Robert Thomas Harden Kearnes

[Kae]

You've reignited my family tree interest!

As you'll see in the thread back in 2004 I was told the cemetery Robert was buried in, some one has last year added a photo of the grave stones of all the crew.

http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=18407197
http://image2.findagrave.com/photos/2014/148/18407197_1401361740.jpg

kind regards Kae

[Erik Wieman]

Hello Kae
I could lay my hands on a cemetery bill. Only five airmen were recovered at the crash site in 1943. Not seven (there were seven crew members aboard the plane). This leaves a few questions. I have  found the picture of those seven graves too. Note the age of the two air-gunners. It´s missing. This leaves a question too. Why are their ages missing (MOD must have had them) and why were only five men recovered and buried at our cemetery directly after the crash. After the war they (5) were exhumated and send to Rheinberg. There are seven names/graves in Rheinberg! The plane exploded in the air. Maybe the other two bailed out oder have fallen out of the plane(parts) in mid-air, were found later, but our contemporary witnesses never heard anything about other bodys or bodyparts found. Yet. What if they found only several bodyparts, of only five different crew members, and buried them. Our witnesses told me, identification must have been very hard. They were all badly burned. They all talked about five airmen. Not seven. The cemetery bill underlines that. What if there are still remains of the crew in the ground. We must find out.

[Ann Bihan]

Hello Kae
10 Sqn Association has been asked by Erik Wieman to help with research into the relatives of the crew of Halifax JD322 which was lost on a bombing raid to Mannheim on 06.09.43. The aircraft was a Halifax Mk 11 of  no 10 Squadron operating out of RAF Melbourne in Yorkshire.
From the squadron ops dairies which were kept by all squadrons during the war, I have been able to find information regarding the months leading up to the loss of the aircraft. The crew arrived on the squadron on the 17.07.43. They flew on 5 operations before losing their lives on 06.9.43. If you are interested in this I can send you a copy of the spreadsheet.
Last September we commemorated the crew of another 10 Sqn Halifax, which was shot down in March 1944. It was an emotional and rewarding experience to have the families of the crew with us in the act of remembrance.
If you are able to locate any photographs of Eric or his crew it will be a great help to piece together their story.
I flew on 10 sqn as a Loadmaster in the 1970's and we are very proud of those crews who went before us and gave their lives at such a young age.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Ann Bihan

[Erik Wieman]

Hello Kae
Hope to hear from you soon. All the best for 2016.
Kind regards
Erik

[Ann Bihan]

Hi Kea
I agree with Erik it would be good to hear from you soon. We would be grateful if you could contact one of us.
My research on the families of the crew is coming along and I have managed to find 2 contacts and possibly another in America so it would be fantastic to hear from you.
Kind regards
Ann

[Kae]

Hi Ann & Erik,

Happy New Year to you both

I would love to have any information you would share with me,  sadly I do not know of any photos of Robert TH Kearnes. I've asked my Grandad (Eric Kearnes) who was in the army at the same time, but as far I know they never met even though they share a family connection (& name).

I know a little about his parents but that is mostly family hearsay rather than facts.

Kind regards
Kae

[Ann Bihan]

Dear Kea / Erik

Kea so good to hear from you and Happy New Year.

Having read your e-mail I wondered what relation Robert Kearnes was to your Grandfather and if you have any information regarding any siblings that Robert may have had; if any.

It is a shame there are no family photographs of Robert but at Melbourne in Yorkshire, the station from which 10 squadron flew during the war, they have a small museum in the old air traffic control building. The walls are covered in 10 Sqn photographs and memorabilia so there is a slight possibility a photograph may be there somewhere on the wall.

I do think your research into Robert’s war time service is commendable.  The stress and anxiety these young men must have gone thorough is unimaginable. The average age of a crew was around 20 to 22 years of age.  It is so good to know that Robert is not forgotten. The loss of his crew in such terrible circumstances was horrifying.

Last year I researched the families of another 10 Sqn aircraft that was shot down, whilst on the infamous raid to Nuremberg, on the 31.03.1944. In September we held a commemoration at the crash site just north of Frankfurt. It was an unforgettable experience and it meant so much to the families.

I have attached a time line for Robert’s crew from the time they arrived on 10 Sqn on the 17.07.1943 until they were shot down on 5. 09.1944. You will see that Robert died on his 5th operation. Many inexperienced crews were lost on their early operations. As they gained more experience they increased their chances of survival, a few of them completing up to 40 or 50 operations. I hope you will find the timeline interesting

If you are interested 10 Squadron Association has a web site   http://www.10sqnass.co.uk. Some of the areas are for members only of the association only but it does give you some idea of the history of the squadron and the part they play in the RAF today.

Did you know that you can also obtain Robert’s Record of Service.  Details can be obtained at https://www.gov.uk/guidance/requests-for-personal-data-and-service-records

Look forward to hearing from you again. I do hope the attachments will open OK. Let me know if there are any  problems. If you feel there is anything that would help in the research I would be happy to receive it.

Kind regards

Ann

[Ann Bihan]

Kea
i am having problems sending the attachments. I will contact Rootschat help and will try again tomorrow.
Ann