English
Harker, Lt Col, RA Robert "Bob" Kenneth Sommervile "Bob"
1917 - 2001 (83 years) 
Has 24 ancestors and 22 descendants in this family tree.
Set As Default Person 
1850 - 1913 (62 years)
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Relationship 
with Living Birth 7 Nov 1917 Lloyds hospital, Bridlington, , Yorkshire, England 
[1, 2] Gender Male _UID 60BE861BD26A4C9CB4655B640660A9BC866E Burial 2001 RC Cemetery, Pembury Church, Pembury, , Kent, England Death May 2001 Pembury, , Kent, England [2] Patriarch & Matriarch 
Harker, Joseph
b. Est 1840
d. Yes, date unknown (Great Grandfather)
Greenlees, Mary Colville
b. 23 Apr 1850
d. 28 Feb 1913 (Age 62 years) (Grandmother)Headstones 
Submit Headstone Photo Person ID I48520 The Family Maw Last Modified 25 Oct 2017
Father 
Harker, Kenneth Farr CBE
b. 11 Jan 1896, Hull, , Yorkshire, England
d. 8 Jan 1970, Cranbrook, , Kent, England (Age 73 years)
Other Partners: Mansfield, Mary "Molly" "Molly" m. Apr-Jun 1935; De Ardely, Elizabeth H. m. Jan-Mar 1947Mother Sommerville, Ellen Watson Greenlees
b. Abt 1890, Moniave, Dumfrieshire, Scotland, England
d. 11 Nov 1917, District Bridlington (Age 27 years) Marriage 26 Jan 1917 Wellington U.F. Church, Glasgow, , Lanark, Scotland 
M15649 - Marriage Kenneth Far Harker and Ellen Watson Greenlees Sommerville - 26 Jan 1917
M15649 - Marriage Kenneth Far Harker and Ellen Watson Greenlees Sommerville - 26 Jan 1917
Credit: Charles Kenneth Sommerville HarkerAge at Marriage He : 21 years - She : ~ 27 years and 1 month. Family ID F15649 Group Sheet | Family Chart
Family 1 Living
Children4 children Family ID F15619 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 25 Oct 2017
Family 2 Living Family ID F15620 Group Sheet | Family Chart Last Modified 25 Oct 2017
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Event Map Click to display 
Birth - 7 Nov 1917 - Lloyds hospital, Bridlington, , Yorkshire, England 
Burial - 2001 - RC Cemetery, Pembury Church, Pembury, , Kent, England 
Death - May 2001 - Pembury, , Kent, England = Link to Google Earth Pin Legend 
Photos 
I48509 - I48516 - I48520 - Three Generations of Harkers on Horseback
I48509 - I48516 - I48520 - Three Generations of Harkers on Horseback
Left - Kenneth Farr Harker (1896-1960)
Centre - Henry Harker (1869-1960)
Right - Robert Kenneth Sommerville Harker (1917-2001)
Credit: Charles Kenneth Sommerville HarkerI48520 - Robert Kenneth Sommerville Harker
I48520 - Robert Kenneth Sommerville Harker
Credit: Charles Kenneth Sommerville Harker
Notes - Bob was educated at Bridlington Grammer School and went to Wrekin College, Wellington.
Bob enjoyed sailing with his father off the coast of Bridlington and horse riding, in which he became proficient. The family had a large stables and riding school in Bridlington.
After school Bob went into the Army. He went to the Royal Military College at Woolwich. The RMA trained cadets to be officers in the Royal Artillery. Bob was commissioned in the Royal Artillery in 1937.
In September 1940 he went to France and Belgium with the 2nd Medium Regiment RA as part of the British Expeditionery Force BEF. In the early days - the Phoney War - the BEF hung around waiting to see what would happen next. Dad appears to spent much time gambling at Poker and trying to relieve the French of their stocks of grand wines.
The war started in earnest on xxxxxxxx for dad. He recalled knocking off a few church spires with his troop of guns and being machine gunned by German fighters whilst in retreat with the rest of the BEF. He recalled losing a friend who was riding a motorbike behind the vehicle he was travelling in.
In xxxxx 1941 he was evacuated from Dunkirk in Northern France.
In xxxxx 1941 Bob started Flying. He joined No1 EFTS at Reading one of the first 6 Army pilots to join the experimental unit of the Air OP (AOP). The idea was to take experienced gunners into the air to observe and direct gunnery against the enemy. This job was normally performed by the RAF who lacked the appropriate gunnery skills.
Bob had a couple of minor crashes in this early period but most importantly met a young girl Kathleen Campigli (my mother).
On 9th December 1941 he had his 3rd prang. He crashed into the Isle of Wight. This was a serious crash and he was unconscious for many days, nearly losing his leg which was saved by pioneering surgery undertaken by an American surgeon. Thereafter one leg was shorter than the other.
Bob came out of Hospital in June 1942.
Credit: Charles Kenneth Sommerville Harker
Sources - [S118] England and Wales, Civil Registration Index: 1837-1983, (FreeBMD. England and Wales, Civil Registration Index: 1837-1983. [database online] Provo, UT: Ancestry.com, 2001. Original data: Microfilm and microfiche of the England and Wales, Civil Registration Indexes created by the General Register Office, in London, England.), GRO Reference - District Bridlington - Volume 9d Oage 483 (Reliability: 3).
- [S37] England and Wales, Civil Registration 1984 - 2013, GRO Reference - District Tunbridge Wells - District number 5761D - Register number D20 - Entry number 138 - DOR 501 (Reliability: 3).
