Keith Martial Berwick was born on 24 February 1918 in Hobart, Tasmania, Australia, the son of Michael James Berwick and Emily Caroline Maney.
He enlisted in the Australian Army for overseas service at Paddington, NSW on 12 Jun 1940 as a Gunner (NX30466) in the Royal Australian Artillery. At the time he was single, an orchardist labourer and was living with his father in Goulburn, NSW.
Following training he was posted 2/19th Bn at Wallgrove, NSW as a Private on 08 Aug 1940 and then to 22nd Anti Tank Coy, RAA at Ingleburn, NSW as a Gunner on 09 Sep 1940.
He spent time in hospital several times with influenza, bronchitis and URTI.
He was transferred to 17th Anti Tank Battery (B Troop) at Holsworthy, NSW on 09 Aug 1941 and embarked on the "Zealandia" at Sydney on 09 Sep 1941 for Rabaul, New Britain in the Territory of New Guinea, disembarking there on 30 Sep 1941. His unit became part of "Lark Force" to defend the Territory.
After the Japanese invasion on 23 Jan 1942 he was captured on the Lassul Bay coast and became a Prisoner of War, initially held at Rabaul.
He died on board the "Montevideo Maru" when it was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of the Philippines on 01 Jul 1942, en route from Rabaul to Hainan where he was destined for forced labour.
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Categories: Hobart, Tasmania | 17th Anti Tank Battery, Australian Army, World War II | Montevideo Maru Sinking, 1942 | Rabaul War Cemetery and Memorial, Papua New Guinea | Rabaul Montevideo Maru War Memorial, Rabaul, Papua New Guinea | Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Lake Wendouree, Victoria | Australian War Memorial, Canberra, Australian Capital Territory | Prisoners of War, Australia, World War II | Died while Prisoner of War, Australia, World War II