Keith Hill

Mr GREG PIPER (Lake Macquarie)—I'd like to offer my very best wishes to Keith Eric Hill from Cooranbong on his recent 100th birthday. Becoming a centenarian is an in incredible milestone and one very few of us will reach. Keith was named after Sir Keith Macpherson Smith, an Australian aviator who was one of the first people to fly from England to Australia.

It is perhaps fitting given his namesake that Keith himself then became an airman. During World War II, Keith was posted to a squadron at the Amberley Air Force base in Queensland where he logged 600 hours as a co-pilot in a Lancaster Bomber. Keith loved his time with these huge four-engine craft, but it didn't come without a cost, as the noise generated from the aircraft had a permanent impact on his hearing. It was during this time with the RAAF that he met and fell in love with an airframe technician. They married in 1946 and went onto have four beautiful daughters. Keith now lives at Adventist Senior Living in Cooranbong where he is a valued member of the community. Happy Birthday Keith and congratulations on a wonderful 100 years.