Major Keith Charles Collins (Page: 2276)

Major Keith Charles Collins VX69275

2/9th Australian Armoured Regiment

Career Highlights

MiD (Mentioned in Despatches)
Promoted to Major 1942
Served at the Battle of Leyte in the Philippines 1944 while seconded to the US Marines to study amphibious landings.
Contracted a tropical disease while serving in Borneo. Spent several weeks in Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital in 1945.

MiD (Mentioned in Despatches)

This decoration is awarded to members of the armed forces when their name appears in an official report written by a superior officer and sent to the high command, in which their gallant or meritorious action in the face of the enemy is described.

Service personnel who have been mentioned in despatches can wear the Silver Oak Leaf on the War Medal.

Authors note: I have not been able to find details of the actual event despite long searches. The government policy at the time was not to single out service personnel for special consideration.

War Service Record

3^rd Sep. 1939 War declared

9^th Sep. 1940 Enlisted CMF, 2^nd Anti-Tank Regiment

3^rd Jan. 1942 Transfer to AIF. 2/9^th Australian Armoured Regiment.

1^st Sep. 1942 Promoted to rank of Major.

21^st Feb 1944 Service in New Guinea commenced.

21^st Apr. 1944 Returned from New Guinea

29^thMch. 1944 Transfer to 2^nd Australian Beach Group.

29^th Sep. 1944 Seconded to US Marines.

17^th Oct. 1944 Battle of Leyte Gulf and invasion of Leyte.

13^th Nov. 1944 Returned to Australia.

16^th Mch. 1945 Service in Borneo commenced.

2^nd Sep. 1945 Japan surrenders aboard USS Missouri

12^th Sep. 1945 Returned from Borneo

18^th Dec. 1945 Discharged.

Battle of Leyte Gulf

One of the most significant air and sea battles of World War II in October 1944 crippled the Japanese Combined Fleet.

It permitted the invasion of the Philippines and reinforced the allies control of the Pacific eventually leading to the bombing of Hiroshima in August 1945 and Japanese surrender in September 1945.