Clifford Keith DAVIES

Keith Davies was born on 13 November 1897 in Ballarat, Victoria. His parents were Harry and Mary Ann (née Scott) Davies. He attended Scotch from 1908 to 1913. Keith was a boarder and Class Captain of lVa in 1913, before attending Wagga Wagga Agricultural College.

Keith was a farmer, although on his Roll of Honour Circular his mother listed his occupation as ‘gentleman’ when he enlisted on 13 February 1917 in Melbourne, Victoria. He served in the 12th Field Artillery Brigade with the rank of Gunner. His Regimental Number was 34963.

Keith died on 28 November 1918 at Rouen, France. He was 21 years of age.

Service record

Keith Davies was initially rejected when he tried to enlist, on account of a scar from an appendectomy. He enlisted successfully at age 19 in February 1917, with his widowed mother’s permission. He was initially allotted as a Private to a Recruits Battalion at Royal Park, and then in March was sent to Field Artillery Reinforcements at Maribyrnong. In May he was allotted to the 27th Field Artillery Reinforcements, as was fellow Old Scotch Collegian Hugh Clarkson.

In July he was ill for a week with ‘laryngitis tonsillitis’. In his medical records his rank was given as ‘Driver', but it was officially ‘Gunner' by the time the 27th Reinforcements embarked from Melbourne on 9 November 1917. During this voyage, on 21 November, Keith got into trouble for ‘neglecting to obey an order’. His punishment was 72 hours’ detention. They travelled to England, via Egypt and Taranto, Italy, reaching Southampton on 4 January 1918. In February he travelled to France, and on 20 March was taken on strength of the 12th Field Artillery Brigade. He reportedly saw much action.

On 9 November 1918, two days before the Armistice, Keith went to hospital sick with influenza. The following day the diagnosis was changed to broncho-pneumonia. On 28 November 1918 he died, officially of ‘influenza’, at the 10th General Hospital in Rouen. His Red Cross Wounded and Missing file contains a note from the 10th General Hospital saying that he died of a gunshot wound to the skull, but a later note corrected the cause to ‘broncho-pneumonia’.

Keith Davies is buried in the St. Sever Cemetery Extension (Block S, Plot IV, Row E, Grave No. 8), Rouen, France.

Photographs and Documents:

Sources:

1. Australian War Memorial – Roll of Honour and Red Cross Wounded and Missing file
2. Mishura Scotch Database
3. National Archives of Australia – B2455, DAVIES C K
4. Scotch Collegian 1919
5. The AIF Project - https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=73371