewriter.blogspot.com/2015/06/death-of-war-correspondent-his.html

Sources

1. ↑ https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/newspapers/TC19061027.2.5
2. ↑ https://www.nzwargraves.org.nz/casualties/royden-keith-palmer

• NZBDM Birth Reg 1906/20689 Palmer Roydon Kent Parents - Elizabeth Constance and Roydon Albert