War Memorials - Surnames K

Index

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KENNEDY, Walter (Revised 04/01/2012)
KIRKCALDY, Douglas (Revised 08/05/2009)
KITCHERSIDE, Edwin, (Revised 09/02/2009)
KITE, Ralph Bertram (Revised 03/11/2010)
KNIGHT, Stanley Horace (New 17/01/2009)
KNIGHTS, John Percy (Revised 18/09/2010)

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KENNEDY Walter, Sergeant. G/19115.

8th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment.
Formerly Corporal 4733, 5th Lancers and Sergeant 2244, West Kent Yeomanry.
Killed in Action 23 March 1918, aged 35.

Walter Kennedy
Image courtesy of Walter's grandson Kenneth Kennedy © 2010

Walter Kennedy Rozycki, son of Matilda Brimall Rozycki, was born on 27 February 1883 at 14, Little Chapel Street, Westminster, London (GRO reference: Jun 1883 Westminster 1a 524). The name of his biological father on his birth registration form has been left blank.

Note: Walter has the middle initial 'G' shown on two surviving records. It appears on his Boer War medal roll, and is engraved on a watch presented to him on 12 April 1913 whilst he was serving with the 5th Lancers. But as his birth registration records his christen names only as Walter Kennedy, the extra 'G' remains a mystery.

Walter's mother Matilda had married Alexander Rozycki in 1874 when she was aged 19, and had three known children by him: Vernon Alexander, Lillian Eleanor (registered as Elizabeth) and Reginald who died in infancy. There may have been a fourth child, Elizabeth Margaret Mary Rozycki.

In the 1881 census, before Walter was born, his mother Matilda Rozycki was recorded as head of the family, married and working as a waistcoat maker. Living with her at 42, Broad Street, Berwick Street, Westminster, London were her two oldest children Vernon and Lillian.

On 23 October 1883, eight months after Walter's birth, his mother's husband filed divorce petition, citing one Hugh Kennedy as co-respondent. The final decree was on 9 March 1886, leaving Alexander Rozycki with custody of son Vernon Alexander and his ex-wife Matilda, custody of their daughter Lillian Eleanor, for whom he paid maintenance of 5 shillings (25p) a week.

(Further research undertaken by Kennedy family members has found that Walter's father may have been Hugh Walter Osborne Kennedy, born 1840 in Ireland. In 1864 he married Eliza Anne Davis in Dublin where Hugh gave his occupation as 'journeyman tailor'. Shortly after their marriage they moved to London, and this is where their first child Martha was born in 1866.

They went on to have five more known children together: William, Catherine (Kate), James born in Ireland, Eliza born in Scotland and Mary Jane born in early 1881 back in Westminster. The family appear in the 1881 census as living at 19, Eversley Buildings, St Clements Dane, Westminster, London. Hugh and Matilda may have met through their shared tailoring profession. It would seem that Hugh could not marry Matilda, even after her 1886 divorce, as he was still married to Eliza. However, Eliza lists herself as a widow in the 1891 and 1901 censuses.)

Hugh and Matilda had a further three known children. Walter's brother Robert was born on 10 August 1886 at 63, Castle Street, Leicester Square, London, followed in 1887 by Sidney who died the following year. Walter's sister Cecilia Matilda Kennedy was born on 10 April 1889 at 56, Sardinia Dwellings, Little Wild Street, St Giles, London. On her birth certificate her father was named as 'Hugh Kennedy, a tailor', and her mother as 'Matilda Elizabeth Kennedy, formerly Brimall'. However on her baptism entry, her father is named as 'Hugh Rozycki, a tailor'. To confuse matters still, when Cecelia married James Wesson in 1909 in the Brentford registration district, she named her father as 'Jack Kennedy, a tailor'.

Hugh and Matilda appear living together with their children in the 1891 census at 22, New North Street, Holborn, London. Matilda Rozycki was named as the head of the household and as a widowed tailoress. Hugh Kennedy was recorded as a tailor, who was a married lodger living there with his three children, Walter aged 8, Robert aged 5 and one year old Cecelia. Whether or not Hugh and Matilda eventually married is uncertain but Matilda Brimall Rozycki is recorded as Matilda Kennedy on her daughter Cecilia's birth certificate in 1889, and on her own death certificate after she died aged 47 in 1902, in the Kensington infirmary.

