Eston, Robert Keith (Keith)
Sergeant
No. 408709, 14th/20th King’s Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps
Died as a result of an accident on Friday 23 November 1945 (aged 31)
Buried:
Staglieno Cemetery, Genoa, Italy (Grave III. A. 28)
Commemorated:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
Regent House School
Family grave headstone in Holywood Cemetery
Cousin of Flight Sergeant David Harrison Freeland (No. 979399)
BIOGRAPHY
Robert Keith Eston was born on 7 February 1914 in Rathcairn, Wandsworth Road, Belfast and he was the only son of Robert James Eston and Florence Eston (nee Keith) who were married on 5 July 1911 in Duncairn Presbyterian Church, Belfast. Robert James Eston (aged 28), a National School Teacher from 1 Ranfurly Drive, Belfast was a son of Samuel Eston, a gentleman. Florence Keith (aged 34) from 3 Glenravel Street, Belfast was a daughter of Hutchinson Keith, a builder.
Florence Keith’s witness was her sister, Helen Keith, who married David Freeland on 9 April 1913 and their only son, Flight Sergeant David Harrison Freeland, died on active service on 27 September 1942.
Robert James and Florence Eston (nee Keith) had at least two children:
Robert Keith (born 7 February 1914 in Rathcairn, Wandsworth Road, Belfast)
Florence Eveleen (born 30 November 1918 in Rokeby, Wandsworth Road, Belfast)
Robert Keith Eston attended Newtownards Public Elementary School No. 1 and then Regent House School, Newtownards from 1927 until 1929. The Eston family address was 45 Frances Street, Newtownards. School records indicate that, after leaving school, ‘he went into business’.
Robert Keith Eston married Doris Eston (nee O’Neill) of Pelaw, Gateshead, Co. Durham and their marriage was registered in the third quarter of 1944 in Durham.
During the Second World War Keith Eston served with the 14th/20th King’s Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps and his father Robert James died on 12 May 1945.
Sergeant Robert Keith Eston (No. 408709) was 31 when he died as the result of an accident in Italy on 23 November 1945 and he was buried in Staglieno Cemetery, Genoa. There is an inscription on his CWGC headstone:
DEEP IN MY HEART
LIES MEMORY LANE
WHERE YOU, MY LOVE
WILL ALWAYS REMAIN
Sergeant Robert Keith Eston (No. 408709) is commemorated in Regent House School and on the family grave headstone in Holywood Cemetery.
When Keith died, his widowed mother Florence was living at 55 Victoria Road, Holywood. Florence Eston died on 15 May 1963.