Robert Thomas Harden Kearnes

[Kae]

Robert Thomas Harden Kearnes, b.1920 d. RAF over Germany WWII.

his parents were:

Charles ‘Charlie’ Kearnes, b. 28/03/1890, Surrey. d.?
Married: Nellie May Spong, St Marys Church Ramsden Health, 05/06/1917.
b.1895. d,?

his father was a cabbie in london, and moved to Chelmsford in his later years.

Robert died while fighting in ww2- apparently over germany, we do not know if he was a pilot or gunner or other.
if anybody knows how to find deaths during combat please let me know.

Thanks

Kae

[EmPers]

The Commonwealth War Graves Commission has an online database of casualties from the world wars at www.cwgc.org

A quick search gave this result:

Name: KEARNES, ROBERT THOMAS HARDEN
Initials: R T H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Sergeant (W. Op.)
Regiment: Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
Unit Text: 10 Sqdn.
Age: 23
Date of Death: 06/09/1943
Service No: 913467
Additional information: Son of Charles and Nellie May Kearnes, of Ilford, Essex. 
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Coll. grave 21.A. 1-4.
Cemetery: RHEINBERG WAR CEMETERY   

The site also has details of how you can find out more. I think there will almost certainly be a fair amount of records at the National Archives for you to find as well, although wait for someone to confirm that for you.

[Kae]

thanks for the info sounds like our Robert,

 
kae

[Erik Wieman]

Dear Kae
I am writing you from Germany. My name is Erik Wieman. I am a citizen of the Netherlands, living in Germany. I am a member of a Crash-Site Research Group (“AG Vermisstenforschung”) under the direction of Uwe Benkel. Since 1989 our group has recovered and located more than 150 crashed planes and many missing crew members. Our primary goal is to find missing pilots and crew members, give them the burial they deserve, but for all, bring them home.

I live in a little town near Ludwigshafen/Mannheim. A few weeks ago I heard an english bomber crashed here in WW2. Date/Type: 05. Sept 1943. Halifax MkII JD 322 ZA-V. It crashed here after being shot up by a night fighter and flak after a mission over Mannheim. One Crew member was Wireless Operator Sgt. Kearnes, Robert Thomas Harden, 913467, RAF.

After I heard about the crashed plane I placed an add in the local newspaper to find out more about the crash. Shortly afterwards I could talk to contemporary witnesses and they told me everything they´d seen the night of the crash and the days afterwards. The result of this is that we probably have found the crash site. Shortly we will investigate the site with metal detectors.

Immediatly I started my search for relatives in the internet but, till now, I could not find anyone related to one of the crew members. It would be great if you could provide us with anything you know or have about Robert Thomas Kearnes, pictures etc., maybe even also about the other members of the crew. Till now we do not have any pictures of the crew or more detailed personal information.
Crew:
D'Eath, Denis Murray, 144788, Pilot (RAF)
Dee, Eric Hubert, 157194, Navigator (RAF)
Kearnes, Robert Thomas Harden, 913467, Wireless Operator (RAF)
Astin, Alan, 1675694, Flight Engineer (RAF)
McPherson, Coran Cyman, 14996, Bomb Aimer (RCAF, Canada)
Heinig, John Peter, 178656, Air Gunner (RCAF, Canada)
Cooper, William Allen, 1602272, Air Gunner (RAF)

We are still at the beginning, but maybe, in the near future, there hopefully wille be a possibility to plant a commemorative plaque at the crash site, in remembrance of what happened there that night in september 1943, and the seven lives that were lost, at exactly that spot.

Hoping to hear from you, an thank you very much for your time and cooperation.

Sincerely
Erik Wieman
AG Vermisstenforschung


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[CarolA3]

Hello Erik and welcome to RootsChat.

Unfortunately Kae, who started this enquiry in 2004, has not visited this website since 2006.  If their email address hasn't changed they will be notified of your message, and will be able to reply to you.

I have asked our moderators if they can try to contact Kae for you if the email address doesn't work.

I wish you and your colleagues the very best of luck with your important work.

Best regards,
Carol

[sarah]

Hello Erik,

Welcome to RootsChat.

Just to confirm that a email notification has been send out to Kae with no problem. I will send Kae out a new password so that they can access their old account.

Really looking forward to hearing more about the crashed plane that your groups has found.

Kind Regards

Sarah

[Erik Wieman]

Thank you Carol & Sarah!

I hope she´ll receive your email and there will be a reply soon!

Thank you very much!

Kind Regards

Erik

[Kae]

Hi Erik,

This was unexpected! - so much so I thought the email reminder I received was a fraudulent attack! - reading this thread it all makes sense! - Thanks Carol & Sarah!

Regarding Robert Thomas Harden Kearnes - sadly I do not know of any photos, I but I will ask my grandfather (Eric Kearnes who will be 90 next years) if he has any photos or any information - my grandfather also was involved in WW2 - the medical corps, I wonder where he was at the time the plane was shot down? I must ask him.

I would appreciate any information you find, photos of the site etc. The idea of a commemoration plaque appeals to my sentimental side. Please keep do me informed.

 I will seek as much as I can find.

Kind regards
Kae

[Erik Wieman]

Great to hear from you Kae!
Even the smallest piece of the puzzle can help. Anything you can find. And of course I will keep you posted. We are still waiting for the final GO. I am sure we will find something.
We have the approximate area but we still have to pinpoint it exactly with metal detecting equipment. I will send you pictures of the exact site as soon as possible.
My email adress *
Hope to hear from you soon!
Kind regards
Erik

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