Keith had vivid and disturbing memories of the Huggins Perimeter and the Battle of Sanananda where he came close to death on several occasions. A while later, in 1943, he was in one, of two, gun detachments attached to the American 503 Parachute Regiment when they launched their memorable airborne assault on the air stirp at Nadzab in the Markham Valley of New Guinea. This was a precursor to the advance on Lae by the 25^th Infantry Brigade. Keith was the only Queenslander who made the jump. One can only imagine how it must have felt to respond to the order: “Stand to the door!”  Keith said of that jump: “I seem to recall that on landing I felt rather like a punch-drunk boxer answering the bell for the 12^th!”

In all, 302 planes took part in securing the Nadzab airstrip. These ‘volunteers’ pushed their short barrel 25 Pounders out of the Dakota aircraft and then followed them out. Keith was a regular attendee at 2/4th Field Regiment Association functions and very proudly received his parachute jump wings with combat star at the units 50th anniversary.

Keith was wounded in action on 19 December 1942 and eventually returned Australia in February 1944. He was discharged from the AIF on 14 November 1944. Keith was always happy to share his military story with colleagues, but he was adamant that the focus of his experiences be on the importance of medical research and not his life experiences. He commented once that; “Medical research is of vital importance. There have been so many advances since I was a boy and we must continue researching to improve outcomes for generations to come.

Keith had an avid interest in advances in technology and research, particularly in the areas of cancer and heart and was renown for offering great encouragement to researchers.

Keith was laid to rest at Mt Thompson Crematorium West Chapel on 29^th September 2008.

Acknowledgements:

• The late Arthur Burke who gathered notes on Keith’s military service and life. Arth
• ur also treasured Keith’s friendship as Secretary to the 2/4^th Field Regiment Association. This obituary has been compiled from Arthur’s notes and Service records.