Submarines

Association

Australia

Vale

Crest

In Memory of

WOCOXNSM BARRY MCKEOWN R59391

Life Member and former Queensland Branch President

The Submarines Association of Australia regrets to announce the passing of Life Member and former Queensland Branch President, Barry McKeown, on Sunday, 23 August 2026, following a battle with glioblastoma.
Born in Mount Morgan, Queensland, on 4 June 1945, Barry was working as a truck driver when he enlisted in the Royal Australian Navy on 21 September 1962. After training at HMAS Cerberus and HMAS Watson, he was rated as an Ordinary Seaman in March 1963 and posted to the Q-Class frigate HMAS Queensborough. In August of that year, he joined the former aircraft carrier and then training ship HMAS Sydney to complete the sea phase of his training. In January 1964, Barry was rated as an Underwater Weapons Category sailor and he remained with HMAS Sydney until November, when he transferred to the Ton-Class minesweeper HMAS Gull. He served on Gull until September 1965, including active service duty during the Malaysian Confrontation with Indonesia.
Selected for submarines, Barry and his family departed for the United Kingdom in November 1965 aboard the SS Orcades. He undertook submarine training at HMS Dolphin in Gosport and qualified at sea aboard the Royal Navy Oberon-class submarine HMS Opossum in 1966. He later served on HMS Opportune during 1966–67 before becoming a commissioning crew member of HMAS Oxley in 1967.
Promoted to Acting Leading Seaman in September 1968, Barry was confirmed in the rank a year later. He served almost continuously at sea in submarines from 1967 until 1977, during which time—due to limited promotion opportunities within the Underwater Weapons branch—he transferred to the Coxswain Category. He was discharged to shore on 23 October 1984, holding the rank of Warrant Officer Coxswain – Submarines.
For his service to Australia, Barry was awarded:
• General Service Medal with Borneo and Malay Peninsula clasps
• Active Service Medal 1945–75
• Australian Service Medal 1945–75
• National Medal
• Defence Force Service Medal with clasp
• Australian Defence Force Service Medal
• Return from Active Service Medal

He was also honoured with the Pingat Jasa Malaysia Medal by the Malaysian Government in recognition of his service to that nation.
Barry joined the Submarines Association of Australia in March 2000 and quickly became an active and highly respected member of the Queensland Branch. He served as Branch President for five years from 2004 and was later made a Life Member in appreciation of his outstanding contribution to the Association.
A private family service will be held for Barry, and he had pre-purchased a plaque which will be placed on the memorial wall at the Submariner Walk Heritage Trail at Newstead in Brisbane at a date to be advised.