Edward McKeown shares the story of his uncle John McKeown, who served with the Australian Flying Corps.

JOHN ALEXANDER HUNTER McKEOWN, (always known to his family and friends as Lex), was born in the small country town of Romsey, Victoria, on October 23, 1894. His parents, John and Ginny, in partnership with one of Ginny’s brothers, John, and her sister, Eliza (Liedy) Hunter, operated a small bakery in Romsey Victoria. In 1896, when Lex was still a small child, the McKeowns and the Hunters moved to Werribee, Victoria where they purchased a larger bakery.

By the time he was eleven years old, in 1905, Lex had already decided that he wanted to follow his father’s footsteps and learn to become a Master Baker; under John’s skilful tuition, by the time he was sixteen, Lex had achieved this ambition and was taking an important part in the running of the family Bakery. So it seemed that the future of the business was assured and could remain in the hands of the family, even if the two younger sons, Vern and Gordon, chose to follow other career paths.

In 1910 Lex joined The 29th Light Horse Regiment (citizen Forces). This organisation was an ideal outlet for the energy and leisure time activities of successful young businessmen. Lex became a highly respected member of the organisation; he was a Champion rifleman earning many distinctions in both Club and Prize Shooting Competitions. In due course he gained his commission as a Lieutenant in the Regiment, Of course he was an excellent horseman too, a prime requirement for membership of such a force. It was only a short time after he joined the Light Horse that his father, John, who suffered from Diabetes, became quite severely incapacitated; in those days there was no effective treatment for this disease. John passed away on August 24, 1913, at the early age of forty-four, a very sad loss for all the McKeowns and the Hunters.

To further complicate matters along came the 1914 World War. On October 23, 1915, Lex turned twenty-one and , like most young men in those awful times, he felt that it was his duty to serve in the defence of the British Empire of which Australia was then a devoted part. Lex enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force, (AIF), on February 16, 1916. On March 28, 1916, he was called up and required to report to ‘A’ Company at the Melbourne Royal Park Army Camp where he was allotted the Service Number 5786 and was appointed to the 7th Battalion, 18th Reinforcement Regiment. He was taken on strength with this unit, with the rank of Acting Corporal, on April 28, 1916. (Why he was taken on with the lowly NCO Rank of Corporal despite his holding the Rank of Lieutenant in the  Victorian Light Horse Regiment is unknown; there are no records in existence to provide any explanation).

So, quite quickly, the situation at the Bakery in Werribee changed very dramatically; Lex’s services were no longer available. But, of course the McKeowns and the Hunters were just one of the many families and businesses drastically affected by the grim circumstances of the 1914-1918 War.

On July 3, 1916, Lex sailed for England on the “Ayreshire”, which arrived in Portsmouth on October 2, 1916. By October 8, 1916, he was on his way to France where he served as an Infantryman until April 7, 1917, when, due to Trench Fever and an injury he had received to his right knee, he was returned to England. He then went through a lengthy period of Hospital Treatment. There are no records to show the precise date that Lex made application for a transfer to the Australian Flying corps (AFC), but it is assumed that it must have been following his discharge from Hospital in 1917 that he applied for such a transfer. On 11 November 1917, he was taken on strength of the Australian Flying Corps from the 7th Battalion Infantry and was appointed Cadet with the rank of 2/AM (AIF List 254). He was attached to the Royal Flying Corps School of Aeronautics and commenced flying training.

On January 21, 1918, on AIF LIST 319, he was formally appointed to the AFC, holding the rank of 2nd Lieutenant, and he continued flying training. His commission was confirmed on April 4, 1918. By May 26, 1918, he had progressed to the 6th Training Squadron School of Aerial Fighting and Gunnery at Turnbury where he underwent further training.

On June 25, 1918, he was posted overseas to France to Number 1 ASD (Aeroplane Supplies Depot). While there he contracted Influenza which, at that time, was a killer disease causing the loss of many lives of both service personnel and civilians. After another period of hospitalisation Lex recovered but it was July 19, 1918 before he was declared fit to return to No. 1 ASD. On July 9, 1918, he received advice of his elevation to the rank of Lieutenant (List 380). On August 13, 1918, he received his posting to No. 2 Squadron AFC where he was taken on strength on August 18, 1918 for Advanced Service Training.

In October 1918 a document entitled “Combats in the Air” reported: 9/10/18 – At about 10:10 whilst on offensive patrol between Lille and Armentiers, eight Fokker Biplanes were seen at 15,000ft over Lille. We engaged these at 10:15 and immediately a large formation of Fokkers appeared. The flight attempted to cut off four of them but E.A. got back towards Lille. I dived on a Fokker and fired a burst of 75 rounds at close range. The E.A. got into a vertical dive and was last seen diving vertically about 1,000ft from ground off S/west corner of Lille.

These are the actual words as stated by Lex in this combat report on the day of his successful engagement and shooting down of an enemy aircraft.

Most regrettably no further reports of Lieutenant J.A. McKeown are available. On 14 October 1918, Lex took part in a further offensive patrol in a flight believed to have been led by Captain F.R. Smith. On this operation two Australian pilots were shot down; Cornish was taken prisoner and McKeown was killed. With this, Lex became one of those who paid the supreme sacrifice. A necessary prerequisite of volunteering for war service is that one must be prepared to accept that loss of one’s life becomes a very likely result of such bravery.

Lex’s remains are buried in France at 1887 Laventie Military Cemetery La Gorgue.

Back in Werribee this was the ultimate disaster for Lex’s dear mother Ginny and indeed for Vern and Gordon and the Hunters. Like many other mothers and families in the times of that most ghastly of wars the McKeowns and the Hunters were forced to experience the ultimate sorrow of the loss of a family member killed in action. Ginny was absolutely torn apart by the loss of her first born. Lex’s service medals and other personal effects were returned to her – she wrapped these in a large silk handkerchief and kept them hidden until her death – away from all eyes but here own.