Walter's surviving but badly damaged Great War service record papers state that he had previously served 16 years and 68 days in the 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers. Walter served in the Second Boer War in South Africa (11 October 1899 and 31 May 1902). He was awarded the Queens South Africa medal with two clasps, Natal and Belfast. His service in South Africa would account for him not being found in the 1901 census. His parents and siblings have yet to be found in the 1901 census.

Walter's Boer War Medal
Image courtesy of Kenneth Kennedy © 2012

Walter's Watch and inscription
Image courtesy of Kenneth Kennedy © 2012

Aged 28, Walter was still a bachelor when he married 27-year-old spinster Margaret Alice Ashby on 14 January 1911 in All Souls, St Margaret's on Thames, Hounslow (GRO Reference: Mar 1911 Brentford 3a 171). Margaret's father was shown as Ephraim William Ashby and Walter's father as Hugh Kennedy, a tailor. The entry also tells us that Walter was a soldier from Marlborough Barracks in Dublin at the time of his marriage.

In the 1911 census Walter's wife Margaret was working as a domestic servant for Samuel Procter, living at 5, Canterbury Mansions, West Hampstead, NW. Walter has not been found in the 1911 census.

Walter and Margaret's son Kenneth Reginald Kennedy was born 17 April 1914 in Epsom Surrey.

Amongst Walter's surviving service record papers is a 'MEDICAL INSPECTION REPORT'. The top half of the form shows that Walter had a successful medical examination in Epsom on 3 November 1915, where he was declared to be in good physical condition and fit for military service in the Territorial Forces. He gave his age as 32, was measured at 5 feet 9 inches tall, having a 37-inch chest with a 4½-inch expansion, but his vision not quite perfect, 6/6 for left eye and 6/9 for right eye. Interestingly the bottom half of the form dated 23 November 1915 states that he was 'inspected' at the 'Administrative Centre' Drill Hall, Union Street, Maidstone, Kent and considered fit for service in the West Kent Yeomanry.

On the same day, 23 November 1915, in Maidstone, he attested into the West Kent Yeomanry, giving his address as 8, Oakdale Road, West Ewell, Surrey. He also stated that he had previously served 16 years and 68 days in the 5th Lancers and had claimed discharge. As he was only 32 at the time he must have been discharged recently, and between discharge and attesting had worked for the LCC at the Ewell Colony.

Walter received inoculations on 7 December 1915.

He was quickly promoted on 1 February 1916 to the rank of Lance Corporal and by May to Sergeant. For nearly 13 months he served at Home before being posted, on 20 December 1916, to France where he was transferred into the 8th West Kent Regiment. On 14 June 1917, in the Field hospital he received treatment for an abscess on his left knee.

The 8th Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment, part of the 72nd Brigade 24th Division, was holding a line near Pontru and Le Verguier (North west of St Quinten) France when Walter was first reported wounded and missing on 23 March 1918. On 21 March 1918 the Germans launched 'The Kaiserschlacht' or 'Kaiser's Battle', their final desperate bid for victory before the Americans arrived in force. The attack, code named operation Michael finally petered out on 5 April. It had gained for the Germans hundreds of square miles of territory, and restored a war of mobility, but had not broken the British lines, and had created for them immense problems in supplying their troops over broken ground.

Walter's service record later states:

Death assumed on or since 23 March 1918

The War Office officially accepted him as dead on 1 April 1919. His widow Margaret informed them on 25 April 1919 that she was moving from 8, Oakdale Rd, West Ewell Surrey to 4, Brook Road, St. Margarets, Twickenham.

On 2 June 1920 Margaret was requested to fill in a form listing her late husband's living relatives names. Margaret filled in the part for his mother, father and grandparents as 'None' and that his brother was 'Killed in War'.

She also listed Walter's sister as 'the late Mrs Wesson, died on 21 March 1920' and her children possibly named Isabelle, Florence and Dorothy but the record is too water marked to read clearly any details. The faded name of one of Walter's nephews could be Edward Wesson, but no definite birth record has been found.

