b. 02/09/1911 Ottawa, Canada. d. 27/08/1941 near Connemara, Ireland.
DATE OF AM ACTION: 27/08/1941 near Connemara, Ireland.
Charles A Keefer AM
Charles was the only son and one of three children of Allan and Claire Keefer (nee Oliver). One of his sisters died when he was 7. After school, Charles became a junior executive with the Hudson Bay Company prior to enlistment. He originally enlisted in 1929 and was appointed Midshipman. He was promoted to Acting Sub-Lieutenant in 1930, and resigned in 1933. He chose to re-enlist at the outbreak of WWII on 15th April 1940 as a Lieutenant. He was unmarried at the time of his death.
AM CITATION:
H.M.S. Lulworth went to the rescue of survivors from a torpedoed Merchantman. The night was dark, with heavy seas running, so that the rescue work was slow and hazardous. As Lulworth was about to abandon search, two men and a woman were found clinging to the wreckage. The men were saved, but as the woman, who was unconscious, was being hauled on board, she slipped from her life-jacket, disappeared below the surface, and came up astern. Lieutenant Keefer at once dived into the sea to try to save her. He reached her, but both were swept away by the heavy seas, and though search was made for an hour, neither was seen again.
BURIAL LOCATION: BODY LOST AT SEA. ON HALIFAX MEMORIAL, NOVA SCOTIA. PANEL 8.
LOCATION OF MEDAL: UNKNOWN.
