Prt. John “Jack” Keith, formerly of the Royal Scots, served in No.5 Special Services Battalion from
17th December 1940
until its reorganisation as No.6 Commando on
5th May 1941
.
He was attached to No.4 Commando from
7th May 1941
until
7th June 1941
, when he rejoined No.6 Commando once more. Serving with No.6 Commando through the aborted Operation: Kitbag raid on Florø (
Norway
) and Operation: Torch invasion of
North Africa
, Prt. John “Jack” Keith was hit by German rifle fire which, whilst protected by his American-made steel helmet, had knocked him unconscious and leaving him open to be captured during the Battle for Steamroller Farm on 26th February 1943.
The captive Prt. John “Jack” Keith was incarcerated as a PoW firstly in the Italian PoW Camp PG66 in
Capua
(
Italy
), then Camp CC53 Ancona Set II before being moved to
Germany
and incarcerated in Stalag VIIIb E714 (renamed later as Lamsdorf 344). Later he escaped from Lamsdorf 344, making his way to
Czechoslovakia
and becoming involved with the uprising against Nazi rule.
Prt. John “Jack” Keith was repatriated back to the
UK
on
9th May 1945
and was attached to the Royal Ulster Rifles from
17th August 1945
.
He passed away on
17th June 1976
, aged 64 years.
Picture courtesy of Mr. Alan Keith.
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