LEST WE FORGET
Warrant Officer Raymond John KEYES
Service No: 420571
Born: Marrickville NSW, 1 August 1923
Enlisted in the RAAF: 8 November 1941
Unit: No. 76 Squadron
Died: Aircraft Accident (No. 76 Squadron Kittyhawk aircraft A29-649), between Port Moresby and Lae PNG, 28 January 1945, Aged 21 Years
Buried: Unrecovered
CWGC Additional Information: Son of Thomas Joseph and Mary Phoebe Keyes; husband of Jean Elsie Keyes, of Sydney, New South Wales
Roll of Honour: Unknown
Remembered: Panel 6, Lae Memorial PNG
Remembered: Panel 104, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 28 January 1945 Kittyhawk A29-649 flown by Warrant Officer Keyes was being ferried on its first leg from No. 15 Aircraft repair Deport at Port Moresby to Lae with the final destination being No. 22 Repair and Serving Unit at Noemfoor and it never arrived at Lae.
A29-649 was being escorted by No. 7 Squadron Beaufort A9-660 (Wing Commander Nigel William Barker (260411) (Pilot)) which also went missing but the wreckage was subsequently located.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A9845, 165