Margaret wrote to the War Office on 31 May 1921 informing them that she was "thinking about going abroad in August" and could any medals or anything else entitled to her late husband be sent to her before then. Margaret did leave England, with her son Kenneth, on board the "Berengaia" and landed on 14 August 1921 in New York. The entry on the passengers list states that her reason for entering the USA was to marry one William Ergert who lived at 1898 Knight Street San Francesco. However on the San Francesco 1930 USA census, William Ergert is recorded as Margaret Alice Kennedy's 'Roomer', not her husband.

The War Office later sent a standard letter to Walter's widow Margaret's last known address 4 Brook Road St Margarets Twickenham, but this was returned, having been filled in by her father E Ashby, saying that Margaret had now gone to San Francisco California USA.

On 4 March 1922 Margaret acknowledge the receipt of the Victory and British War medals that had been awarded to Walter.

Margaret returned to England several times and, according to a family tree online with Ancestry.com, she died in here in London. Her last listed journey back from England to California was in 1947.

Walter and Margaret's son Kenneth died in 2000 in San Mateo, California, USA.

Walter is commemorated on the Pozières Memorial, France.

Walter's inscription on the Pozières Memorial
Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert © 2010

His name does not appear on any memorial so far located in the Borough, but he is remembered in the book, and now CD 'RECORD OF WAR SERVICE London County Council Staff 1914 - 1918'. He had worked at the 'Ewell Colony' (St Ebbas). Three of his colleagues from the Ewell Colony also died: Thomas Bailey, James Childs and John Martin Mace, but they are commemorated on other Borough memorials.

With thanks to Walter's grandson Kenneth Kennedy for information provided.

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KIRKCALDY Douglas, Sergeant. 20593.

1st Battalion Border Regiment.
Killed in Action 1 July 1916, aged 29.

Douglas's headstone in the Hawthorn Ridge Cemetery No2
Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert © 2009

Douglas Kirkcaldy was born in 1887. However, his given name was William Frederick Thomas Cottam (GRO reference: Mar 1887 Reigate 2a 174). The CWGC states that the true family name was Cottam, and his 'burnt' service record 'Effects - Form 118A' shows Douglas Kirkcaldy as, 'alias William Fred Thomas Cottam'. When and why he chose to change his name is not known. His parents were John Henry and Elizabeth Cottam (nee Packham), married in the June 1883 quarter.

In the 1891 census the family lived at 56, Earlswood Road, Redhill. Douglas' father was a 29 year old labourer in a Fuller's earth pit. His mother was also 29. He had three siblings, Alice aged 7, John Henry aged 5 (not found in Free BMD), and Eliza May aged 11 months.

In 1901 the family lived at 40, Earlswood Road, Redhill. Douglas' father was now a general labourer. Alice was working as a domestic housemaid, and John Henry was a railway porter. Another five siblings had been born, Florence Annie aged 8, Ellen Kate aged 7, Edith Rose aged 4, Matilda aged 3 and Francis aged 9 months. Douglas (alias William Frederick Thomas) has not been found in the census.

Douglas first joined the Army on 14 January 1902 attesting at Shoeburyness into the Royal Garrison Artillery. He would have been 15 years old at that time, but he stated that his age was 18. He was a tall lad for those days at 5 feet 10 inches, so would have had no trouble convincing the recruiting sergeant that he was 18. His 'Trade or Calling' was as a cellarman. He weighed 136 lbs, had a chest measurement of 33 ½ inches minimum to 35 inches maximum, had fair hair, brown eyes, fair complexion, and his religion was Wesleyan. He had some distinguishing marks. An oval scar 1 ½ inches above his left clavicle and on the back of his right forearm he had tattoos of a rifle and the letters 'W.C.'. Perhaps the letters W.C. were to remind him that his real name was William Cottam. Captain R Lewis of the RAMC considered him 'Fit for the Army'.

