SON OF ROBERT AND MARY KEILL OF 20 LAIRD STREET, GREENOCK. A carter with Mr Williamson, 4 Open Shore

Remembered at Tyne Cot Memorial, Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium. On Addenda Panel.

The rededication services, organised by the Ministry of Defence’s (MOD) Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, were held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Dadizeele New British Cemetery, yesterday (25 October 2023) and Tyne Cot Cemetery, today (26 October 2023).

JCCC Caseworker, Rosie Barron said:

It has been a privilege to work with The Royal Regiment of Scotland to organise the rededication service for Pte Keill and to have his niece present. Pte Keill was a young man who made the ultimate sacrifice for his country. He is still fondly remembered by his family and this service marked the end of their quest to establish what happened to him.

Pte Peter Keill

By October 1918 the static fighting associated with the Western Front, which had kept the British Army in Belgium within the Ypres Salient since 1914, had lifted, and Allied forces were advancing. On 1 October 1918, 7th Battalion The Seaforth Highlanders were in assembly positions in front of the village of Slypskapelle. After a brief barrage, they attacked at 6.15am and reached their first objective, the Menin to Roulers railway line north of Ledeghem.

After further fighting they consolidated in positions along the railway line. The battalion had suffered considerable casualties with 23 killed in action or died of wounds, four missing and 73 wounded. Pte Peter Keill was among these casualties. The location of Pte Keill’s grave was lost, and as he was missing, he was commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial.

Pte Keill’s niece, Mary Lloyd-Jones was in attendance at the service and said:

My mother always talked about her brother Peter, even though she was born two months after his death he was always part of her life and he has been part of mine too. We’re so pleased to see his final resting place recognised, and it’s been an honour for me to be here to see that happen today with my daughter Sian and my sister-in-law Margaret representing Peter’s wider family. We’re so grateful to Rosie from JCCC and Catherine from CWGC for making this happen.

Images relating to Peter Keill

Peter Keill

Newspaper Clippings relating to Peter Keill

Keill/Campbell/Brooks/Lynch

Campbell/Gray/Keill/Pattison