Keeling, Abraham
1767 Company Sergeant Major Abraham Keeling DCM MM - 12th Battalion AIF
Abraham Keeling was born in Durras New South Wales in 1881 to William and Margaret Keeling, being one of eleven siblings. He was educated in New South Wales and after leaving school took up employment as a Hewer.
Abraham moved to WA from NSW pre the Great War and was living at 48 Mandurah Road South Fremantle.
On the 18th January 1915 Abraham enlisted into the Australian Imperial Force. He was accepted as fit for service, with the medical examiner recording his physical attributes as;
Height - 5 feet 5 inches tall;
Weight - 149lbs;
Chest Measurement - 36-41 inches;
Complexion - Ruddy;
Eyes - Grey;
Hair - Dark;
Distinctive Marks - Tattoos of flag and heart and arrows and woman's head on right and left arms.
Upon his successful enlistment, Abraham was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where hew as assigned to No.5 Depot Training Company. He spent a short time here and was then assigned to the 4th Reinforcements to the 12th battalion AIF.
This group had reinforcements from WA, SA and Tasmania so gathered together in Melbourne before embarking. On the 19th April 1915 the 4th Reinforcements departed from Port Melbourne aboard the transport ship Star of England. The ship then journeyed to Egypt, arriving there in May 1915. He only had a short time in Egypt as on the 26th May 1915 he joined the 12th Battalion on Gallipoli.
The 12th Battalion were holding the front line positions in the Southern portion of the Anzac Battlefield. Four days after arriving, Abraham was hit in the chest by shrapnel. He was treated at the field ambulance station on the beach and was then sent out to the Hospital Ship Gascon. This ship then took him back to Egypt, where upon arrival Abraham was sent into the 1st Australian General Hospital in Cairo.
Fortunately the wound was not severe and after four weeks in hospital Abraham returned to Gallipoli, being taken back on strength of the 12th Battalion on the 16th July 1915. He returned in time to take part in his unit's action at Leane's Trench in late July 1915 and then at Lone Pine from August 6th to 11th 1915.
He came through this safely but on the 18th August was evacuated to the 1st Field Ambulance suffering from influenza. He rejoined his unit after four days, but on the 4th September 1915 was once again evacuated with influenza. At the field ambulance he was also diagnosed with bronchitis and so Abraham was put on a Hospital Ship for Mudros. However he only spent a few days here before being sent to Malta. On the 10th September 1915 he was admitted to St John's Hospital.
Abraham would spent the next two months in hospital in Malta as he slowly overcame his illness. On the 13th December 1915 he boarded a hospital ship back to Egypt. He then spent a few weeks in the base depot camp as Gallipoli was being evacuated. Abraham rejoined the 12th Battalion in Egypt in January 1916.
They had a few months of training in Egypt and on the 29th March 1916, the 12th Battalion boarded the transport ship Corsican in Alexandria Harbour and set sail to France, reaching Marseilles on the 5th April 1916.
After they were disembarked the 12th Battalion boarded trains which took them north to the region of Armentieres. It was here that the 12th Battalion would have their first taste of trench life on the Western Front.
The 12th Battalion spent April to June in the Armentieres sector and were then sent south to the Somme battlefield where they would take part in offensive that was taking place there. On July 23rd 1916 the 12th Battalion took part in the capture of Pozieres village. Abraham survived this action unscathed and also the following month in August 1916 when the 12th Battalion attacked German positions at Mouquet farm.
During this time Abraham had been promoted to Lance Corporal and then a week later to Corporal. The 12th Battalion were then sent to rest up in a quieter sector in Belgium where they spent the next six weeks. By November 1916 the 12th Battalion were back on the Somme Battlefield near Flers.
They would remain here during the French winter of 1916/17. During February 1917 the 12th Battalion attacked and captured the French village Le Barque and were one of the units following up the German withdrawal to the Hindenburg Line. However Abraham had missed this as he was in hospital with mumps, but he returned to his unit on the 3rd March 1917.
On April 6th 1917 the 12th Battalion were ordered to capture Boursies village. This village was captured under heavy German machine gun fire. At 4am on the 6th April “D” Company of the 12th Battalion attacked along the Cemetery Road. This attack was met with withering German machine gun fire though with assistance from the 11th Battalion the objective was taken. It was a hard fought action and 62 dead was the total suffered by the 12th Battalion in that advance.
Just over a week later on the 15th April 1917 the 12th battalion was holding an outpost line in front of the village of Lagnicourt when the Germans launched a large counter attack. Despite initial success, the Germans were pushed back but again the 12th Battalion suffered heavy casualties.