Douglas served 12 years with the colours, being posted as follows:

14 January 1902 to 3 February 1904 - Shoeburyness England
4 February 1904 to 3 November 1908 - India
4 November 1908 to 28 August 1910 - Aden
29 August 1910 to 1 November 1911 - India
2 November 1911 to 13 January 1914 - England

Some highs and lows from Douglas' Army career:

30 May 1902 to 24 July 1902, 56 days hospitalised with scarlet fever
19 September 1903 to 29 September 1903, 10 days hospitalised with a wound to right thumb, cut on broken glass
14 January 1904 granted good conduct pay at 1d
1 April 1904 Class II Service pay at 4d
28 May 1904 Third Class certificate of education
1 September 1904 Class I Service pay at 6d
27 May 1905 Second Class certificate of education
?? ????? 1905 Passed Regimental signallers test
1 January 1907 Appointed Acting Bombardier
14 January 1907 Granted service pay Class I at 7d, and second Good Conduct badge
26 July 1907 to 31 July 1907, 6 days hospitalised in Calcutta with S.C. fever
31 March 1908 First Class certificate of education
17 October 1908 Appointed Paid Acting Bombardier
6 November 1909 Revaccinated, failed.
1 October 1909 Passed Gun laying course
22 November 1909 Promoted Bombardier
14 May 1910 Awaiting trial
18 May 1910 Tried and reduced to Gunner
4 June 1910 D.R.F.
6 April 1911 to 1 June 1911, 57 days hospitalised in Colaba, Bombay with enteric fever, followed by 3 days at convalescence depot
13 January 1914 Discharged on completion of his period of engagement

After his 12 years with the RGA, Douglas worked at Long Grove Asylum as an attendant. His name appeared on the now lost Long Grove War Memorial, and he is also remembered in the London County Council (LCC) book recording the war service of all its employees. Douglas never married.

As a reservist he would have been called up very soon after the outbreak of war, and attested for service in the Great War at Kingston-Upon-Thames on 2 September 1914. His declared age was 30 years and 210 days. If this is accurate he was born on 5 February 1884, but as shown above he was registered in the March quarter of 1887. By 1914 Douglas was 6 feet tall, weighed 160 lbs, and his chest measurement was 40 inches with an expansion of 2 inches. His complexion, was described as fresh, eyes as blue, hair as brown, and that he was a Presbyterian. He was declared as fit for service in the RGA.

The following is a brief history of Douglas' military service:

5 September 1914 he was sent from Kingston to Newhaven to join his RGA comrades
9 June 1915 transferred to 3rd battalion Border Regiment
13 August 1915 reprimanded for i. Being in Thorpe Bay without leave
ii. Drunk in Thorpe Bay without leave
30 August 1915 appointed Lance Sergeant
23 September 1915 transferred to 1st Battalion Border Regiment
10 October 1915 posted to Gallipoli
14 October 1915 promoted to sergeant
9 January 1916 left Gallipoli. To Egypt for Battalion training and reorganisation
11 March 1916 to France
10 April 1916 reprimanded for 'Whilst on active service, neglect of duty'
1 July 1916 Killed in Action.

The 1st Battalion Border Regiment was in the 87 Brigade, 29th Division. At 0730 on 1 July the 29th Division attacked towards Beaumont Hamel. In the Division's sector was the Hawthorn mine, consisting of 40,000 pounds of ammonal. The mine was blown at 0720, supposedly to allow time for the attacking troops to occupy the rim before the Germans were able to. But the Germans were able to occupy the rim, and proved to be very able at crater fighting. The blowing of the mine was filmed by Geoffrey Mallins, is often show on television, and is used to represent any of the many hundreds of mines that were blown on the Western Front. Douglas attacked just a few hundred yards south of the Hawthorn mine and would have felt and seen the explosion. The crater still exists in 2009 but is heavily overgrown and is on private land. The ground over which Douglas attacked has been preserved and is owned by the Canadian Government, and is known as the Newfoundland Memorial Park. At 0730 the 1st Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers and the 2nd South Wales Borderers of the 87th Brigade attacked just south of 'Y' Ravine but were held up on uncut barbed wire and were badly machine gunned. Soon after the 1st KOSB and the 1 Borders attacked over the same ground and met a similar fate. The 1st Borderers lost 194 men killed on 1 July including Douglas who is buried in Hawthorn Ridge Cemetery No2, which is in the Newfoundland Memorial Park.

