288

J.H. KEELEY.
2. (centre aligned)
out two operational flights, one as wireless operator of a Stirling aircraft over Dusseldorf and the other against Bremen. On return from the latter operation three motors failed, and the aircraft crashed in Norfolk, none of the crew being injured. On the 13th November 1942 he was posted to No. 90 Squadron, Bottesford, Nottinghamshire. With this Squadron in January 1943 he moved to Ridgewell, the satellite aerodrome for Stradishall. From this base, as wireless operator on Stirling bomber aircraft, he flew on seven operational flights, the targets including Berlin, Hamburg, Dortmund, Dusseldorf, in Germany; Loreint, the German U-boat base, and two minelaying operations at St. Nazaire off the French coast and the Frisian Islands area. In June the Squadron moved to West Wickham, Cambridgeshire, where he flew on a further nine operational flights, the targets including Mulheim, Gelsenkirchen, Cologne, Hamburg, in Germany; Le Creusot, France, and one minelaying operation in the Gironde River, France.

On the night of the 25/26th July, 1943, F/Sgt. Keeley was a member of a Stirling bomber aircraft which took off on air operations for the target of Essen, Germany. The aircraft failed to return to base, and all the members of the crew, including F/Sgt. Keeley were reported missing. Later information recevied from Air Ministry stated that his body was recovered from the sea, and he was reclassified as being killed in action. He was buried with full service honours in the Old Country Churchyard at Scottow, Norfolk. There was one other New Zealander in the crew, F/Sgt. J.F. Bowman, of Taumarunui.

Find a Grave link with a photo of F/Sgt. Keeley: https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/135786648/james_hamilton-keeley

5/3/4160 AS2
327 hrs as W.O.A.G.

Mr. J. Keeley (F) (right aligned)
29 Selwyn Street, (right aligned)
DUNEDIN. (right aligned & underlined)