Born on 1 November, 1896 in Leeds to Robert and Martha, the 1911 census shows a 14 year old Robert working alongside his father as a "weighing scale maker".

Robert married Mary Shackleton at St Peter's Church, Hunslet in November 1926. Their Marriage Banns show Robert was still working as a weighing scale maker.

Corporal Reeves was serving in the RAF as a fitter of aero engines on Sunday 10th August, 1941,when tragedy struck at midnight. Cpl Reeves, alongiside his comrade Cpl Reece Malcolm Dowse, were preparing a motor launch to enable duty that night. Dowse, who survived the ordeal, was holding a dinghy steady for Reeves to embark when it capsized, hurling both of them into the water. Reeves cried for help and shouted that he could not swim, Dowse assisted by holding Reeves' head above the water whilst they both shouted for help. The tide drifted both men towards Portsmouth Harbour, with Reeves holding onto Dowse's tunic, Dowse began to swim towards to a pontoon. Upon reaching it, he discovered that Reeves was no longer holding on and had vanished underneath the water. An exhausted Dowse managed to hold onto another dinghy, he was rescued by William John Albert Oram of the RAF, but Reeves' body was not found until the next morning.

The Chief Medical Officer and the Coroner returned a verdict of death by Accidental Drowning.

Remember him... 

Source: Hampshire Telegraph - Friday 15 August 1941