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404033 Flight Sergeant David North KEELING.
Parents: Mr. and Mrs. H.A. Keeling of WELLINGTON.

David Keeling was born at Wellington on the 28th November 1918. He received his secondary education at Nelson College where he passed the matriculation examination and he later furthered his education by taking a correspondence course for the Insurance Diploma with the Insurance Tutorial School, Wellington. His principal sports were tennis and golf. After some years with the New Zealand Insurance Company, his desire for open air life led him to take up a position on the sheep farm of Mr. F.S. Sincox of Otaki. In January 1940 he applied for war service in the R.N.Z.A.F.

Flight Sergeant Keeling was enlisted for aircrew training at the Initial Training Wing, Levin on the 27th October 1940 and on the 5th December 1940 he embarked on the "Aorangi" at Auckland to proceed to Canada for training under the Empire Air Training Scheme.

Shortly after arrvial in Canada, Flight Sergeant Keeling was posted on the 23rd December 1940 to No. 4 Air Observer's School, London, Ontario. He was posted on the 19th March 1941, to No. 4 Bombing and Gunnery School, Fingal, Ontario, where on the 26th April, 1941 he was awarded his flying badge as an air observer and was promoted to Sergeant. He was promoted to flight sergeant on the 1st November 1941. Meanwhile on the 27th April 1941 he had been posted to No. 1 Air Navigator's School, Rivers, Manitoba. A month later on the 27th May 1941, he proceeded to No. 1 "M" Depot, Debert, Nova Scotia, to await embarkation for the United Kingdom.

Flight Sergeant Keeling arrived at No. 3 Personnel Reception Centre, Bournemouth on the 17th July 1941, and on the 21st July he was posted to No. 5 (Coastal) Operational Training Unit, Chivenor, Devonshire. He was posted on the 16th September 1941 to the Torpedo Training Unit, Abbotsinch, Paisley, Scotland. On the 20th October 1941 he was posted to No. 42 Squadron, Leuchars, Fifeshire, Scotland. With this squadron as a member of the crew of a Beaufort