In May 1917 the 12th Battalion saw further action at Bullecourt. Abraham came through all these actions unscathed and during this time had been promoted to Sergeant.
In June 1917 the 12th Battalion were withdrawn from the front line for a well deserved three month rest period. During June to August 1917 the 12th Battalion undertook much training and sporting activities. On the 29th August 1917 Abraham was sent to England for a period of detached duty with the 3rd Training Battalion. He therefore missed the Third Battle of Ypres.
During his time in England Abraham undertook many courses, including musketry, machines guns and bombing. He returned to France in January 1918 and rejoined the 12th Battalion.
From December 1917 to March 1918 the 12th Battalion helped hold the front line in Belgium just south of east of Ypres near Hollebeke. During his time here Abraham was awarded the Military Medal for his bravery. The official recommendation reads,
On occasion of a raid by a party of the enemy at Hollebeke, south east of Ypres on the night of 14th/15th March 1918, Sergeant Keeling was Acting C.S.M. in the support trench which was subjected to a heavy artillery barrage. When the trench was blown in, cutting off a number of men from Company Headquarters, he organised them for defence of the trench, got in touch with the Company Commander and volunteered to go forward with support for the outposts. He went forward, brought back some prisoners and again went out and brought in a wounded man under heavy machine gun fire. Throughout the whole night he displayed great courage and coolness and set a splendid example to his men.
On the 21st March 1918 the Germans launched their spring offensive which broke the line of the 3rd and 5th British Armies and they subsequently were making a speedy advance towards Amiens. The 3rd and 4th Australian Divisions were initially sent to stop the advance and were closely followed by the 2nd and 5th Divisions. The 1st Australian Division moved south in early April but had just reached Amiens when news of another breakthrough came to them up north from where they had just left, so the 1st Australian Division returned north to the Hazebrouck region. The 12th Battalion, as part of the 1st Australian Division, would spend April to July 1918 on this front, with the 12th seeing much action around Merris and Meteren. Abraham came through this time safely.
In early August 1918 the 1st Australian Division returned to Amiens to take part in the planned offensive. On August 8th 1918, Australian, British, Canadian and French soldiers took part in the great offensive which broke the German lines and sent them into retreat. The 12th Battalion came into the action on August 9/10 near Lihons. Abraham was once again recognised for his bravery, being awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. The official recommendation reads;
For conspicuous gallantry and resource near Lihons on 11th August 1918, C.S.M. Keeling twice took out a patrol over 1000 yards through enemy territory to endeavour to find the right flank of the unit who were supposed to join D Company 12th battalion on the left. Although nearly captured on the 2nd occasion, being bombed and fired on by the enemy, who were in large numbers advancing on Auger Wood, he succeeded in finding the 11th Battalion and returning with this very valuable information. Later in the day, taking a Lewis Gun, he surprised a party of the enemy 300 yards out in front. This action contributed very largely in breaking up an enemy counter attack massing in that quarter. He remained at this point under danger of our barrage until wounded in the back. The energy, resource and ability displayed by this NCO materially assisted the maintaining of the left flank of the Company during an important and dangerous period of the operation of this day.
After receiving his wound, Abraham was treated at the 1st Australian Field Ambulance and was then taken to the 53rd Casualty Clearing Station. He was then put on an ambulance train for the French town of Rouen. Abraham was admitted to the 11th Stationary Hospital. He would be here for the next five days and was then shipped to England, where upon arrival Abraham was sent to Beaufort War Hospital in Bristol.
Abraham spent the next month in Bristol and on the 20th September 1918 was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford. He had a further two and a half weeks here. On the 8th October 1918 Abraham was now well enough to be granted a two week furlough. After his leave period was over Abraham was sent to No.4 Group Camp at Hurdcott. He would still be here when the Armistice was announced on the 11th November 1918 and shortly after that the news of the award of his Distinguished Conduct Medal came through.
On the 30th November 1918 Abraham was transferred to the Overseas Training Brigade Camp at Longbridge Deverell. He was here for the next six weeks and then news came through of his return to Australia. On the 15th January 1919 Abraham boarded the transport ship Orsova and set sail for Australia, disembarking in Fremantle on the 12th February 1919.
After being disembarked Abraham was sent to No.8 Australian General Hospital in South Terrace Fremantle for a medical check up of his wounds. He was then discharged from the AIF on the 25th April 1919.
After the Great War Abraham went north to the Pilbara to work as a labourer on remote stations at Cooglegong near Marble Bar and in the 1930's at Jigalong, east of Newman. He later went to Port Headland through the 1940's and 50's.
Abraham died on the 3rd August 1959 in Geraldton WA. He was buried in Geraldton Cemetery.