KEITH, Douglas

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Also seen as:

KEITH, Douglas Forbes

Rank:

Private (Trooper)

Unit / Base:

11 Commando

'Special Air Service'

Regiment/Corps:

Gordon Highlanders

Service:

Army

Service Number:

2882330

Born:

Thursday, December 8, 1921

Birthplace:

Auchenblae, Kincardineshire

Died :

Tuesday, December 9, 1941

Died on war service

Cemetery/Memorial:

Alamein Memorial Egypt

Douglas Keith No.11 Commando and L Detachment SAS

Douglas Keith, No.11 Cdo., and SAS died whilst a Prisoner of war

Private Douglas Keith, formerly No.11 Commando 8 Troop, was posted to 'L' Detachment, Special Air Service Brigade, on 28 August 1941 after his commando unit had been disbanded. He was reported missing on the 16th November 1941 after being injured during a parachute drop behind enemy lines to destroy aircraft and supplies (Operation Squatter), later confirmed a prisoner of war. Douglas Keith died whilst being transported on the Italian prison ship SS Sebastiano Venier, after it was torpedoed by a British submarine. Son of Charles and Helen Keith, of Auchenblae, Kincardineshire.

Sources

[1] CWGC.

[2] Casualty Lists / National Archives files WO417/35, 43, 50, and 93.

[3] The SAS and LRDG Roll of Honour 1941 - 47. www.sas-lrdg-roh.com/index.html

[4] Report in the Mearns Leader and Kincardineshire Mail, 15 June 1945, p6.

[Images] Collection of his sister Jemima Smith Helen Grant Duguid (nee Keith), courtesy of her grandson Murray Duguid.

Notes

Source [3] provides additional detail and states he was the foster son of Mr and Mrs Keith.

Source [4] below shows full name as Douglas Forbes KEITH.