The following is an extract from 'The Border Regiment in the Great War' by Colonel HC Wylly CB:

The account in the Battalion Diary is unfortunately very meagre; it runs: the Battalion, less 10%, advanced just south of Beaumont Hamel, its objective being Behucourt Redoubt. The 2nd South Wales Borderers, whose objective was the first two German lines was wiped out by machine-gun fire in our own wire. The 1st Battalion The Border Regiment then went "over the top" from the support lone and over the British first line, but the passage over the front trench having been ranged by the German machine gunners the day previously, the 1st Border Regiment met with heavy loss while crossing this trench and passing through gaps in the wire. The men were magnificently steady, forming up outside the wire according to orders, then, inclining to the right, advanced as directed at a slow walk into No Man's Land. The advance was continued until only little groups of some half-dozen men were left here and there, and at last these, seeing no reinforcements in sight, took cover in shell holes whenever they found them.
By 8am the advance had come to a standstill, and the assault had definitely failed. An attempt was later made to renew it, but when it was found that all the brigades of the "Incomparable 29th" were equally reduced in numbers it was recognised that only a defensive line could now be held, and on the morning of the 2nd July the 1st Border Regiment retired to just north of the River Ancre, where they were busily engaged in repairing the trenches and in bringing in wounded and burying dead, all under continued enemy sniping. Then, on the 8th July, the Battalion moved back to rest camp at Acheux and for the present at any rate took no further part in the Somme battle.
On the 1st July the Battalion had gone into action with 23 officers and 809 other ranks, of whom they lost, killed, wounded and missing, 20 officers and 619 non-commissioned officers and men.

Douglas was awarded the 1915 star, British War medal and the Victory medal. On 10 May 1921 John H Cottam (Douglas's father) acknowledged receipt Douglas's 1915 star, and on 3 May 1922 wrote requesting his son's plaque and scroll.

EP LGH

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KITCHERSIDE Edwin, Lance Corporal. ES/9256.

3rd Battalion, East Surrey Regiment.
Died 12 November 1918, aged 29.

Edwin's Headstone in Epsom Cemetery
Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert © 2008

Edwin Pullin Kitcherside was born on 17 July 1889 in Epsom Surrey (GRO reference: Sep 1889 Epsom 2a 21), son of Henry and Elizabeth Kitcherside (nee Pullin).

Edwin's father Henry was born in Epsom in 1850, as was his grandfather Henry born 1822. His great grandfather George, born 1796 came from Fetchem, and great grandma Ann 1801 from Abinger.

26 year old Henry Kitcherside married Elizabeth Pullin, aged 23, on 7 February 1876 in Elizabeth's hometown of Horfield, Bristol, Gloucestershire. That same year their son Arthur was born in Bristol. Between then and 1878 records show that the family had moved to Malta, presumably to do with Henry's work, where their second son James was born in 1878. From there the family moved on to Bengal India where their daughter Agnes Kezial was born on 8 December 1880. Her birth was recorded in the India Office Ecclesiastical Returns there. Four years later on 2 February 1884, a son named George Henry was born in Harachi West Bengal India. He was baptised there on 23 February 1884. Whatever Henry had been doing abroad (possibly in the army) finished sometime between then and 1886 as the birth of their fourth child Mabel was recorded in 1886 in Bristol Gloucestershire.

Henry and Elizabeth moved back to Henry's hometown of Epsom where Edwin was born in 1889. He was baptised in Christ Church on 18 August 1889, and his father was recorded as a coal porter. In the Epsom 1891 census the family lived in one of the Elizabeth Cottages next door to the bakers shop on Stamford Green in Epsom. Henry's occupation was noted as general labourer, Arthur's as cowboy and James' as errand boy. (Surname mis-transcribed as Ketcherside).

Baptism records from Christ Church show the family increased as follows:

Amy Elizabeth, born 7 February 1893, baptised 2 April 1893. Living at Bradmans Cottages.
William Henry, born 10 April 1894, baptised 10 June 1894.
Albert Edward, born 2 July 1895, baptised 8 September 1895.
Dorothy Myra, born 21 October 1896, baptised 3 January 1897. Died aged 6 months, buried Epsom cemetery on 27 May 1897.
Elizabeth, born and baptised, but died an hour later on 14 May 1899. Buried Epsom cemetery on 18 May 1899.

