In 1945 Keith McDowall married Margaret Evelyn Hepburn whose father Edward Andrew Hepburn was a great-grandson of Thomas and Ann Stone.
Keith was born in Camperdown, Victoria, Australia on 1 January 1921, the son of James McDowall and Dulcie Isabel (nee Bliss). As a teenager he was a member of the No 3 Platoon Senior Cadets 23/21 Battalion. and when he was 18 he enrolled in the Militia Forces 23/21 Battalion at Camperdown on 24 February 1939. At the time he was employed as a draper in the Bright & Hitchcock store in Camperdown.
He then enlisted in the Australian Army on 7 July 1940 at Mount Martha, Victoria and saw service in New Guinea with the 1 and 2 New Guinea Infantry Battalions. These battalions were formed in 1944 in the territory of New Guinea. Formed as part of the Australian Army, their soldiers were primarily natives of New Guinea, under the command of Australian officers and NCOs. The New Guinea battalions each had an establishment of about 77 Europeans and 550 native soldiers. Their roles included reconnaissance, harassment and mopping up operations.
Keith was in ‘C’ Company when it moved to Salamaua in November 1944, and carried out patrols around Hansa Bay, looking for small pockets of Japanese resistance that had been left behind following the main operation to clear the area. The area was relatively quiet during this time, although there were some raids by Japanese troops on the forward areas around Marangis. On 19 January 1945, a 1 NGIB patrol, led by the then Sergeant McDowall attacked a platoon-sized Japanese force around Bosman, killing 22 and capturing a large quantity small arms and a machine gun. Patrol operations continued over the next two months and then in March 1945, the company was transferred to Jacquinot Bay on New Britain, travelling from Madang to join the rest of the battalion.
In June 1945 General Blamey approved the recommendation that Keith McDowall should be awarded the Military Medal for his part in the confrontation at Bosman. The recommendation included the following information:
CITATION (Date and place of action must be stated):RANU RIVER AREA, 19 Jan 45.
On 19 Jan 45, Sjt. McDOWALL, A.K.”C” Coy, 1 NG Inf Bn, received instructions from his P1 Comd to cross the RAMU RIVER from MAL, ref map NUBIA WEST 1″ to 1 mile 489415, to reece the WEST bank to incl BOSMAN VILLAGE. “C” coy NGIB were under comd 30 Aust Inf Bn (AIF).
Accompanied by eight NG Inf Bn natives, Sjt McDOWALL crossed the river by canoe at ref 488415 and commenced patrolling along a well defined track to BOSMAN. En route three enemy were wounded but escaped. The patrol reached the outskirts of BOSMAN without further contact, and on recce the village, Sjt McDOWALL discovered it to be occupied by 24 well-armed enemy.
Forming up his sec, Sgt McDOWALL, armed with a Bren LMG, attacked the enemy and by skilful leadership and field craft surprised the enemy, killing three outright.
The remainder raced to prepared def posns, and retaliatad with heavy LMG and rifle fire, wounding one of our natives. Undaunted, and without thought of his own personal safety, Sjt McDOWALL pressed home the attack; firing his Bren gun from the hip. Through this audacious action 22 of the 24 enemy were killed and the remaining two wounded, without loss to the patrol. One enemy LMG and several rifles were captured.
Throughout the whole action, Sjt McDOWALL displayed exemplary courage, leadership and aggression against a superior enemy force, and set an excellent example to the men under his comd.
The National Archives reference WO 373/45/48
Lieutenant Alan Keith McDowall was discharged on 9 August 1946. He joined the Australian Army and retired with the rank of Major.
