KEYSER, Milton Sanderson
| Service Numbers: | Ve/462508, 17333 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 3 January 1940 |
| Last Rank: | Leading Aircraftman |
| Last Unit: | WW2 Light Horse Derived Units - Motor Regiments / Machine Gun Regiments /Armoured Car Regiments |
| Born: | Wagin, Western Australia, 16 June 1915 |
| Home Town: | Kellerberrin, Kellerberrin, Western Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Electrician |
| Died: | Joondalup, Western Australia, 19 December 2004, aged 89 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Pinnaroo Valley Memorial Park, Padbury, Western Australia |
| Memorials: |
World War 2 Service
| 3 Jan 1940: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Trooper, Ve/462508, WW2 Light Horse Derived Units - Motor Regiments / Machine Gun Regiments /Armoured Car Regiments | |
|---|---|---|
| 29 May 1940: | Discharged Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Trooper, Ve/462508, WW2 Light Horse Derived Units - Motor Regiments / Machine Gun Regiments /Armoured Car Regiments | |
| 13 Jul 1940: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman, 17333 | |
| 1 Feb 1946: | Discharged Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman, 17333 |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Chris Buckley
Leading Aircraftman Milton Sanderson Keyser (Service No:1733) initially enlisted in the Militia on 3 January 1940 and was a Trooper (Service No:Ve/462508) with 25th Light Horse (Machine Gun) Regiment. According to his Service Record (NAA), Trooper Keyser 'walked out of camp' on 29 May 1940 to enlist in the RAAF. LAC Keyser enlisted in the RAAF (Aircraftman I) on 13 July 1940 and mustered as a Driver Motor Transport. On 1 February 1941 he was Promoted to Leading Aircraftman, and served in Darwin NT from July 1943 to October 1944. LAC Keyser was attached to 1 Personnel Depot when he was Discharged on 1 February 1946.
Bill was born in 1915 in Wagin WA, the youngest of eight children of Charles Christopher Keyser (b1871 in Busselton, WA) and Lucy Sanderson (b1876 in Durham, England). Christopher was a Printer's Apprentice and Lucy a Dressmaker's Apprentice before they married in 1898 in Ballarat, Victoria. The couple moved to Albany WA that year, and Christopher was Assistant to the Town Clerk then later Town Clerk as well as being elected to the WA Legislative Assembly seat of Albany in 1904/1905. Charles and Lucy later lived at Wagin, Greenbushes and Pinjarra where Charles was Town Clerk and Secretary of Road Boards. Following Retirement, Charles and Lucy moved to Melbourne, Victoria.
Bill was an Electrician in Kellerberrin in 1940 and had previously worked as an Electrician at Big Bill and Wiluna Goldmines in WA. In 1940 in Melbourne Victoria, Bill married Elsie Adelaide Freeland (b1917 in Wimmera, Victoria). Bill stated in his application for Discharge from the RAAF that he had employment as a Farm/Dairy Hand at Cobram in Shepparton, Victoria - he had previous part time Farm Hand experience in Kellerberrin WA. Bill and Elsie were at Wooroloo WA in 1947 when Elsie died. Bill then worked in Collie as a Tractor Driver before moving to Exmouth WA where he worked as a Plant Operator and in the early 1970s remarried Violet. By 1977 Bill and Viloet were living at Kalamunda WA where Bill was Caretaker in the John Forrest National Park. Bill and Violet Retired to Carnarvon WA in 1980 before settling at Joondalup WA. Bill died in 2004 and Violet in 2008.
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