Individual Report: E30657 Richard KEAYS

Rank:	First Name:	Second Name:
General Information
Rifleman	Richard	Lincoln
From:	Enlistment Region:	Date of Birth (y-m-d):
Broadlands QC	Eastern Quebec	1919-04-14
Appointment:	Company:	Platoon:
	A

Transportation - Home Base to Hong Kong

Members of 'C' Force from the East travelled across Canada by CNR troop train, picking up reinforcements enroute. Stops included Valcartier, Montreal, Ottawa, Armstrong ON, Capreol ON, Winnipeg, Melville SK, Saskatoon, Edmonton, Jasper, and Vancouver, arriving in Vancouver on Oct 27 at 0800 hrs.

The Winnipeg Grenadiers and the local soldiers that were with Brigade Headquarters from Winnipeg to BC travelled on a CPR train to Vancouver.

All members embarked from Vancouver on the ships AWATEA and PRINCE ROBERT. AWATEA was a New Zealand Liner and the PRINCE ROBERT was a converted cruiser. "C" Company of the Rifles was assigned to the PRINCE ROBERT, everyone else boarded the AWATEA. The ships sailed from Vancouver on Oct 27th and arrived in Hong Kong on November 16th, having made brief stops enroute at Honolulu and Manila.

Equipment earmarked for 'C' Force use was loaded on the ship DON JOSE, but would never reach Hong Kong as it was rerouted to Manila when hostilities commenced.

On arrival, all troops were quartered at Nanking Barracks, Sham Shui Po Camp, in Kowloon.

Battle Information

We do not have specific battle information for this soldier in our online database. For a detailed description of the battle from a Canadian perspective, visit Canadian Participation in the Defense of Hong Kong (published by the Historical Section, Canadian Military Headquarters).

Wounded Information

Date Wounded	Wound Description	References
41/12/23	shot through left wrist	36

Hospital Information

No record of hospital visits found.

POW Camps

Camp ID	Camp Name	Location	Company	Type of Work	Arrival Date	Departure Date
HK-NP-01	North Point	North Point, Hong Kong Island			41 Dec 30	42 Sep 26
HK-SA-02	Shamshuipo	Kowloon, Hong Kong			42 Sep 26	43 Jan 19
JP-To-3D	Tsurumi	Yokohama-shi, Tsurumi-ku, Suyehiro-cho, 1-chome, Japan	Nippon Steel Tube - Tsurumi Shipyards	Variety of jobs related to ship building	43 Jan 19	45 Apr 16
JP-Se-4B	Ohashi	Iwate-ken, Kamihei-gun, Katsushi-mura, Ohashi, Japan	Nippon Steel Company		45 Apr 16	45 Sep 15
JP-To-1B	Kawasaki	Kawasaki-shi, Oshima-cho, Japan	Nippon Express Company

Transport to Japan

Draft Number	Name of Ship	Departure Date	Arrival Date	Arrival Port	Comments	Reference
XD3A	Tatuta Maru	43 Jan 19, left Shamsuipo Camp, 0500 hrs; left Hong Kong 1300hrs	43 Jan 22, 0400 hrs	Nagasaki, Japan	Boarded train, arrived in Tokyo on 43 Jan 24 at 0700 hrs, boarded electric train for 10 mile ride to camp	Tony Banham

Transportation SE Asia to Home

Transport Mode	Arrival Destination	Arrival Date	Comments
USS Rixey	SF	1945-10-11

2 FROM MONTREAL ARRIVE IN FRISCO

70 Repatriated Canadians Reach U.S. Aboard the U.S.S. Rixey

San Francisco, October 12. The following Canadians were among 70 repatriated Canadian prisoners of war who landed here yesterday aboard U.S.S. Rixey; Rfmn. D. M. Adams, Matapedia, Que.; Rfmn. A. Blanchard, Val d'Amour, N.B.; Rfmn. R. A. Boudreau, Glen Levit, N.B.; Rfmn. C. Cochrane, New Richmond, Que.; Rfmn. E. Daigle, West Bathurst, N.B.; Rfmn. J. A. Dempsey, Jacquet River, N.B.; Cpl. W. A. Dobb. Sherbrooke; Rfmn. A. Driscoll, Durkan Centre, N.B.; Rfmn. E. F. Francis, Dartmount, N.S.; Rfmn. G. Grimshaw, Montreal; Rfmn. J. H. Hand, Chapleau, Que.; Rfmn. S. D. Henderson, Richmond, Que.; Rfmn. J. I. Hotton, Gaspe, Que.; Rfmn. G. T. Hutchinson, Norton, N.B.; Rfmn. R. Keays, Broadlands, Que.; Ffmn. J. W. Killoran, Belledume River, N.B. Rfmn. A. D. Lapointe, Kirkland Lake, Ont.; L. Cpl. E. G. Ladds, Noranda, Que.; Rfmn. A. MacDonald, Wyers Brook, N.B.; Cpl. M. Moores, Matapedia, Que.; Rfmn. E. Olson, Bury, Que.; Rfmn. G. P. Pentland, Escuminac, Que.; Rfmn. D. B. Rees, St. John's, Nfld.; Rfmn. F. Robertson, Maria East, Que.; Cpl. A. T. Robson, Kenogami, Que.; Rfmn. R. Tremblay, Preval, Que.; Cpl. L. G. Wood, Lake Megantic, Que.; Sgt. J. C. MacMillan, Campbellton, N.B.; Cpl. Leo Ross, Cookshire, Que.; Rfmn. B. E. Boulanger, Perce, Que.; Rfmn. C. I. Meredith. New Richmond, Que.; Rfmn. H. E. Glendenning, South Bathurst, N.B., Rfmn. Gordon MacIver, Scotstown, Que.; Rfmn. R. A. McLaughlin, Campbellton, N.B.; L. Cpl. G. A. Lachance, Montreal; Sgt. C. H. Kerrigan, Aroostock, N.B.

