14 Attachment(s)
Robert Conkie - Kings Regiment Liverpool - R.A.F
Robert Conkie Kings Regiment Liverpool and R.A.F
Robert was the son of George and Joan Conkie. He was married to Annie Winifred. He served with the King's Liverpool Regiment. He left the Regiment in 1939 to join the R.A.F.
Robert enlisted on 31 August 1937 at the RAF 1 depot in Uxbridge, Hillingdon, North London. On 17 September 1937 he was sent for traing at 1 Wing in Henlow near Luton. No.1 Wing trained Fitters 1 and m/c tool operators. He was still at Henlow on 26 March 1938.
On 1 November 1938 he moved to the 13 (M) unit before returning to 1 Wing on 26 January 1939. Then on 30 June 1939 he moved over to 2 Wing ( still at Henlow ) No.2 and No.3 Wings trained Flight Riggers and Flight Mechanics.
He then moved to Eastchurch on the Isle of Sheppey in Kent on 2 September 1939 ( The day before Britain declared War on Germany ) as part of the No.2 Air Armament School. He was back with 2 Wing at Henlow 2 weeks later on 16 September. On 29 September he is at Number 4 BA depot.
Robert is admitted to hospital for 5 days on 11 February 1940. The name of the hospital he was at was St Michael's. He is again admitted to hospital for 4 days on 23 February 1940. His RAF movements sheet states " French Hospital ".
Sadly Robert was killed in action at Rennes Railway Yards on June 17th 1940 during a Luftwaffe bombing raid. He was evacuating to the channel ports at the time. He is buried at Rennes Eastern Communal Cemetery, France.
Rennes Railway Yards 17th June 1940
Luftwaffe Details.
KG76: Shortly after 11.00 hrs the railway station in Rennes became the target of a low-level attack carried out by one squadron from KG76. Fifteen goods and transport trains were at the railway station and some 120 SC50 bombs exploded on the target with devastating effects. An ammo train loaded with 12 tons of explosives had been mistakenly placed between trains loaded with refugees, wounded soldiers and French soldiers returning from England (they were shipped to England in course of evacuation of Dunkirk). The ammo train was hit by a stick of bombs and exploded. The huge explosion caused a large column of fire and smoke. According to French sources some 2000 people (soldiers and civilians) were killed by this explosion and further 900 were injured. At 18.03 hrs I./KG76 took off from Cambrai and attacked, mostly from low level, enemy troops on roads and in the woods near Vannes-sur-Cosson, Craon, Clemont, Aubigny-sur-Nere and Salbris. The railway station in Salbris as well as road bridge over the Cher and the canal near Vierzon were also successfully attacked."
Since the account mentions the activities of I./KG76, which does not involve an attack on Rennes, it seems compatible with the previous posts by Arnaud and Robert that the planes which hit Rennes were Do17Zs from III./KG76. I find no further reference to the attack on Rennes in either the "Original" or "Coastal War" Weiss manuscripts, both of which have been translated for June 17th.
Do17Z's of III./KG76 do indeed seem to be the culprits...
