Wear Valley Mercury
JAPANESE WAR GRAVE APPEAL TO RELATIVES
A TOW Law man is appealing for relatives of a Wear Valley RAF volunteer killed in the Second World War to contact him after he visited the teenagerÕs grave in a Japanese cemetery.
Colin Hayton from Tow Law visited the Commonwealth war Grave Commissions Cemetery in Yokohama near Tokyo while on holiday in the country, where he found the grave of 19 year-old Robert Moses whose name is inscribed on the Billy Row war memorial. Colin, who will serve as district councillor for Tow Law and Stanley until the local elections said: ÒHis grave is beautifully kept by local workers.
ÒIt is heartening to see that former enemies should take such an immense pride in keeping these memorial gardens so immaculate. ÒIt was a very emotional occasion for us all, not least the Japanese among our party, during the short service we held at his grave.Ó
LAC1 Robert Moses RAF died on January 23, 1943 after being taken as a prisoner of war in Japan. He joined the RAF volunteer reserve in the early 1940Õs and was soon called up to regular service, which led to his journey to the Far East and his capture as a prisoner of war. He was the son of Joseph and Katherine Moses from Stanley Crook, and Colin is now looking for descendants of the Moses family still in the area.
Colin said: ÒWe went to the grave not only because he was a local man and we could have the privilege of attending his grave in honour of the sacrifice that he made for our freedom, but also because there was a slight chance that he could be a distant relative as my motherÕs aunt had married a Moses many years ago.
ÒUpon our return, I put a notice in Stanley and Billy Row post offices in case some of his family might like photographs of his last resting place and its beautiful surroundings. ÒSo far we have had no response and this may not be surprising for if he was an only child, the familyÕs presence in the community would end with the passing of his parents.
However, if there are any younger members of the family still living in Wear Valley who would like details and photographs they are more than welcome to get in touch.Ó Colin will also be visiting the grave of Wilfred Pears in the Tilly-sur-Seulles War Cemetery near Caen in June where he will attend the 64th anniversary ceremonies commemorating D-Day.
Private Wilfred Pears DLI was the son of Crook couple Wilfed and Emily Pears, and he is also mentioned on the Billy Row memorial. Colin said: ÒIf you are related and would like details please contact me, and if there is anyone else who has a relative buried in Normandy and would like photographs then they should get in touch soon.
ÒIt would be a great help if I could be provided with details of name, initials and unit and perhaps the cemetery involved. ÒI can get some information off the internet but there are about 14 British war cemeteries in that area and trying them all to find one grave is stressful.Ó For more information, contact Colin on 01388 731136.