Keith Douglas Reeves (1918 - 1998)

Born 7 Mar 1918 in Kyogle, New South Wales, Australia

Ancestors

Died 1 Jan 1998 at age 79 in Beaudesert, Queensland, Australia

Biography

Keith Douglas Reeves was born on 7th March 1918 at Kyogle, New South Wales, Australia. He was the younger son of John Reeves and Eliza J Little.^[1] He attended Collins Creek Public School. His parents sold the property at Collins Creek and, in 1922, moved onto another property at Fawcett's Creek.^[2]

Keith Reeves is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Second Australian Imperial Force 1939-1943
2/2nd Australian Infantry Battalion

On 25th October 1939 Keith enlisted in the Second Australian Imperial Force (AIF) for service overseas during the Second World War.^[3] He was allocated to the 2/2nd Australian Infantry Battalion, which was raised at Victoria Barracks, Sydney on 24th October 1939 as part of the 16th Brigade of the 6th Australian Division. The battalion relocated to the newly-opened Ingleburn Camp on 2nd November and, after basic training, sailed for the Middle East on 10th January 1940. The 2/2nd Battalion's first campaign was the advance from Egypt into eastern Libya in January and February 1941. It was involved in the attacks to capture Bardia (3-5th January) and Tobruk (21-22nd January), and remained as part of the Tobruk garrison when the advance continued. The 2/2nd left Tobruk on 7th March, bound for Greece. The 2/2nd occupied positions at Veria on 7th April, but a succession of withdrawals by the Allies in Greece meant that the battalion did not meet the enemy in battle until 18th April - at Tempe (Pinios) Gorge. There, in a desperate fight, the 2/2nd blocked German movement through the gorge to permit the safe withdrawal of Allied forces further south. It held its ground until overwhelmed by vastly superior German forces. A group of 189 members of the 2/2nd subsequently fought with the 16th Brigade Composite Battalion on Crete. After being rebuilt in Palestine, the 2/2nd manned defences in northern Syria between October 1941 and January 1942. It left the Middle Easton 11th March 1942, being diverted on the voyage home to Ceylon (current-day Sri Lanka). Whilst the rest of the battalion, and the division, sailed for Australia and were then rushed to Papua – the Kokoda Track and the northern beachheads – Keith was left in the military hospital with appendicitus.^[4] Keith never caught up with the battalion, so took his discharge from the AIF on 12th May 1943 and ...

Keith Reeves is a Military Veteran.
Served in the Royal Australian Air Force 1943-1947
No.5 Service Flying Training School.

On 7th July 1943, Keith enlisted in the Royal Australian Air Force, being discharged on 10th October 1947. He gained his 'wings' under the Empire Air Training Scheme at Teranora, New South Wales. His final posting was as a Flight Sergeant at the No.5 Service Flying Training School.^[5]

After the war, Keith moved north across the Queensland border, to Beaudesert, to live. He obtained work at Beaudesert Motors. For many years Keith was parade marshall for the Beaudesert ANZAC Day parade.^[2]

Keith married Ruby Daley in 1948 at Beaudesert.^[2]

He passed away, aged 79 years, on 1st January 1998 and is buried in the Beaudesert Cemetery, Beaudesert.^[2] He was survived by his wife and children.^[6]