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76320 Flying Officer Rowland Keith KEATING. M.I.D.
Parents: Mr. and Mrs. A.O. Keating of Wanganui.
Widow: Mrs. E. Keating of Wanganui (one child)

Rowland Keating was born at Christchurch on the 19th December 1909. His secondary education was received at Gisborne High School and Wellington College where he attained matriculation standard. After leaving Wellington College he was appointed to the Education Department as a clerical cadet. Joining the Wellington Aero Club as a flying member he succeeded in gaining his "A" Flying Licence. Early in 1918 he proceeded to England on attachment to the office of the High Commissioner for N.Z. London. Shortly after the outbreak of hostilities on the 3rd December 1939 he applied for war service in the R.A.F. and was granted a commission as a pilot officer in the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve.

After a short supernumerary course with No. 8 Bomber and Gunnery School, Flying Officer Keating was posted on the 15th January 1940 to R.A.F. Station, Thornaby, Yorkshire for supernumerary air crew training. This was followed on the 20th January by his posting to the Central Gunnery School, Sutton Bridge, Lincolnshire and on the 3rd March 1940 he was posted to No. 608 Squadron, Thornaby, to commence operational flying. While with this squadron on the 15th January 1941 he was promoted to flying officer. Later in the year he received the award of Mention in Despatches, the award being published in the London Gazette on the 24th September 1941.

Flying Officer Keating was a member of the crew of a Blenheim bomber which took off on air operations on the 30th June 1941 to carry out an air-sea rescue flight. The aircraft failed to return to its base and all its crew, including Flying Officer Keating was classified as missing. After due time had elapsed, Flying Officer Keatings death was officially presumed to have occurred on the 30th June 1941 and as the flight as over water it was concluded that the aircraft had crashed into the sea and that