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 1920 - 1998 (78 years)
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| Name |
Raymond Stodart KEIGHTLEY |
| Born |
29 Apr 1920 |
South Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia  [1] |
| Gender |
Male |
| News Item |
Jun 1945 |
- Sourced from Laurence Tilley, Facebook. Ray was part of this offensive, as a member of an Engineer Company. Accessed 5 October 2020.
Hell in the tropics; Jungle covered hills and swamps of Labuan Island.
'The Battle of Labuan Island'. Elements from one of Australia's finest Divisions the 9th against Imperial Japanese forces on the island of Labuan off Borneo during June 1945. It formed part of the Australian invasion of North Borneo, and was initiated by the Allied forces as part of a plan to capture the Brunei Bay area and build a base for the British Pacific Fleet. The Islands airstrips would be built into a base. Supply and command centers would be constructed all to support future offensives.
Personal for the offensive would come from the Australian 9th Divisions 24 Brigade, and the 20th Brigade. The main combat units would be the 2/28th and 2/43rd Battalions, the 2/32nd Battalion was assigned as a reserve force, along with the 2/11th Commando Squadron, the 2/12th Field Regiment, the 2/9th Amoured Regiment, (equipped with Matilda Tanks and 'Frog' flame thrower Matilda tanks, the 2/2nd Machine Gun Battalion, and a range of engineer, signals and logistics units.
The RAAF and USAF and the United States Navy and the Royal Australian Navy had performed limited bombardment of the Island since May 3rd in preparation for the invasion.
The convoy carrying the 9th Division left Morotai on 4 June and experienced another form of hell from cramped conditions aboard the transport ships, the heat and high humidity making conditions unbearable. The convoy reached Brunei Bay before dawn on 10 June. The main body of the convoy anchored off Labuan.
A heavy bombardment of the beach by cruisers, destroyers, and rocket ships was carried out prior to the landing.
the Australian came ashore unopposed.
The landings on Brunei Beach began on June the 10th, 1945.
The elements of the 24th Brigade, two battalions, 2/28th and the 2/43rd (approx 750 men) hit the beach. The 2/28th from the west, and 2/43rd from the East.
The 2/32nd Battalion and the 2/11th Commando Squadron were left embarked as reserves.
The 2/28th were given the objective of securing the town and the high ground at Victoria hill, and flagstaff hill respectively.
Before they could reach their objective, the 2/28th fought a savage battle at a canal (28 metres wide by 1.5 metres deep) the canal was guarded by a machine gun bunker, on clearing that after heavy fighting they continued on their way to their objective. they fought their way to an area of the hills the troops named 'the Pocket". The main terrain features within the Pocket were three jungle covered areas of high ground named Lushington Ridge, Norman Ridge and Lyon Ridge. The entire area was literally covered in mine fields, booby traps and machine gun bunkers. A a large swamp prohibited movements making it difficult to move the 2/11th forward. The resistance in the hills was so strong, Tanks and "Frog"flame thrower Matilda tanks were moved forward, Artillery, the (2/12th infantry unloaded 200 tons of 25 pounder ammo onto the Pocket whilst heavy machine gun units were moved forward. The main Japanese Garrison had dug in here.
The Japanese opened up with all they had, and they had a lot, so much that the advance was halted whilst the RAAF was called in to lay a heavy bombardment on the hills.
Days of extremely savage and intense fighting took place by both C & D companies of the 2/28th Battalion, they were really amongst it,
Fighting against a well dug in and heavily supported enemy. The Pocket was finally taken on June 21 finally the whole Island was in Australian Hands.
This Infantry Battalion saw more heavy action than any others during the Campaign.
Of the more than 380 dead Japanese troops killed in the Invasion, more than 250 Japanese lay dead in the 'Pocket'; approximately 20 light and heavy machine guns were captured along with many light and heavy mortars.
In the meanwhile The 2/43rd Battalion would would capture the airfield located north of Victoria, designated "No. 1 Strip" by the Australians. By June 13th the main airport on Labuan had been taken and most of the island was in Australian hands The 2/43rd Battalion went on to take the second strip, the temporary airstrip at Timbalai on Labuan's west coast. From then on the 2/43rd patrolled the island. cleaning up pockets of resistance whilst securing the operation.
The 2/11th Commando's had come ashore during this time and captured Victoria Harbour with what they called 'light resistance'. The Commandos then moved into the town of Labuan and joined up with the 2/32nd in reserve. From June 21st the Commando Regiment would be used to patrol the Island and clean up any small pockets of resistance left. They would be involved with Topography work and other skilled work.
They would go on to kill 27 Japanese soldiers.
Again all Europeans on the Island of Labuan were executed by the Japanese. whilst labourers were starved to death in work parties
Only 11 Japanese were captured during the whole campaign on Labuan Island. I wonder why!
