Keith Lindsay WICKHAM [12951]

  General Notes:

1916 SA Birth WICKHAM Keith Lindsay, Stanley Walter WICKHAM Lena Munro COX Adelaide 985/228

http://honouringveterans.org/veteran.php?id=818209&t=ww2
WICKHAM, KEITH LINDSAY
Born: 10 Sep 1916
Place Of Birth: CLARENCE PARK, SA
Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Service Number: 27149
Date Of Enlistment: 23 Jul 1940
Next Of Kin: WICKHAM, STANLEY
Rank: Warrant Officer

https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1271827
Lindsay Wickham was born at Clarence Park, South Australia in 1916. After completing courses in book keeping and accountancy he joined the hardware manufacturing and importing firm A. Simpson and Son Ltd in 1932 where he was first employed as a pay clerk and then as the clerk in charge of ordering raw materials for the firm's manufacturing arm.

Wickham enlisted in the RAAF on 30 June 1940, hoping to be trained as air crew. His enlistment papers also noted that he had 14 years experience in training and racing homing pigeons. Wickham's employment history meant that after initial training in Australia he was not assigned to air crew, but given pay clerk duties and posted to England. He worked at RAAF Headquarters in London from March 1942 and by the end of 1944 was a senior pay clerk with the rank of warrant officer.

In March 1945 Wickham applied for early return to Australia and discharge on compassionate grounds. His mother had died and his elderly father needed support. His three brothers were serving in the Pacific and his only sister was to move to Tasmania. His request was strongly supported by his previous employer who, having expanded production to support the war effort, was having increasing difficulty in attracting qualified staff. Despite these appeals Wickham only returned to Australia in early July. On 13 July Simpson's made a further urgent request for Wickham's discharge. His fiance, Miss N M Gilbert, who had taken over some of Wickham's duties after his enlistment, had left to prepare for her 19 July wedding to him. Wickham was finally discharged on 23 August 1945.

Wickham took up training and racing pigeons again after the war. Two of his brothers served in signals units in the Pacific, where carrier pigeons were often utilised. It is thought that one of them brought home this military issue basket and gave it to Keith.

Advertiser WICKHAM Keith Lindsay 1990 (d. 14 Dec - Pub 18, 19 Dec 1990)

  Research Notes:

"The Wickham Brothers of South Australia" – By Daniel Pianto. The famously well known South Australian brothers, Keith and Ross Wickham, were two of the.

Keith married Nancy Miriam GILBERT [12952] [MRIN: 4774] on 19 Jul 1945 in St Cuthberts Church C/E, Prospect, Adelaide, South Austrralia. (Nancy Miriam GILBERT [12952] was born on 9 Feb 1922 in Prospect, Adelaide, South Australia and died on 10 Aug 2011 in South Australia.)

  Marriage Notes:

The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) Mon 21 Oct 1940
Engagement Notice:
GILBERT-WICKHAM. The engagement is announced of Nancy M., second daughter of Mr. and Mrs. F. B. Gilbert, of Prospect, to Keith L. (R.A.A.F.), twin son of Mr. and Mrs. S. W. Wickham, of Lower Mitcham.

The Advertiser (Adelaide, SA : 1931 - 1954) Sat 14 Jul 1945
Approaching Marriage:
GILBERT-WICKHAM. The marriage of Nancy M., younger daughter Mr.Mrs. F. B. Gilbert, Labrina avenue, Prospect, to W.O. Keith L., twin son Mr. and late Mrs. S. W. Wickham, Angas road, Lower Mitcham, will be solemnised at St. Cuthbert's Church, Prospect, on Thursday, July 19, at 7 p.m.