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| Keywords: text 100 YEARS AGO - LEST WE FORGET - ROBERT RICHARD DUTTON KEEL Robert Keel was a refrigerator Engineer Officer in the Mercantile Marine and served aboard the SS Zent (Belfast). Robert was born in Burrington, Somerset, the son of Francis William and the late Sarah Keel. The family owned a house and shop at 101 Liverpool Road, Irlam. Robert was married to Gladys Keel (nee Garner) and they had two young children. The Garner family were well known and respected in the area. Her late father Mr. W. Garner of the Beeches, Cadishead was the Guardian of the Poor in Irlam and also represented the district on the Barton Board of Guardians. The SS Zent was torpedoed and sunk 28 miles west of Fastnet by enemy submarine U66, with the loss of forty nine lives. His wife received a letter from Messrs Elders & Fyffe attesting to his character and heroism: 'The news of the loss of the Zest came to us as a very great shock, but we realise that to you, who have lost your husband, the shock must have been infinitely greater. Mr Keel had been in our employ for quite a long time and was held in the greatest respect by everybody, both in the firm and outside. The firm has lost an engineer whose sterling character and ability were of the highest. From information we have gathered, Mr Keel was last seen distributing life belts to the members of the crew, and we feel sure it will be some comfort to you to know that even in the end he was unselfish and gave his best for the assistance of others. He gave his life for his country's cause quite as much as though he had been in the sister service. But, at the same time, it is very hard to reconcile ourselves even to this when the loss comes home so terribly.' Robert is commemorated on the Mercantile Marine Memorial at Tower Hill, London. He was 31 years old. IRLAM & CADISHEAD WW ASSOCIATION. 100 YEARS AGO - LEST WE FORGET - ROBERT RICHARD DUTTON KEEL Robert Keel was a refrigerator Engineer Officer in the Mercantile Marine and served aboard the SS Zent (Belfast). Robert was born in Burrington, Somerset, the son of Francis William and the late Sarah Keel. The family owned a house and shop at 101 Liverpool Road, Irlam. Robert was married to Gladys Keel (nee Garner) and they had two young children. The Garner family were well known and respected in the area. Her late father Mr. W. Garner of the Beeches, Cadishead was the Guardian of the Poor in Irlam and also represented the district on the Barton Board of Guardians. The SS Zent was torpedoed and sunk 28 miles west of Fastnet by enemy submarine U66, with the loss of forty nine lives. His wife received a letter from Messrs Elders & Fyffe attesting to his character and heroism: 'The news of the loss of the Zest came to us as a very great shock, but we realise that to you, who have lost your husband, the shock must have been infinitely greater. Mr Keel had been in our employ for quite a long time and was held in the greatest respect by everybody, both in the firm and outside. The firm has lost an engineer whose sterling character and ability were of the highest. From information we have gathered, Mr Keel was last seen distributing life belts to the members of the crew, and we feel sure it will be some comfort to you to know that even in the end he was unselfish and gave his best for the assistance of others. He gave his life for his country's cause quite as much as though he had been in the sister service. But, at the same time, it is very hard to reconcile ourselves even to this when the loss comes home so terribly.' Robert is commemorated on the Mercantile Marine Memorial at Tower Hill, London. He was 31 years old. IRLAM & CADISHEAD WW ASSOCIATION. | ||||
