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Robert Bernard Silk 30th Warwickshire BN Home Guard

ChrisM

Super Moderator
Staff member
This headstone image has appeared recently on a specialist history social media platform. It shows the resting place of Robert Silk in a Birmingham churchyard. This young lad was injured at 14 Bowyer Road, Alum Rock on the night of 24th October 1940 and died two days later. There was a heavy air raid that night.

I'm wondering if any helpful member could check whether there was a newspaper report referring to Robert.

And also if it could be established whether 14 Bowyer Road was his family home which would tell us whether he was at home on the night or whether he was for some reason on Home Guard duty there at the time. (There appear to have been no other casualties in the immediate vicinity on that date).

As we remember this lad and his sacrifice, it would be good to be able to record the circumstances. Thanks for any help.

Chris

(Information sources: David Browne, Matt Felkin)

RB Silk.jpg
 
The 1939 eroll has a family called Stokes at 14 Bowyer Road
1629369197881.png
As does the 1939 reg. No mention of a "Silk".
 
Thanks very much, Janice. It looks very much as though Robert, a "Brass Filer", was living with his mum (and dad?) in Henry Street and was fatally injured less than a mile away at Bowyer Road. Whether there was enemy action in the immediate area of the latter that evening and Robert was on duty to help deal with it; or whether he was off duty, perhaps visiting friends or relatives there and encountered some misfortune, who knows?

(Please excuse my ignorance, but what circumstances would lead to details of the no.2 - Harry, presumably - in Robert's household being "officially closed"?)

Chris
 
It might be a mistake or he might have been alive when the reg was published and not updated when he died. As Rose is first it may be the blanked entry is a sibling of Robert. Will see if I can find the eroll for Henry Street.
There are some anomalies.
(In my family Dad was visible but alive until a few months ago but Mom is blanked out but died over 6 years ago).
 
I think Harry must have been already dead as the other name on the eroll is Arthur (the a indicates absent voter - so perhaps in forces already). So blanked name is Arthur.
1629372977521.png
According to a tree on Ancestry (not always a reliable source but this one looks good) Harry died in 1926 which may explain why Rose was working on the 1939 reg.

Guesswork here but Arthur married in Portsmouth so perhaps he was in the navy (just spotted photo on the tree of him in naval uniform) - he was older born in 1916. There seem to have been 7 children including Robert who was the 6th in order of age.
 
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The tree on Ancestry has a photo supposedly of Robert - I am loath to copy and post it without asking but I could message the owner if you like. I would give him a link to the Forum as well.
 
Yes please, Janice, if you would.

When as much information as possible has been unearthed about him, I'm going to put a note about this young man in my HG website, commemorating his life and service. It would be wonderful to have an image of him as well (as would, of course, anything about the circumstances surrounding his death which remain a mystery at the moment).

Chris
 
hi chris just looked in my book "birmingham blitz our stories" and since the tree of life memorial which names all civilian dead was erected in 2005 another 76 names have been added one of which is robert bernard silk age 17...so pleased his name has been added

lyn
 
Not sure will have to look on Ancestry later.
ok i may try and look later as well jan...reason i ask is because there is also a william silk on the tree of life memorial age 23 died 117 francis st just wondered if he was related to robert also in the additional notes on the barra site henry st is mentioned which is where you said robert was born...could just be a coinsidence
 
When I searched a lot of "Silks" came up in Birmingham on the 1939 eroll.
William Silk brother died 1943 on the tree on Ancestry. On board HMS Charybdis
 
When I searched a lot of "Silks" came up in Birmingham on the 1939 eroll.
William Silk brother died 1943 on the tree on Ancestry. On board HMS Charybdis
thanks jan must be another william silk then

William Silk was killed on the 19 November 1940 at 117 Francis Street. William was 23 years of age when this happened.

Additional Notes:
 
Has to be related, surely? An elder brother of Robert? Living a few doors away in the same street - Henry Street - as their mother? (And dying less than a month after Robert - what tragedies).

CWGC surprisingly gives no next of kin, just the Henry Street home address.

Chris

PS Posted without reference to #289 and #290. All a bit odd/too much of a coincidence?
 
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chris see jans post 289 and my post 290...they cant be brothers jan said roberts brother william died onboard a ship in 1943

lyn
 
Yes, Lyn, we crossed. Still a case of a mother losing two of her boys, three years apart almost to the day. CWGC confirms the 1943 Ancestry information about William.

Chris
 
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