On Portsmouth Naval Memorial is the name of P/JX 159401, Boy 1st Class, Robert Keers, serving on H.M.S. Hood with the Royal Navy who died 24/05/1941.

The son of William and Annie Keers, of Tile Hill, Warwickshire.

He was born 2nd May 1923 at Lanchester, the son of William and Annie Keers. The family moved to Tile Hill in Warwickshire in about 1937.

The Coventry Evening Telegraph 20/06/1941 reports:-
LOCAL ROLL OF HONOUR News has been received in Coventry that A.B. Robert Keers, who lived with his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Wm. Keers, at 146, Fir Tree Avenue. Coventry. is missing from H.M.S. Hood and is presumed killed. A.B. Keers. who was 18 years of age, came to Coventry four years ago with his parents from Craghead, Co. Durham, and was employed for a short time at the Standard Works.

The Newcastle Journal 11/12/1941 reports:-
7 SONS IN THE FORCES
The Keers family—Oak Terrace. Bloemfontein, near Stanley—”have gone to it.”
Of the eight sons of Mr and Mrs William Keers, seven are serving with the Forces, and the remaining one, together with a daughter-in-law. is making munitions.

In addition, they have so many nephews in uniform that they have lost count of them, while a grandson. Robert Keers. was lost in the sinking H.M.S. Hood.

Three sons went through Dunkirk.

Eldest of the family, James 45, is in the Pioneer Corps. His wife is working in munitions factory in the South.

Jacob (40) and Andrew (39) are Pioneers. Albert (35) is in the Royal Artillery, Owen (33) is with the Army overseas, George (25) is a Pioneer, and John Edward (23) in the R.A.O.C.

Amongst nephews of Mr. and Mrs Keers who are in the forces are Sergeant-Major Jas Keers, R.A.S.C.; Leonard Keers, Royal Artillery: Lawrence Welford, Submarine Service, Royal Navy: Matthew Keers. R.A.S.C.; and Andrew Keers, Royal Artillery.

Robert Keers is remembered at Craghead on C120.06 and in our List of Ships’ Crews.