Keith Wilson Mellor was born on the 7th June 1914 in Chorlton nr Manchester. His father was Harold Mellor was a bank clerk at the Manchester Liverpool District Banking Co (which would eventually become NatWest) in Spring Gardens, Manchester. His mother was Ethel Stuart Mellor.

Keith originally joined the Royal Artillery as a Gunner, but went through Officer training (alongside Edward Marsh Winterbottom) and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in July 1939. Keith was promoted to Lieutenant in January 1941 and Captain in May 1943.

Interestingly, Keith would have had quite a story to tell during the Second Battle of El Alamein. On the morning of 24th October 1942, the war diary said as follows:

“Casualty report from 212 battery. Killed in action -3. Wounded and evacuated – 1. Superficially wounded – 2. Captain K. W. Mellor R.A. suspected wounded and missing.”

Notes from Sgt Williams for the same day said: “Another bloke killed, two seriously wounded, poor old Neden, a nervous wreck, Captain Miller taken prisoner, he later escaped in the back of a Sherman. What a bloody night“.

Keith does not appear in the war diary following this incident.

Following the war, Keith carried on working in finance, working as a Bank Manager for the District Bank in Bolton. He had two daughters with Mary Elizabeth Mellor.

Keith passed away in Stockport in June 1986 age 72.