That did not last long. The first time that Kathleen heard Angela cry in her upstairs bedroom, she rushed to the child’s side and comforted her. That was the beginning of a deep attachment that continued over

the years.

When peace finally arrived in 1945, Islanders who served returned triumphantly to their homes. In Kinkora, a huge celebration took place at the hall to welcome home the Keefe brothers and the many others in the area who served in the army, air force or navy.

Although the brothers had been through a lot, they never talked much about their war experiences. Earl, who enlisted in with the Royal Canadian Electrical Engineers in 1942, was shipped overseas on the luxury liner Queen Elizabeth which was converted into a troop ship. He used to boast of the fact that, despite the rough seas of the North Atlantic, he never got seasick and in fact never missed a single meal.

In 1992, a majestic new war memorial was erected in the centre

of Kinkora to honour those from the area who served in war and peacekeeping missions. There are 143 names engraved on the memorial. Among the names are the siX Keefe brothers, the largest representation from one family in that area.

70 KATHLEEN MURPHY, MAITRIARC