Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Our great Uncle RUPERT CLYDE MCKEON answered the call at the age of 25 and on the 13 October 1915 at Inverell enlisted in the AIF. On 10.2.1916 at Liverpool Rupert was assigned to the 4th Battalion, 15th Reinforcement which later became the 56th Battalion
The Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales, on board HMAT A15 Star of England on 8 March 1916 and disembarked Egypt.
On the 19.6.1916 the Unit Embarked H T Huntsend at Alexandria and on 29.6.1916 the Unit disembarked H T Huntsend at Marseilles to join the British Expeditionary Force.
On the 21.7.1916 Rupert was wounded in action in France suffering a gunshot wound to left hand and was hospitalised for 9 days. It appears that Rupert was admitted to hospital on numerous occasions for various illnesses’ during 1917.
Rupert was granted eight days leave to the United Kingdom on 8.3.1918 and returned to France on the 16.3.1918.
Sadly Rupert was killed in action less than a month later on 8/4/1918 near Villere-Bretonneux France.
Buried at AUBIGNY British Cemetery (Somme France) by Rev A Greville.
A headstone has been erected on Rupert’s Grave which includes the inscription:


“Sunshine passes, Shadows fall
Loving Remembrance
Outlasts all.”
R.I.P

In a copy of a Statement to the Red Cross by A Private F Couter also of the 56th Battalion and sent to Rupert’s eldest sister Amy, Private Coulter described Rupert as being “Tall and fair; the only McKeon in the Company. McKeon was killed instantly with others by shellfire near Villere-Bretonneux, and I helped bury to them, and to make and put up separate crosses over their graves in the 14th Australian Brigade Cemetery at Aubigny, on several days between April 14/20th 1918.”
Rupert was posthumously awarded the British War Medal, and the Victory Medal.
Rupert had become engaged to a British girl Elsie Livingstone and planned to bring her home to Australia.
We have a couple of very poignant letters which following Rupert’s death Elsie wrote to Rupert’s sister Elsie Haddock nee McKeon (our grandmother). Elsie Livingstone’s address at the time (1918) was 50 Grosvenor Gardens, Victoria, London.

Rupert’s eldest sister Amy was entitled to accept The Dead Man’s Penny which is a commemorative medallion which was presented to the next-of-kin of the men and women who died during World War One. The Dead Man’s Penny was accompanied by a letter from King George V, stating ‘I join with my grateful people in sending you this memorial of a brave life given for others in the Great War’.
Below is a poem written by Rupert. We do not know who the poem was meant for but it was in our grandmothers treasured possessions.

OUT IN THE LONELY GRAVEYARD
BENEATH THE LONELY SOD,
THERE LIES ONE BROTHER SLEEPING,
RESTING IN PEACE WITH GOD.

OH HOW MY HEART IS ACHING,
WHEN I THINK OF HOW YOU DIED,
TO THINK I COULD NOT SPEAK TO YOU,
BEFORE YOU CLOSED YOUR EYES.

THE DAYS ARE LONG AND LONESOME SINCE
I HAVE BEEN AWAY,
BUT I’LL TRUST IN GOD TO DO RIGHT
THROUGHTOUT MY FUTURE DAYS.

MY SISTERS AND MY BROTHERS
AND MY DEAR OLD MOTHER,TOO,
HAVE DONE THEIR BEST TO TEACH ME,
TO BE HONEST, GOOD AND TRUE.

SO WHEN YOUR THOUGHTS THEY LINGER
TO FRIENDS FAR-FAR AWAY,
WILL YOU THINK AND PLEASE REMEMBER
FOR HOW I LONG FOR YOU THIS DAY.

JUST SEND A WELCOME LETTER,
TO TELL ME HOW YOU ARE,
AND IF A HONEST LIFE WILL LIVE,
JUST SAY ‘THAT YOU’ WILL ME FORGIVE.

AND ALL I SAY TO YOU IS TRUE,
IN THIS HERE VERSE OR TWO TO YOU,
FOR A BETTER FRIEND I NEVER KNEW,
THAN POOR DEAR MOTHER, FRANK AND YOU.

THE END.


Contributed by
Regina Troy and Meglyn Lawther