Urvan Michael (Tom) KEELY

KEELY, Urvan Michael

Service Numbers: 8809, 2700
Enlisted: 17 August 1915, 6th Reinforcements
Last Rank: Driver
Last Unit: 5th Divisional Train
Born: Fullarton, South Australia, 12 August 1886
Home Town: Glenside, Burnside, South Australia
Schooling: Christian Brothers College, Adelaide, South Australia
Occupation: Carter
Died: Killed in Action, France, 29 September 1918, aged 32 years
Cemetery: Tincourt New British Cemetery
Plot V, Row G, Grave No. 10, Tincourt New British Cemetery, Tincourt, Picardie, France
Memorials: Burnside District Fallen Soldiers' Memorial - Rose Park, Adelaide National War Memorial, Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Burnside & District - Fallen Soldiers Memorial Trees - Rose Park, Myrtle Bank War Memorial
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World War 1 Service

17 Aug 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 8809, 27th Infantry Battalion, 6th Reinforcements
27 Oct 1915: Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2700, 27th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '15' embarkation_place: Adelaide embarkation_ship: HMAT Benalla embarkation_ship_number: A24 public_note: ''
12 Feb 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 20th Army Service Corps
25 Jul 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Driver, 29th Australian Army Service Corps
26 Sep 1918: Involvement AIF WW1, Driver, 8809, 5th Divisional Train, "The Last Hundred Days"

Help us honour Urvan Michael KEELY's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Heather Ernszt

 Son of John KEELY and Elizabeth Agnes TURVER or TURNER

Known as "Tom"

Biography contributed by Steve Larkins

KEELY Urvan Michael (1886-1918)

Also recorded (per the Embarkation Roll) as Vivian Michael KEELY; as dates of birth are identical and no service record exists for the latter name, it is assumed his unusual given name was mis-recorded at Embarkation; a not uncommon clerical error.  Similarly his brother's name is incorrectly spelt Keeley and his actual given name (Austin) ommitted from the roll.

Known to everyone as Tom, Urvan Michael was the son of John Keely and his wife Agnes, of L'Estrange St Knoxville ( a now redundant suburb name, supplanted by Frewville).  He was an older brother to Austin (aka John) KEELY, who was a farrier (shoer of horses) and horse-breaker.

Tom was working as a carter (ie a haulage operator, using a horse and cart) when he enlisted into the AIF in August 1915.  He was drafted to the 6th Reinforcements of the 27th Infantry Battalion, and embarked with them on 27 October 1915.

By the time they arrived in Egypt it was apparent that Gallipoli would soon be evacuated and the AIF would be re-deployed.  At this point it is presumed that Tom's vocation as a driver came to the attention of the authorities, as plans for the expansion of the AIF and its attendant arms and services began to take shape.  So it was that he transferred as a Driver to the 29th Company of Supply.

 

 

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