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| Died |
15 May 1998 |
Western Highway, Nhill, Victoria, Australia [2] |
| Buried |
19 May 1998 |
Centennial Park, Pasadena, South Australia, Australia [3, 4] |
| Person ID |
I2 |
Squire Family History |
| Last Modified |
5 Oct 2020 |
| Father |
Herbert Clair KEIGHTLEY, b. 20 Nov 1882, Quorn, South Australia, Australia , d. 16 Nov 1960, OG Road, Felixstow, South Australia, Australia (Age 77 years) |
| Mother |
Amy Isabel CHAMBERS, b. 17 Mar 1885, Liston St, Parkside, South Australia, Australia , d. 21 Jul 1959, Magill Wards, Magill, South Australia, Australia (Age 74 years) |
| Married |
27 Sep 1916 |
Angelo Street, South Perth, Western Australia, Australia [5] |
| Family ID |
F2 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
| Family |
Dorothy Joan LANGDON, b. 9 Sep 1919, South Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia , d. 4 Jul 2014, Magill, South Australia, Australia (Age 94 years) |
| Married |
25 Feb 1943 |
Unley Road, Unley, South Australia, Australia [6] |
| Children |
|
| Last Modified |
1 May 2012 |
| Family ID |
F1 |
Group Sheet | Family Chart |
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| Event Map |
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 | Born - 29 Apr 1920 - South Terrace, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia |
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 | Married - 25 Feb 1943 - Unley Road, Unley, South Australia, Australia |
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 | Died - 15 May 1998 - Western Highway, Nhill, Victoria, Australia |
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 | Buried - 19 May 1998 - Centennial Park, Pasadena, South Australia, Australia |
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| Sources |
- [S11] Births South Australia Civil, 1 May 2012.
Registration 1920 in Adelaide District.
29 April 1920, at 'Narma' Nursing Home, South terrace, Adelaide.
Name Raymond Stodart, Male.
Father Herbert Clair KEIGHTLEY, age 37 years, Born Quorn.
Mother Amy Isabel KEIGHTLEY nee CHAMBERS, age 34 years, Born Adelaide South Australia.
Year of marriage 1911.
Living 2, Deceased Nil.
Father's rank or profession Wire Worker.
Informant H C Keightley, father, 16 Chatham Road, Keswick, South Australia.
Registered 17 May 1920.
- [S12] Deaths South Australian Civil, 1 May 2012.
KEIGHTLEY, Raymond Stodart, Male.
Place of Death Nhill Hospital, Nhill, Victoria
Date 15 May 1998.
Age 78 years.
Place of Birth Adelaide South Australia, native.
Occupation Factory Manager.
Address 13 Cooper Angus Grove Wattle Park.
Age at Marriage 22 years, Dorothy Joan Langdon, married.
Children (withheld living)
Parents KEIGHTLEY Herbert Clair, CHAMBERS Amy Isabel.
Cause of Death Myocardial Infarction (minutes), Atherosclerosis (years).
Cremaation 19 May 1998, Centennial Park Crematorium.
Funeral Director Charles Berry and Son, 200 Magill Road, Norwood.
Registration number 20071028, Date 26 May 1998.
Note Ray died at a Nhill motel around 11pm, with Joan by his side. Death was pronounced at the hospital.
- [S21] Centennial Park Cemetery Adelaide, 1 May 2012.
Interment License Granted to Dorothy Joan KEIGHTLEY and Margaret Anne SQUIRE for the period 25 years from 3 August 1998.License type Memorial.
Section Columbarium Wall 24.
Number B010.
- [S25] Cremation Certificates, 1 May 2012.
Centennial Park Cemetery authority, register number 234350.
This is to certify that Raymond Stodart KEIGHTLEY of Wattle Park, south Australia, died on 14 May 1998, aged 78 years, and was cremated on 19 May 1998 at Centennial Park Cemetery crematorium.
Not actual death date was 15 May 1998.
- [S28] Marriage Civil Western Australia, 14 Jun 2012.
Married 27 September 1916, by Presbyterian Rites, at Angelo Street, South Perth.
Groom Herbert Clair KEIGHTLEY, age 34 years, bachelor, farmer, present residence South Perth, usual residence Mindebooka via Baandee, WA
Groom's parents father Herbert KEIGHTLEY, commercial traveller, mother Helen Band Thomson.
Bride Amy Isabel CHAMBERS 31 years, spinster, home duties, present residence South Perth, usual residence Ramage Street, Unley, South Australia.
Bride's parents father Alfred Ocean CHAMBERS (deceased), relieving officer, mother Sarah Hannah STODART (deceased).
Witnesses Nellie SMOKER and Edna M STOCKDALE.
Officiating minister G Nisbet Dods.
Registered 4 October 1916.
- [S13] Marriage South Australia Civil, 1 May 2012.
Registered 1943, Adelaide.
Thursday 25 February 1943, at 7:30pm.
Groom Raymond Stodart KEIGHTLEY, 22 years, bachelor, born Adelaide South Australia, Fitter and Turner (Soldier A.I.F), 7 Mizpah Avenue, Unley.
Father Herbert Clair KEIGHTLEY.
Bride Dorothy Joan LANGDON, 23 years, spinster, born Adelaide South Australia, Dressmaker, 4 Gurr Street, Goodwood Park.
Father Ernest Gordon LANGDON.
Married at Unley Methodist Church.
Witnesses Eric Pearce BURGESS, Clerk (soldier A.I.F), 3 Rowage Street, Unley.
Mary Elizabeth SMITH, Home duties, 4 Chelmsford Street, Millswood.
Officiating Minister Louis Morton HUMPHREY.
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