Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

CORPORAL WALLACE STAFFORD KEFT NX38919

A Nowra native, Private Wallace Stafford Keft (known as Wally Keft), first embarked from Sydney in September 1941 bound for the Middle East. He eventually marched out to join the 2/3rd Australian Infantry Battalion on the 22nd January 1942, and is recorded among the 4 officers and 80 other ranks, a mix of returning personnel and reinforcements, who joined the Battalion two days later.

As the 2/3rd were part of the troop recall to Australia after Japan entered the war, Wally found himself re-embarking in March at Port Tewfik aboard the HMT Orontes. The ship was diverted to Ceylon, modern day Sri Lanka, and the troops employed in defensive tasks against a possible Japanese attack.

Finally arriving in Melbourne in August 1942, the 2/3rd were among the 3000 men of the 16th Brigade to march in Sydney’s first welcome home parade in September. “THOUSANDS of yards of streamers, tons of confetti, and a million cheers and coo-ees greeted the troops. They marched ankle-deep in paper, were deafened by a city's vociferous thanks.”

Wally embarked from Brisbane ten days later, destined for New Guinea. He made the arduous trek across the Owen Stanley Ranges as the battalion advanced along the Kokoda Trail. The battalion suffered their first casualties near Templeton’s Crossing prior to their major actions at Eora Creek (22-28 October), Oivi (5-12 November), and on the Sanananda Track (21 November-19 December). Illness would end Wally’s first campaign. Evacuated from the battlefield on the 21st December 1942, he was transferred to Queensland in the New Year.

Throughout 1943, Wally was plagued by reoccurring bouts of Malaria and spent much of the year in and out of hospital or convalescing. As Christmas approached, Iris Clancy was waiting for him in Sydney. “Iris...who works at the Railway Refreshment Rooms, said that she had met all trains from the north for days. She was waiting for her boyfriend, Private Wally Keft, of Nowra...‘He wasn't on the train,’ she said later, ‘But there's another one in six hours, and I'm going to wait till it comes.’"

During the spring of 1944, battalion personnel were granted Home Leave. Corporal Keft once again travelled from Queensland and on 11th September, Wally and Iris married. Their time together was short, as 15 days later, Wally had re-joined his unit in preparation for a second deployment to New Guinea.

Disembarking from SS Bontekoe at Aitape in late December 1944, the 2/3rd were soon advancing east and by February 1945, were patrolling the Danmap River and Mima Creek area. Skirmishes with the remnant Japanese forces were frequent.

On the 10th February 1945, a patrol came under “intensive enemy LMG [Light Machine Gun] fire” resulting in casualties. The Japanese “fire covered a narrow razor back ridge” and they “were employing an old trick of covering a wounded man by fire.” A neighbouring patrol also came under fire when they rendered assistance. In all, five men from the 2/3rd were killed. Among them, Corporal Wallace Stafford Keft. 

Buried in the Lae War Cemetery, Wally Keft was never forgotten by his family, wife or the daughter he never knew. In 1947, his mother planted a memorial tree at Marriott Park. Wally’s name is also recorded at the Nowra All Saints church and Keft Avenue, Nowra is named in his honour. One last tribute would be paid seventy years after his death, when his beloved Iris passed away in 2015 the family included “Wally Keft (KIA)” in the inscription on her headstone.

K. Standen 2022