Full name Fred Keays Died June 24, 1983 Name Fred Keays | Years Club Height/Weight 178 cm / 72 kg | |
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Date of birth (1898-07-12)12 July 1898 Date of death 24 June 1983(1983-06-24) (aged 84) Original team(s) Army / Fitzroy District | ||
Fred Keays (12 July 1898 (WW1 birth record) 1900 (WW2 birth record) – 24 June 1983) was a former Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy (1919-1921) and Collingwood (in the 1922 VFL season) in the Victorian Football League (VFL). After his playing career Fred competed in the 1927 Stawell Gift won by his rival at that time, Tom Miles. He was a trainer and committee member for Fitzroy spanning 2 decades until the Second World War. He served for a second time in WW2 having previously served and twice been wounded as a 16-year-old ANZAC in WW1. His eldest son, Desmond Charles Keays enlisted in 1941, was reported as missing in July 1942 and died in 1945 as a POW at Sandakan camp. Desmond is also remembered for paying the ultimate price for his country on the Fitzroy Football Club website – Fitzroy Football Club Anzac Day Tribute.
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Fred's grandson Terry Keays also played Australian rules football with Collingwood. His great-grandson Ben Keays is a current Australian rules footballer with the Brisbane Lions.
ANZAC
Official Australian war records suggest Fred's age was listed as 1 year greater than his actual year of birth 1899. He would have been only in his 16th year (birthday 12 July 1899) as he completed training in Egypt before being initially deployed with the 8th Battalion (Australia) (November 1915) as reinforcements at Gallipoli before the retreat in December 1915. He was then wounded, most likely in France at the Battle of Pozières. After being wounded for a second time, most likely on the Western Front this time in his lower right leg, he was sent to England to recover before returning home to Fitzroy, Melbourne 1919. In WW2 his age was recorded as 1 year younger (1900 birth year recorded when it was 1899) thus reporting an age of 39 at enlistment. In 2015, the centenary of WW1, Collingwood Football Club recognised their 57 ANZACS.
Immediate family war service
In the Second World War, Fred's family paid a heavy price. With 9 children and 1 adopted son, 5 out of 11 immediate family members including Fred, served for their country, with 1 of the Keays men paying the ultimate sacrifice of life. Gerald Keays, Margaret (Peggy) E Keays, Desmond C Keays, Kevin R Couchman and Fred himself all served long periods from 1939 to 1948.