Elizabeth Cottages in November 2008
Image courtesy of Clive Gilbert © 2008

On the 1901 census 12 year old Edwin appears with only the younger half of the family and their parents living at Elizabeth Cottages in the ecclesiastical parish of Christchurch Epsom. (Surname mis-transcribed as Kitchenside).

On 5 February 1917 in Copythorne Hampshire Edwin married his cousin Bessie Kitcherside. Bessie, who was born on 5 April 1888 in Ower Hampshire, was the daughter of Henry's brother James and wife Rose.

Edwin's service record has not survived, but the CWGC shows that he served in the 3rd Battalion East Surreys, and that he transferred as Private 276552 to the 436th Agricultural Company, Labour Corps. The 3rd Battalion East Surrey Regiment was a garrison unit based at Dover throughout the war, and was also a training and draft finding unit. Edwin received the British War medal and the Victory medal so must have served overseas at some stage of his army career, and may have done so with the Labour Corps. Without his service record it is impossible to know for sure. However, we do know that he died at the Northampton War Hospital on 12 November 1918 aged 29. The Northampton War Hospital had previously been the Northamptonshire County Asylum.

Edwin's body was returned to Epsom and on 18 November 1918 he was buried in plot A 397 in Epsom Cemetery.

His widow Bessie remarried on 21 February 1928 to Henry Maurice (Jack) Hutchins and died aged 88 on 9 May 1976 in Calmore, Hampshire.

EP CC

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KITE Ralph Bertram, Captain.

2nd Battalion Oxford and Bucks Light Infantry.
Died of Wounds 10 December 1916, aged 21.

Ralph Kite c.1914
Image courtesy of Dr S.J. Harris © 2004

Ralph Bertram Kite was born on 21 April 1895 at Billingford, Norfolk, the only son of the Reverend Joseph Bertram and Edith Eliza Kite (née Corrie). Ralph was baptised in Billingford Church on 26 May 1895. His parents were married on 14 June 1892 at Greenstead Green Church, Essex, where Edith's father was the Vicar.

Ralph's only sibling, his sister Edith Muriel was born on 5 May 1893 in the vicarage of Christ Church on the Isle of Dogs. In March 1913 she married Lieutenant-Commander (later Captain) Bernard Watts R.N.

In 1897 the family moved to Hobart, Tasmania, in order for Ralph's father 'Bertie' to take up the post of Dean of Hobart. The Bishop of Hobart was Henry Montgomery whose son Bernard, later became the famous second world war Field Marshal.

Ralph returned to England in 1905 to attend the preparatory Upland House School between 1905 and 1909. The school, situated in Downs Road, Epsom, was demolished in the 1950s and the site then used for housing.

Ralph Kite c.1908
Image courtesy of Dr S.J. Harris © 2004

Ralph's education continued at Marlborough College between 1909 and 1913. Marlborough College was founded in 1843 to provide a first-class education, at a low price for sons of the clergy. In September 1909 Ralph joined the Marlborough College Officers' Training Corps. He loved the corps and excelled at skirmishing and shooting. With his parents living in Tasmania he always had a problem in finding somewhere to stay in the school holidays, either with relatives or his parents' friends. To complete his education, in 1913 Ralph went up to Keble College, Oxford to read Classics. Ralph seems to have enjoyed his time there, particularly playing Rugby!

For three months between 19 August and 11 November 1914 Ralph attended an officers training course at Sandhurst. It is interesting to note that in peace time the course normally lasted 18 months, shortened to six months in war time. Ralph's very short 3 months course was probably due to his military experience at school and university. It is also interesting to note that until November 1914, a cadet's family had to pay for the training given, which must have been a strain on his relatively poor clergyman father Bertie. Ralph wanted to join the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry for two reasons. First it was a highly regarded regiment with a fine fighting record, and secondly, as it had a high rate of officer casualties it was more likely to have vacancies. To the modern eye it might seem strange to wish to fight with a regiment that offers the prospect of becoming a casualty very quickly! On 11 November 1914, after his much shortened course at Sandhurst, he was gazetted as a second-lieutenant to the Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry, his first choice regiment. As Ralph did not like the standard issue revolver issued to officers, he persuaded his uncle Henry to provide him with a more acceptable replacement! I wonder, could that be done in today's modern army?

