Keith Aubrey, born on January 27, 1923, the son of Stuart and Eva Aubrey of Bermuda, died in Bermuda on October 30, 2007. He was an overseas army veteran of the Second World War. He served abroad in the United Kingdom and Europe as a member of the Second Contingent of the Bermuda Volunteer Rifle Corps to join the Royal Lincolnshire Regiment. Blessed with a happy personality, Keith was always popular with his comrades.

Prior to going overseas, he had served with the home-based BVRC, having enlisted in the Corps in 1941 at the age of 18. Keith and his older brother Elliott, tried to remain together in the Army as long as they could. Military disasters like the bombing and sinking of the ship fully loaded with the 51st Highland Division in Rouen Harbour in France in May, 1940 produced deaths tolls in the thousands.

The loss of the seven Sullivan Brothers at Pearl Harbour on December 7, 1941, brought a world wide change in the approach to permitting close relatives to serve together in dangerous front line circumstances.

Keith and his older brother, Elliott (Keith's senior by six years) served together in the BVRC. Keith and Elliott wanted to try to remain together for the entire War. When Bermuda Command Headquarters in 1943 invited all those wishing to volunteer for overseas service, they handed in their names simultaneously.

A year later, the 86-strong 2nd contingent left Bermuda for New York to board a troopship bound for the United Kingdom to join the Lincolnshire Regiment.

After a short period of orientation in England, they were sent to the Lincolns' 2nd Battalion of the 3rd British Infantry Division in Europe.

More Bermudians in the Lincolns served in the 2nd Battalion than in any other Battalion. Sadly, more Bermudians lost their lives fighting in the Second Battalion than any other unit.

Later, the Aubrey brothers were destined to be separated. Following a period in hospital Keith was discharged but not to the 2nd Battalion, he went directly to the 4th Battalion in Germany, which had been sent there to deal with the hordes of prisoners-of-war that were filling the POW camps beyond capacity.

While still with the Lincolns, Keith answered a call for volunteers for the Paratroopers. Though most of the Bermudian volunteers applying were successful, to his disappointment, Keith was not accepted.

During his way back from London to Germany, Keith was subject to numerous V-1 and V-2 rocket attacks (flying bombs launched by the Germans from France). London and the South-East of England sustained most of the damage.

In 1946, Keith and Elliott returned home to Bermuda. Both immediately became members of the Bermuda War Veterans Association and the BVRC Overseas Association. The Associations had been founded in 1919 by returning veterans, chiefly those serving overseas from the BVRC. During the more than 50 years the Aubrey brothers were members of these organisations, they seldom, if ever, missed an annual reunion.

Shortly after returning to Bermuda, Elliott was invited to be one of five Bermudians to take part in the Victory Parade in London. Arthur (Sonny) Flood also was invited. Sonny had served throughout the Italian Campaign with the Lincolns. Initially, his Battalion had to overcome a withering attack by the enemy from the cliff tops overlooking the landings at the Salerno Beach in Sicily.

Keith and his late wife, Joyce Aubrey, were married in Bermuda on June 13, 1960. They were survived by daughters, Trudy and Donna, and son Bruce.

Trudy's father-in-law, the late Frank Corday, was a prominent Bermudian cricketer. Stuart Aubrey, also was a leading sportsman. He was perennial Bermuda Harness Racing Champion.

Joyce Aubrey's brother Richard White, former BVRC and Second Contingent volunteer, was killed in action late in the War in Europe.

Keith spent nearly all of his working life with the Bermuda telephone Company. At the time of his retirement in 1986 at the age of 65, he was employed in the Exchange Department.

A final word. May Keith, Elliott and Richard rest securely in peace, perhaps the only reward they could have wished for in exchange for their efforts, to ensure the world remained free as it has been since 1945.