Keith Richard BURRILL DFM

Keith Richard BURRILL DFM Update Details

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BURRILL, Keith Richard

Service Number:	408120
Enlisted:	6 December 1940
Last Rank:	Warrant Officer
Last Unit:	No. 21 Squadron (RAAF)
Born:	Devonport, Tas., 23 May 1915
Home Town:	Wivenhoe, Burnie, Tasmania
Schooling:	Burnie State School, Tasmania, Australia
Occupation:	Motor Painter and Panel Beater
Died:	Launceston, Tasmania, Australia, 29 November 1975, aged 60 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery:	Not yet discovered
Memorials:	Ballarat Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial, Tasmania (Launceston) Garden of Remembrance

World War 2 Service

6 Dec 1940:	Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman, 408120, Royal Australian Air Force
6 Dec 1940:	Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman, 408120
6 Dec 1940:	Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Warrant Officer, 408120

World War 1 Service

4 Jan 1941:	Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman

World War 2 Service

25 Jul 1941:	Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Sergeant
18 Dec 1941:	Wounded Royal Australian Air Force, Warrant Officer, 408120, Shot through lower jaw by enemy fighter whilst on bombing mission
15 Jun 1942:	Imprisoned ‘ The diary of his mate Keith Burrell (a part of the same Collection in the Archives) records the last days at Tengah camp in Malaya, tells of his missing the last R.A.F. boat out, of being captured by the Japanese on 15 February 1942 and taken to Changi. In May he was moved, along with Scott Heywood, and after time in various camps in Thailand and Burma, they were transferred to Tokyo towards the end of 1944. Burrell was in hospital near the Tokyo camp when he learnt of the heavy bombing there on 13 July 1945, and heard later that 'W. Scott Heywood (been together all the time)' was one of those who died. [Diary entry for 20 July 1945 written alongside the 30 June space in a blank 1941 diary.] https://archives.unimelb.edu.au
1 May 1944:	Promoted Royal Australian Air Force, Warrant Officer
31 May 1946:	Discharged Royal Australian Air Force, Warrant Officer, 408120

World War 1 Service

31 May 1946:	Discharged Royal Australian Air Force, Warrant Officer, No. 21 Squadron (RAAF)

World War 2 Service

31 May 1946:	Discharged Royal Australian Air Force, Warrant Officer, 408120, No. 21 Squadron (RAAF)
17 Jan 1947:	Honoured Distinguished Flying Medal, 17 January 1947 • DFM gazetted: London Gazette: page 353 at position 1 Commonwealth of Australia Gazette: 20 February 1947 on page 401 at position 31

Help us honour Keith Richard Burrill's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Chris Buckley

Keith was the second of four children of Malcolm Ray Burrill (born 1888 in Oatlands, Tasmania) and Edith Ethel Alice Waters - Cleveland (born 1892 in Stanley, Tasmania).

Keith was living in Launceston in Tasmania and working as a Motor Painter and Panel Beater in 1936 when he enlisted in the AMF, serving as a Private (Service No: 234375) with 12th Battalion D Support Coy until 1939.

In 1940 Keith married Maisie Jean Moles (born 1916 in Sisters Creek, Tasmania) and enlisted with the RAAF, serving with No 8 Squadron and No 21 Squadron. He was a Warrant Officer (Service No: 408120) when he was captured by the Japanese in 1942. He was held at PoW Camps in Burma and Thailand (Changi, Margui, Tavoy) and survived the sinking of the Rakuyo Maru on 12 September 1944. Keith was transported to Tokyo at the end of 1944 - where the death rate for Western PoWs was seven times that of the rate of PoWs held by the Germans and Italians. Emperor Hirohito ratified a directive in 1937 that constraints of the Hague Conventio were explicitly removed for PoWs (including Australians). These PoWs were subjected to murder, beatings, summary punishment, brutal treatment, forced labour, medical experimentation, starvation rations and poor medical treatment (Source: Forces War Records Prisoners of War of the Japanese 1939 - 1945) https://ww.1wags,org.au/memorial-roll/1wags-prisoner-of-war/)

Keith was awarded the DFM - 17 January 1947 London Gazette p 353 and 20 February 1947 Commonwealth of Australia Gazette p 401

Following his Repatriation and Discharge in 1946, Keith and Maisie settled in Launceston, Tasmania, where Keith worked as a Panel Beater until his death in 1975, and Maisie in 2003

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