Ralph was 6 feet and ½ inch tall, weighed 168lbs and had a chest measurement of 36 inches expanding to 38 inches. He had auburn hair, good hearing and teeth, perfect 6/6 vision in both eyes, with normal colour vision and was considered by the medical officer to be fit for the regular army.

In mid November 1914, Ralph took the train from Sandhurst to Cambridge Barracks in Portsmouth to join the 3rd Battalion. The 3rd Battalion was a training battalion sending replacements to the 1st and 2nd Battalions as required. Just before Christmas 1914 Ralph was sent to look after the ammunition depot known as Bedenham Magazine at Fareham. He was however, able to spend Christmas with his sister Muriel, her husband Bernard and their baby daughter Mary. For reason unknown, in March 1915 Ralph was based at the Royal Hotel on Hayling Island. This was his last billet in the UK before being sent to base camp in Harfleur, Le Havre, France on 16 March 1915.

Ralph joined the 2nd Battalion or 52nd Light Infantry as they liked to be known, on 23 March 1915, entering trenches at Festubert. Here, due to the high water table, only very shallow trenches could be dug, so for protection breastworks were constructed using sandbags built up to form a barrier. At this time Ralph wrote to his sister asking for 'sweets and preserved fruit', stating that 'dug-out life is so monotonous that eating and smoking are all that interest us'. He also wrote that 'One becomes quite numb after a certain amount of shelling'.

Ralph's battalion was in reserve, when on 9 May 1915 the costly failure, the battle of Aubers Ridge was fought. However, the following day Ralph's unit moved up to the front line trenches and over the next few days brought in many of the wounded from the Aubers Ridge battle.

The Battle of Festubert (15-25 May 1915) was to be Ralph's real baptism of fire in the first night attack of the war, his brigade being tasked to capture the German trenches opposite Richebourg L' Avoué. For 2½ days before the attack a preparatory barrage was carried out hoping to destroy enemy barbed wire and strong points. Unfortunately there was barely enough ammunition and to make matters worse, much of it failed to explode due to faulty fuses. The attack commenced on the night of 15/16 May at 11-30pm, but Ralph's unit did not 'go over the top' until 12-30am. Ralph's contribution to the attack (for which he might have received a gallantry award had not so many others been awarded) is mentioned in the War Diary:

A bombing party under 2 Lieut. Kite successfully defended our extreme left flank.

Just a few words in recognition of about 15 hours of extreme danger. The Soldiers Died CD tells us that on 16 May 1915 eight officers and 119 men from Ralph's Battalion were killed in action, and that a further 15 men died of wounds during the following month.

Ralph is mentioned again in the War Diary on 9 August 1915:

2Lt Kite proceeded to take over charge of the Brigade school of instruction in the use of bombs.

An expert in the use of what we would now call hand grenades, he taught the Brigade how to use them, and headed the bomb school until early October 1915. Being in charge of the bombing school may have saved his life, in that he missed the battle of Loos, which commenced on 25 September 1915.

Ralph was promoted to temporary Lieutenant on 6 September 1915, and was made permanent on 25 November 1915. With winter came relative safety, with no major battles being waged, but still the constant threat of shelling, small local attacks known as trench raids or a sniper's bullet when holding the front. During December 1915 Ralph was fortunate enough to have about a week's leave, and he seems to have fared pretty well with leave as he was able to have leave again at the beginning of February 1916.

For Christmas 1915, Ralph's uncle Henry organised a hamper 'No. 13' for him, from the Army and Navy stores, costing £2-2s-0d, with extra for postage of £2-7s-0d. The hamper consisted of:

1 Turkey (9 or 10 lbs)
Pheasant
Stilton Cheese (3 lbs)
Plum Pudding (4 lbs)
1 Tongue
1 Doz. Mince Pies
Oranges and nuts
Almonds and Raisins

In spite the fact that the pheasant was off, Ralph had a well provisioned Christmas although, because his battalion was holding the trench line on 25 December, his 'Christmas' was celebrated on 1 January 1916.

