The wonderful information which is emerging – and thanks to everyone for that – is going to be invaluable in creating a little memory of this Birmingham Home Guard lad, Robert Bernard Silk, who gave his life almost before he had started to live it.
Steve – really great to have this first-hand family information. One or two questions arising:
1. As previously mentioned, is there any possibility of an image of Robert, please?
2. Is there any family memory of the circumstances of Robert having received the injuries he did? You have told us he was on fire watch duties that night as a Volunteer in the Home Guard (presumably in a residential street?) . Do we know if they were a direct result of enemy action - bomb blast, etc? (There was a heavy air-raid that night). Or the indirect result – an accident of some sort? (The blacked-out city was of course a very dangerous place, quite apart from the activities of the Luftwaffe above). Any detail at all about what happened that night will be useful. I'm sorry if this sounds like morbid curiosity – it isn't, it's just trying to get the record as straight as possible.
3. Robert's first cousin, William, lost his life (as a civilian) only weeks later, not at home but at another address. Are any circumstances known?
4. Robert Kilroy-Silk was born to Robert Bernard's elder brother, William, and his wife in August 1942, just under two years after Robert Bernard's death. It is tempting to assume that William named his infant son in memory of his own younger brother, now lost.
Thanks for any further information.
Chris