IInformation required about a Special Boat Service Veteran Please.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 10/01/2020 14:11:34

Hello. I am a funeral celebrant and I am researching information on a gentleman whose funeral service I am leading in a couple of weeks time (23 January). He has died alone, leaving no family or friends, save for one who is organising his funeral, but she has only known him in later years. She says he talked about being in the Special Boat Service in the late 1950s but he didn't speak about it much as she doesn't think he had a particular great time within it - she knows he served in Asia and thinks he may have been captured and tortured. I am wondering if there is anybody that can give me any snippets of information, or may even know of the gentlemen - he made the grade of Sergeant Norman Francis Keeble.

Any information that I could include in his service to give him a suitably dignified and lovely send off would be gratefully received.

Many thanks, Amanda

Hi Amanda,
Thanks for getting in touch with us regarding Norman Keeble.
Although he probably wasn't a member of our association, I will put the feelers out to see what I can find out.
If you can let me know the time and place of the funeral, I will disseminate that information to various Forces Associations in the hope that we can get some Veterans to attend and help with the send off...

Regards,
Nick

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 12/01/2019 18:10:28

Amanda,

A quick 'Google' threw up this reference to

Norman Francis Keeble, a military veteran from Felixstowe...

https://theatricalia.com/person/wga/davina-beswick

Nick

Hi Nic

Thank you so much for your response. The Google thread you have found was possibly something I did last year as I also took his wife's service - she passed in August.

His funeral is at 10.30am at West Suffolk Crematorium in the Abbey Chapel in Bury St Edmunds. There will probably only be about 4 people going sadly. I doubt anyone will be available to attend and I don't think he would want a military send off as such, I was just trying to find out some more info on him but thank you so much in any event.

Kind regards
Amanda

Hi Amanda,
Thanks for that information.
Would it be acceptable for veterans to attend the funeral as a sign of respect?
If so, then they would just wear beret's, civilian coats/jackets and medals.

Regards,

Nick

Hi again Nick

I have just asked the friend for her permission and she says that she thinks it would be very nice for Norman if anyone did want to attend but she doesn't think he would want a full blown affair. Please let me know if anybody comes forward. Is there anywhere I can look to confirm when he served and perhaps what he might have did?

Many thanks again
Amanda

Hi Amanda,
Thank you, I will put out the funeral details and emphasise that it is to be low key.
I have emailed the SBS Association and left messages with the Royal Marines Association - Norman would have been in the Royal Marines then he would have had to 'pass Selection' to become one of the elite SBS.
I am waiting replies but obviously all these things take time...

Regards,

Nick

Hi Nick

I see you have put a call out on Facebook - thank you so much. His friend has now emailed me a self portrait which he painted himself. Strange because I can't seem to find any National Service records for him and he would have qualified for that and also, Norman's friend said she was talking to a friend of his wife Davina, who told her that Davina had told her friend that Norman was awarded the VC but he declined it. He is not on any VC list of recipients that I can see. I am starting to wonder if he was in the Service at all, but let's hope your efforts prove fruitful. I am eternally grateful - thank you.

Amanda

Here is Norman Keeble's self portrait sent in by Amanda who will be conducting his funeral.

Nick

Hi Nick

I have posted a couple of messages on SBS sites on FB but nothing yet but I do have more proof now - apparently the friend had a certificate which I didn't know about previously.

He was Sergeant Royal Marine No: 2429213; No.2 Section Special Boat Squadon, 42 Commando Detachment. RNID RN2852/RM issued on 20/08/1958.

Certificate of merit: 1st Special Service Force South East Asia Operation

Commanding Officer: Col. R B Bowden

Is there anything you can tell me about this? I will do some more research myself now.

Many thanks
Amanda

Amanda,

Thank you - I have emailed you...

Nick