8 May 1915 -|- Keeley Jameson[]
Source: Kete Chriostchurch - http://ketechristchurch.peoplesnetworknz.info/site/topics/show/1333-keeley-selwyn-jameson#.Xal2XnlI9GM
Keeley Selwyn Jameson (Service no. 6/963) was a First World War soldier. Keeley was born 28 October 1887 to William and Mary. William was an English immigrant, having arrived in Lyttelton in 1863. After working for the Canterbury Provincial Council William worked as a clerk for Selwyn County Council before establishing his own accountancy firm, William Jameson and Son. At the time of Keeley’s enlistment his parents resided at 54 Garden Road, Fendalton.
Keeley was educated at Christ’s College.
After completing his education he worked for Todhunter Brothers, grain seed and produce merchants, on Cashel Street. He then went to work for Dalgety and Company before taking up work with Christchurch Seed Company. Prior to his enlistment he was an agent for Cudden and Jameson.
He was an amateur cyclist.
On 4 August 1914 Britain declared war on Imperial Germany and in response New Zealand offered the services of an expeditionary force to assist in the war effort. Keeley enlisted with the 1st Canterbury Infantry on 20 August 1914. At the time of his enlistment he had three years experience with cadets.
Keeley would have departed with the rest of the Canterbury troops for Wellington on 23 September where they joined the remainder of the New Zealand troops. When a naval fleet had been assembled the main body departed New Zealand on 16 October 1914. After stopping in Australia where it was joined by the Australian troopships, the expeditionary force proceeded to Egypt where it arrived on 3 December 1914.
From 21 November to 27 November, while on board the troop ship, he was admitted to hospital with influenza. During his time in Egypt Keeley attended the Christmas dinner held by fellow Cantabrian soldiers at Shepheard’s Hotel, Cairo. His signature can be seen on the menu which was signed by those who attended the dinner. A photograph from February 1915 shows Keeley, along with other Christchurch soldiers of the Canterbury Infantry Battalion relaxing on the banks of the Suez Canal where they had been deployed to guard against an attack from the Ottoman Turks.
Later that year he was deployed to the Dardanelles Strait as part of an Allied plan to capture the Gallipoli Peninsula from the Ottoman Turks.