Name
Peter John Keane(*1)
Conflict
Second World War
Date of Death / Age
04/01/1945
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lieutenant
226354
Royal Armoured Corps
4th Queen''s Own Hussars
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PHALERON WAR CEMETERY
19. C. 3.
Greece
Headstone Inscription
NOT JUST ONE DAY BUT EVERY DAY IN SILENCE WE REMEMBER HIM
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, Hitchin Roll of Honour 1939 – 1945 (Book) St Mary’s Church, Hitchin, St. Mark’s Church Memorial, Hitchin(*1)
Biography
He was born in Hertfordshire and resided there. He had been in the Royal Corps of Signals from the time that he was aged 15 and was serving with them on the 1st September 1939. Later he was commissioned into the 4th Queen's Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps, holding Service Number 226354. He was stationed in Egypt, Cyprus, Italy and Greece during his three years’ service and was attached to the Raiding Support Company in the Parachute Regiment.
His death occurred when Greek communists threw a bomb into his tank, an event later described as the result of "unfortunate fighting in Athens". Shortly after Greece was liberated towards the end of the Second World War, the political left and right were attacking each other and the unfortunate British, who had come as friends, were having to fire on both sides in an attempt to keep some semblance of law and order. In a number of cases British soldiers captured by the Greek communists were burnt alive in a vain attempt to provoke British Army reprisals.
He is buried in the Phaleron War Cemetery in Greece Plot 19, Row C, Grave 3.
He was the eldest son of R.S.M. Arthur and Mrs Margaret Keane of 56, Bunyan Rd, Hitchin.
Additional Information
*1 It is probable that this man is the man listed as P. Keine on St. Mark's Church.
Acknowledgments
David C Baines – ‘Hitchin’s Century of Sacrifice’, ‘Roll of Honour Land Forces W.W.2.’ by J. Devereux & G. Sacker, Mrs Joan Turner - a family acquaintance, Paul Johnson - local historian, ‘The Second Great War’ by J. Hammerton, ‘The British Soldier’ by J. Lucas, Herts Pictorial dated 16th Jan 1945
