Sommerville, Ellen Watson Greenlees

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Abt 1890 - 1917 (27 years)

Less detail

Generation: 1

Sommerville, Ellen Watson Greenlees was born about 1890 in Moniave, Dumfrieshire, Scotland, England; died on 11 Nov 1917 in District Bridlington; was buried in Moniave, Dumfrieshire, Scotland, England.

Other Events and Attributes:

_UID: 5A6B9F58F8B44FC99E2D31AA3E7D91CA3C90

Ellen married Harker, Kenneth Farr CBE on 26 Jan 1917 in Wellington U.F. Church, Glasgow, , Lanark, Scotland. Kenneth (son of Harker, Henry JP and Farr, Elizabeth) was born on 11 Jan 1896 in Hull, , Yorkshire, England; died on 8 Jan 1970 in Cranbrook, , Kent, England; was buried in Jan 1970 in Parish Church, Goudhurst, , Kent, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Children:

2. Harker, Lt Col, RA Robert "Bob" Kenneth Sommervile "Bob" was born on 7 Nov 1917 in Lloyds hospital, Bridlington, , Yorkshire, England; died in May 2001 in Pembury, , Kent, England; was buried in 2001 in RC Cemetery, Pembury Church, Pembury, , Kent, England.

Generation: 2

Harker, Lt Col, RA Robert "Bob" Kenneth Sommervile "Bob"

(1.Ellen¹) was born on 7 Nov 1917 in Lloyds hospital, Bridlington, , Yorkshire, England; died in May 2001 in Pembury, , Kent, England; was buried in 2001 in RC Cemetery, Pembury Church, Pembury, , Kent, England.

Other Events and Attributes:

_UID: 60BE861BD26A4C9CB4655B640660A9BC866E

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