Keay, Charles William
Personal Information
Rank | F/S |
Forename(s) | Charles William |
Surname | Keay |
Gender | M |
Age | 20 |
Date of Death | 25-06-1943 |
Next of Kin | Son of Orrin Stanley Keay and Gladys Steele Keay (née Bliss), of High Prairie, Alberta. |
Aircraft Information
Aircraft | Vickers Wellington X |
Serial Number | HZ521 |
Markings | AL- |
Memorial Information
Burial/Memorial Country | Belgium |
Burial/Memorial Place | Heverlee War Cemetery |
Grave Reference | 2. F. 5. |
Epitaph |
IBCC Memorial Information
Phase | 2 |
Panel Number | 192 |
Enlistment Information
Service Number | R/150902 |
Service | Royal Canadian Air Force |
Group | 6 |
Squadron | 429 (Bison) |
Squadron Motto | Fortunae nihil (Nothing to chance) |
Trade | Air Bomber |
Country of Origin | Canada |
Other Memorials
Location | Village Centre, Sutton on the Forest, North Yorkshire |
Country | United Kingdom |
Memorial Type | Inscribed Stone & Metal Sun Dial |
Memorial Text | A memorial to all those who served at RAF East Moor and in particular 415 Sqn RCAF |
Miscellaneous Information
Charles was born at High Prairie, Alberta on 4 November 1922. His mother was born in the USA and his father, who was an AC1 in RCAF, was born in Nova Scotia. His father was serving at No. 4 Staging Unit, Watson Lake, Yukon Territory. Charles had four sisters, Annie, Dora, Elizabeth and Victoria. He attended High Prairie School 1929-1936 (Grade 8) followed by 1936-1939 (part 10 and 11). He also did the pre-enlistment D.P.Y.T, general course 1941-1942. The sports he was interested in were baseball, softball, skating and swimming. From 1939 until enlistment Charles was farming on the home farm. |
He enlisted in Edmonton on 3 March 1942 and after training embarked from Canada on 12 December 1942. He arrived at 3 PRC on 19 December 1942, arriving at 22 OTU on 23 February 1943 and 429 Squadron on 29 May 1943. He was killed a little less than a monht later. |
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
The National Archives
Record of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1852/12 |
Summary of Events (Operational Record Book) AIR 27/1852/11 |
Fellow Servicemen
Last Operation Information
Start Date | 24-06-1943 |
End Date | 25-06-1943 |
Takeoff Station | East Moor |
Day/Night Raid | Night (48% moon) |
Operation | Wuppertal. 630 aircraft, 34 losses (5.4%). An attack on the Elberfeld half of the town- the Barmen half having been devastated a month ago. PFF marking was accurate but creepback was more evident than normal. A post-war British survey suggest that 95% of the Elberfeld half was destroyed. Approximately 1800 deaths, 300 homes destroyed and 171 businesses knocked out. |
Reason for Loss | Lost over Belgium |