Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Private Keith Gray Lewis (Service No:S27301) served in the ACMF with 48 Battalion (Part Time Duty) from 21 April 1941 to 15 December 1942. Enlisting in Prospect, South Australia, Private Lewis transferred to Armidale, New South Wales in May 1942.

Keith was born in Prospect, South Australia in 1921, eldest of three (two surviving) children of Laurence (Laurie) Robert Lewis (b1889 in Cherry Gardens, South Australia) and Lottie Lavinia Gray (b1889 in Hindmarsh Valley, South Australia). Laurie and Lottie married in 1916 in Evandale, and settled in Adelaide where they raised their family and Laurie was a Clerk with the Railways (SAGR). Laurie served in WWI (Private; Service No:6589), and was a keen sportsman - playing cricket, football and baseball, and reresenting South Australia in inter State competitions.

Keith suffered the loss of an eye as a result of a childhood accident. He played cricket and baseball in school teams, and was Dux of Adelaide High School - awarded the Thomas Price Scholarship for university study. Keith studied Science at Adelaide University, where he played on University baseball teams and also worked as a Junior Demonstrator in Chemistry. In 1942 he accepted a position as Lecturer at the New England University College, and in 1946 in Sydney married Jean Hamilton Forsyth (b1922 in Sydney, New South Wales) - Jean was Librarian for the New England University College. Keith and Jean settled in Armidale, where they raised their family and Keith was a Lecturer at the University. In 1957 Keith and Jean travelled to Glasgow, Scotland where Keith undertook research at the Glasgow University, and in 1958 he was the first PHD candidate granted by the UNE. Keith and Jean travelled to England in 1975 on Sabbatical leave at the University of London - Jean died in England. Keith returned to Armidale where in 1976 he remarried to Gwenda Jessica Cane (b1936 in Cairns, QLD) - Gwenda had been a Teacher in Sydney before becoming a Graduate Assistant and then Lecturer at the UNE. Following retirement from full time work in 1981, Keith undertook work in Manilla in the Philippines with the Chemistry Department of the De Salle University, and in 1991 Keith was awarded Membership of the UNE Foundation Club in recognition of almost fifty years of service to the University. Keith and Gwenda both died in 2017 - 'Retirees Keith Lewis, 96, and his wife Gwenda Lewis, 80, died when the Holden sedan Mrs Lewis was driving crashed into a stationary truck on the New England Highway near Tamworth at 1.20 pm on Wednesday 19th July 2017' (The Daily Telegraph, July 20, 2017).