Allison, Keith

ALLISON, Keith- – –

SPC 1911-1913

DoB:– – – – – – 1897, Beechworth, VIC

Father:– – – – – – Alexander Allison

Mother:– – – Catherine nee Dennett

Keith Allison was a boarding student who came to St Patrick’s College from- Middle Park, Melbourne. He completed his Intermediate, Leaving and- Matriculation at St Patrick’s. Keith was a talented athlete and was a member of- the 1st XVIII football team of 1913.

Service No:- – – 3347

Rank:– – – – – – Private, later Corporal

Unit:- – – – – – 37th Battalion, later 8th Battalion

Keith Allison enlisted on March 27, 1917, aged 19 years and nine months. He was a married man, having wed Rebecca Mary Luckham in 1916. They lived at 103 Danks Street, Albert Park and Keith listed his occupation as Engineer. He was five feet six inches tall, and had a medium complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. Despite the fact that he was married, Keith had to have his parents’ signed consent to enlist, as he was under 21 years of age at the time.

He embarked from Melbourne aboard the HMAT Ascanius on 11 May 1917. From July to December he undertook training at the School of Instruction, Kandahar Barracks, Tidworth. On 27 December 1917 he proceeded to France.

In July 1918 Private Allison was wounded in action, suffering gas poisoning at Rouelle, and was admitted to the 10th Australian Field Ambulance. The following day he was transferred to the 47th Casualty Clearing Station, then to the 1st General Hospital at Etretat, and finally to the Australian Convalescent Depot at Havre.

By 3 October 1918 he was discharged from hospital back to duty to Base Depot, England. Despite multiple visits to hospital over several weeks, he was sent – to join the reinforcements at Rouen on 27 December 1918. (Part of his time in hospital was spent receiving treatment for venereal disease).

On 15 November 1919, Private Allison left England for his return to Australia on the Ypiringa, reaching Melbourne on 4 January 1920. He was formally discharged from the AIF on 11 February 1920.

Keith and his wife Mary lived in Melbourne, in the inner south suburbs of Armadale, Malvern, and South Yarra. On the electoral rolls over the years Mary’s occupation was -‘home duties’, while Keith was a Billiard Marker (a person who attends on players at billiards and records the progress of the game), and eventually took over his father’s billiard saloon around 1954.

Mary had died by 1954, and Keith remained in the South Yarra area until around 1968, where he appeared again in the electoral rolls living at 9 Orange Ave, Reservoir. He died on 9 April 1973, aged 74 years. Keith and Mary had one child, a daughter named Keitha Grace, born in 1918.

Keith Allison was cremated at Fawkner Cemetery on 11 April 1973.