The enduring spirit of Adelaide’s 102-year-old WWII veteran, Keith ‘Chook’ Fowler

After enduring horrors few could imagine, POW survivor Keith ‘Chook’ Fowler will march proudly into Anzac Day commemorations – with powerful advice for younger generations.

At 102 years old, WWII veteran and Japanese prisoner of war survivor Keith ‘Chook’ Fowler takes his first steps towards Tuesday’s Anzac Day march – down the Somerton Park street named in his honour.

Known well as a local larrikin and celebrity, a neighbour calls out, “Can I have your autograph?”, as he strolls through the Levande community he has called home for 15 years.

In a fitting act of bravery, Mr Fowler – who is battling stage four cancer – plans on marching proudly down North Tce on April 25 to commemorate his fallen mates.

By his side will be the son of his best mate, fellow member of Australia’s 2/3rd Machinegun Battalion Jack Thomas, who died two years ago aged 101, and his own son Robert.

After enlisting in the Australian Imperial Forces (AIF) in 1940, Mr Fowler was assigned to the 2.3rd Machinegun Battalion, serving in Syria and Java before he was captured by the Japanese and force to work on the infamous Thai-Burma Railway for more than three years.

Mr Fowler is now the last surviving member of his squadron.

Keith ‘Chook’ Fowler with his great-grandchildren Ava O’Reilly, 8 and Austin McEvoy, 4. Picture: Matt Loxton

Enduring gruelling work hours and horrific conditions on the railway, he saw friends die by his side, was beaten, contracted malaria – with his temperature shooting to above 42 degrees – and suffered severe burns to his leg after falling while carrying a bucket of scalding hot tea.

Mr Fowler has been through trauma few could imagine, but said it was the bright side of life that kept him going through his darkest hours.

“I was like every other idiot, we all felt we had to go and save the world. That was the adventure,” Mr Fowler said.

After retiring from service, Mr Fowler found a new cause to fight for – mental health.

Mr Fowler said psychotherapy “turned his life around” and has worked with lawyer and philanthropist Marie Shaw QC to address disadvantaged and troubled youths – an endeavour which, alongside his service, earned him an Order of Australia medal awarded this year.

“When I came home, it was like I hadn’t been away at all and what I had just experienced completely disappeared,” he said.

“I went about my everyday routine for about six years before, out of nowhere, the whole thing hit me like a thunderstorm. Life was hard and I was a terrible dad.

“I say to these young people, ‘It’s up to you. Nobody can make you do anything, but you have the chance in life to turn things around and get back on the right rail tracks – and you want to take advantage of that’.”

Mr Fowler will be marching with the son of Jack Thomas, his best mate and fellow war survivor who passed away in 2021. Picture: Matt Turner (2018)

With 102 years of wisdom behind him, Mr Fowler has poignant advice for the next generation: speak up, stand up for yourself and, most importantly, talk to each other.

“Never let worry get you down – talk about it,” Mr Fowler said.

“I used to have to go to Christian endeavour in the morning, 15 minute church service with the minister, Sunday school and then church at night – every Sunday.

“There was a place on North Tce where you could learn to dance … one Sunday, the minister personally called me out and said, ‘I want to advise you children that there’s a boy here doing the most shocking thing – he’s dancing’.

“I said, ‘What do you mean I’m doing something shocking? I’m learning to dance because I love dancing, it’s beautiful. I’m not going to have one peanut like you tell me what I can do’.

“I went home to tell my Aunty that I would not be going to church anymore, I said, ‘I don’t think anyone has any right to conduct a person’s life and tell them what they have to do’.

“I had to go through all of my experiences to make me who I am now. Now I just want to make other people happy.”