Fred Keays
Frederick William Keays was an Australian rules footballer who played with Fitzroy and Collingwood in the Victorian Football League. After his playing career, Fred competed in the 1927 Stawell Gift won by his rival at that time, Tom Miles. He was a for Fitzroy spanning two 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.
Keays eldest son, 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 – .
Fred Keays' grandson Terry Keays also played Australian rules football with Collingwood. His great-grandson Ben Keays is a current Australian rules footballer with Adelaide.
ANZAC
Keays was only in his 17th year as he completed training in Egypt before being initially deployed with the 8th Battalion 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 one year younger thus reporting an age of 39 at enlistment.Immediate family war service
In the Second World War, Fred Keays' family paid a heavy price. With nine children and one adopted son, five out of 11 immediate family members including Fred, served for their country, with one of the Keays men paying the ultimate sacrifice of life. Gerald Keays, Margaret E Keays, Desmond C Keays, Kevin R Couchman and Fred himself all served long periods from 1939 to 1948.| Family Member | WW1 | WW2 |
| Fred Keays | 1915–1918 Gallipoli Campaign & France & finally Battle of Passchendaele Western Front | 1940–1945 |
| Gerald Keays | N/A | 1942–1946 Field Ambulance |
| Margaret Eileen Keays | N/A | 1939–1948 Nurse |
| Desmond Charles Keays | N/A | 1941–1945 Malaya** Died as POW at Sandakan camp |
| Kevin R Couchman | N/A | Malaya POW Returned Sept 1945 |