Defence Australia’s Post

Of the nearly one million Australians who served in World War 2, Keith Fitzpatrick was believed to be among the last 1300 with lived experience of that conflict – a number now smaller following his death at the age of 101 in June. Father to a serving Australian Army officer and grandfather to one of Air Force’s newest members, they remember him for his love of horseracing, his off-key singing, and the few stories they learned from his WW2 service. His son, Major Mike Fitzpatrick, of the Defence Force School of Music, said it was Keith’s post-war service in Army that he spoke of most fondly – including his role in the Australian Army contingent at Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation and his time training national servicemen through the 1950s and ‘60s. Read the full story ➡️ http://spr.ly/6045Ax4tz #YourADF

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Richard Vuong

IT Project Manager | Australian Army Reserve Officer Cadet | Cybersecurity | AI & Automation

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🕊️ A life of service that spans generations - what an incredible legacy. • Continuity of service: From Keith Fitzpatrick’s WW2 experience to his son and grandchild serving today, this story shows how deeply service values can run through a family. • Post-war contribution: His dedication didn’t end with conflict - training national servicemen and representing Australia at the coronation speaks volumes about lifelong commitment to duty. • Human side of history: It’s often the small memories - like singing off-key or his love of racing - that remind us of the people behind the uniform. • Enduring inspiration: As someone serving in the 🇦🇺Army Reserve, stories like this remind me that service is about more than time in uniform - it’s about character, continuity, and contribution across generations. Lest we forget.🫡 #LestWeForget #ArmyReserve #AustralianArmy #Service #Legacy #WWII #DefenceFamily #Leadership #YourADF

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