Norman Leslie Keid (1911 - 1942)

Born 4 Jan 1911 in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 31 in At Sea

Biography

Norman Keid is an Anzac who served in World War Two.

Norman Keid was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Norman Keid died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Norman Leslie Keid was born in 1911. Son of Leonard and Eliza Aroy Keid

He had been left an inheritance in trust following the death of his father, however the solicitor defrauded the trust. ^[1]

Norman was apprenticed to the Tramways Dept of the Brisbane City Council from 19 Nov 1927 to 19 Sep 1932.

On 18 Feb 1933 he married Doreen Collins. They had 2 daughters.

He was working in Nambour, QLD in 1938 when the cottage he was living in was destroyed by fire.^[2]

Norman enlisted in the Australian Army on 26 May 1939 as a Private (QP2450) in the Australian Army Ordnance Corps (AAOC) in Brisbane, QLD. At the time he was married, a mechanic and living in Newmarket, QLD. He was 5 ft 7 & 1/2 in tall, with fair complexion, brown hair and blue-grey eyes.

Initially he was allocated as a workshop assistant in the Brisbane workshops. He was promoted Cpl on 22 Apr 1940.

He probably disembarked at Rabaul in the Territory of New Guinea on 29 Mar 1941.

When the Japanese invaded New Britain in Jan 1942 he was captured at Keravat 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.

He was posthumously transferred to the AIF as QX64937.

Before it was known that he had died, he was routinely promoted Sgt in Jul 1945.

Sources

1. ↑ SOLICITOR PLEADS Guilty. (1930, May 31). The Evening News (Rockhampton, Qld. : 1924 - 1941), p. 3. Retrieved December 16, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article202496605
2. ↑ Cottage Destroyed. (1938, August 19). Nambour Chronicle and North Coast Advertiser (Qld. : 1922 - 1954), p. 7. Retrieved December 16, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article77862508

• Birth - Queensland BDM Birth index - Norman Leslie Keid; Event date: 04/01/1911; Event type: Birth registration; Registration details: 1911/B/24409; Mother: Eliza Aroy Mitchell; Father/parent: Leonard Keid

• Marriage - Queensland BDM Marriage index - Norman Leslie Keid; Event date: 18/02/1933; Event type: Marriage registration; Registration details: 1933/B/15028; Spouse: Doreen Collins

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - KEID NORMAN LESLIE : Service Number - QX64902 : Date of birth - 04 Jan 1911 : Place of birth - BRISBANE QLD : Place of enlistment - BRISBANE QLD : Next of Kin - KEID DOREEN - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=4481422

• Roll of Honour - Family Notices (1948, June 4). Brisbane Telegraph (Qld. : 1948 - 1954), p. 6. Retrieved December 16, 2019, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article212178960

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1687106

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission: https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/2615867/norman-leslie-keid/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/634672

• The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial: https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/prisoners-of-war/keid-norman-leslie/