• Normandy Massacres

Date of birth:

September 19th, 1922 (Burgeo, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada)

Date of death:

June 7th, 1944 (Saint-Germain-la-Blanche-Herbe, France)

Buried on:

Canadian War Cemetery Beny-sur-mer
Plot: VI. Row: A. Grave: 15.

Service number:

F/56474

Nationality:

Canadian

Reginald Keeping was raised in a modest household. He was the son of Wilson and Maud Keeping, and grew up in New Waterford, Nova Scotia. Reginald completed his education up to Grade 7 and left school at the age of 15, expressing a desire to enter the workforce early. Before enlisting, he worked as a telegraph messenger and later managed a bowling alley, earning a modest income and gaining experience in labor-intensive roles.

On March 12, 1943, at the age of 20, Reginald enlisted in the Canadian Army at Halifax, Nova Scotia. He was assigned Regimental Number F56474 and joined the No. 6 District Depot before transferring to the North Nova Scotia Highlanders. His attestation papers reveal a young man of English descent, single, with blue eyes, brown hair, and a height of 5 feet 7 inches. He was described as slim, well-poised, and of low-average learning ability, but stable and expected to complete normal training. His medical examination categorized him as fit for service, with no significant health issues.

Reginald underwent basic and advanced infantry training and was deployed overseas in August 1943. He served in the United Kingdom before being sent to the Western European Theatre of War. On June 7, 1944, during the early stages of the Normandy campaign, Private Reginald Keeping was killed in action in France. Initially reported missing, his death was later confirmed, and he was buried with military honors in a temporary grave near Caen. His remains were subsequently reinterred at the Beny-sur-Mer Canadian War Cemetery in Normandy, France.

Reginald left behind a modest estate, including a small bank account, war savings certificates, and a life insurance policy. In his will, dated September 1943, he named his mother, Maud Keeping, as the sole beneficiary and executrix. His death deeply affected his family, particularly his mother, who sought clarity and closure in the months following the loss. In 1945, the Canadian military informed the family that Reginald may have been among those murdered by German forces after being taken prisoner, a revelation that added a layer of tragedy to his sacrifice.

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• Photo 1: veterans.gc.ca
• - CAMPBELL, I.J., Murder at the Abbaye, Golden Dog Press, Ottowa, 2000.
  - Service record(s)

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