Post-war Photo

Richard KEAYS unveiling plaque in Hong Kong 2000 pilgrimage to Brigadier Lawson

Other Military or Public Service

No other or additional related information found. Please submit documents to us using the contact link at the top of this page.

Death and Cemetery Information

Date of Death (y-m-d)	Cause of Death	Death Class
2007-02-17		Post War
Cemetery Location	Cemetery	Grave Number	Gravestone Marker
Pointe-a-la-garde Quebec Canada	Brookside Cemetery		Yes

Gravestone Image

Obituary / Life Story

RICHARD 'DICK' KEAYS Passed away surrounded by family at the Restiougouche Hospital Center on Saturday February 17, 2007, at the age of 87. Born in Oak Bay Quebec on April 14, 1919, Richard was the son of the late Mary Jane Mann and William Keays of Escuminac, Quebec. Richard is survived by his loving wife Isabella (Upton) of 56 years: his children Lincoln (Monique Parker), Barbara (Jock McFarlane), Sterling (Joanne Foran) and Glenn (Sharon McLaughlin); grandchildren Monica McFarlane, Christopher McFarlane, William Keays, Renae Keays, Matt Keays, Rachel Keays, Lori Belliveau; great grandchildren Justin Keays and Page Belliveau. He is also survived by his sister. Hazel Campbell of Cascapedia, Quebec, sister-in-law Edna Keays of New Richmond, Quebec, Lillian Keays of Moncton NB and numerous nieces and nephews. Richard was predeceased by his siblings Walter Keays of Oak Bay, Quebec, Helen Wylie of Montreal, Quebec, Ruby Wylie of Shigawake, Quebec and Kenneth Keays of Moncton NB. Richard was a veteran of the Second World War and served with the Royal Rifles of Canada in the defense of Hong Kong. He served four years as a prisoner of war in Japan and was liberated in Oct 1945. Upon his return to Canada. Richard held various jobs but eventually retired after many years as an entrepreneur where he instilled the entrepreneur spirit in his children. Richard was a member of the Escuminac United Church. Served on the executive of the Hong Kong veteran's organization, a member of the Canadian legion branch 19. He served many years on the local school board and served as a councilor of the municipality of Cross Point. Richard was a devoted husband, a loving father and proud grandfather, who valued his family above all else He was well known and well respected in the community and will be sadly missed by all who knew him. Visitation was held at Maher's funeral home in Campbellton NB on Sunday Feb. 18. 2007 with a legion service held Sunday evening. The funeral was held on Monday Feb. 19 at the United Church of Canada, 16 Aberdeen St, Campbellton NB with a reception following the service.

Links and Other Resources

There may be more information on this individual available elsewhere on our web sites - please use the search tool found in the upper right corner of this page to view sources.

General Comments

A keepsake shadow box that Richards granddaughter Rachel made for her father Lincoln.

End of Report.

Report generated: 27 Apr 2025.

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Additional Notes

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Service numbers for officers ("X") are locally generated for reporting only. During World War II officers were not allocated service numbers until 1945.
'C' Force soldiers who died overseas are memorialized in the Books of Remembrance and the Canadian Virtual War Memorial, both sponsored by Veterans Affairs Canada. Please use the search utility at VAC to assist you.
Some birthdates and deathdates display as follows: 1918-00-00. In general, this indicates that we know the year but not the month or day.
Our POW camp links along with our References link (near the bottom of the 'C' Force home page) are designed to give you a starting point for your research. There were many camps with many name changes. The best resource for all POW camps in Japan is the Roger Mansell Center for Research site.
In most cases the rank displayed was the rank held before hostilities. Some veterans were promoted at some point prior to eventual post-war release from the army back in Canada. When notified of these changes we'll update the individual's record.
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