During March 1916 Ralph was given command of D company with responsibility for some six officers and 150 men, which would lead to promotion to Temporary Captain on 6 April 1916, just two weeks before his 21st birthday.

In June 1916 just before the Battle of the Somme commenced, Ralph's Battalion was holding the line in Zouave Valley, part of the Vimy Ridge. No great battle was fought there at this time, but the troops were still subject to the attentions of snipers and artillery shells, and so suffered losses. Zouave Valley was so called because of the large number of French Colonial troops or Zouaves, who had been killed there in 1915.

About this time Ralph's parents had returned to England from Tasmania so that his father could become the Vicar of St Peter's, Ealing.

Ralph's Battalion fought in the Battle of the Somme and on 30 July 1916 at 4.45am attacked the German positions, advancing from Waterlot Farm towards Guillemont railway station. Some from the Battalion overran the German front line, came close to the station but were killed there. It was standard practice to leave behind some officers so that in the event of there being a large number of officer casualties, there would be small core of leaders left to reform the battalion, and Ralph himself was ordered to stay behind that day. The War Diary reported that 12 officers and 205 other ranks became casualties that day and the Soldiers Died CD tells us that 5 officers and 68 other ranks were killed in action.

Although Ralph did not 'go over the top' with his men, he did go to a bombing sap (a small trench dug from the front line towards the enemy lines) where many had become casualties and organised its defence. His M.C. was technically awarded for this act, but in an article written in 1935, his Commanding Officer Lieutenant-Colonel Richard Crosse D.S.O. and bar, implied that it was really for his actions during the Battle of Festubert on the night of May 15th/16th 1915, when Ralph held part of the enemy trench for many hours with bombers. At that time he had been on the Western Front for less than two months and too many names had gone in for awards.

Ralph's MC citation appeared in the 'Supplement to London Gazette' dated 20 October 1916, page 10185:

Lt. (temp. Capt.) Ralph Bertram Kite, Oxf. & Bucks. L.I. For conspicuous gallantry during operations. He did fine work organising the attack, and displayed great coolness and utter disregard of danger. When the bombers holding one of our saps had become casualties, he went at once to the spot, organised the defence, and threw bombs himself.

Ralph's battalion next attacked as part of the final phase of the Battle of the Somme, known as the Battle of the Ancre. The battle commenced half an hour before sunrise at 5.45am on 13 November 1916. The battalion was ordered to attack on the Redan Ridge, south west of Serre and north of Beaumont Hamel. The following is an extract from the War Diary dated 13 November:

The Regiment sustained a certain number of casualties in the advance, including Capt. Kite, from our own shelling directly due to attempts to follow too closely our own barrage.

At 6.30am Ralph was mortally wounded in his right shoulder by a shell shard, most likely from a Canadian heavy artillery gun, which probably fired short. Today we would call this 'friendly fire'. Ralph was transported back on a French ambulance train with no water to drink, only beer or brandy. Eventually, barely alive, and after 36 hours, he arrived at the British Red Cross Hospital No. 10, at Le Tréport. The hospital was run by Lady Helen Murray, and was known as Lady Murray's hospital.

After great suffering, at the age of 21, Ralph died on 10 December 1916. One of Ralph's nurses Alice Batt kept a diary. The following is a short extract from the diary dated 10 December 1916:

And now tonight we all feel very sad, as the nicest patient, a young captain in the OBLI died this afternoon. He was a dear, so courteous and patient; it was a real joy to do anything for him - 'A very parfit, gentil knight.' The last few nights he's been frightfully ill and one knew there was little hope. He had a deep shrapnel wound in the right arm, and after the piece was removed had two bad attacks of haemorrhage within a few days.

Ralph's Funeral Possession 1 - click to enlarge

Ralph's Funeral Possession 2 - click to enlarge

Ralph's Funeral - click to enlarge
The tall man with grey hair in the middle image is Ralph's father.
We wonder if the woman in the fur at the graveside is Lady Helen Stewart-Murray,
who ran No. 10 British Red Cross Hospital.
Images courtesy of Dr S.J. Harris © 2004

Ralph is buried in plot 2. Row O. Grave 7 in Le Tréport Military Cemetery.

Ralph's headstone in Le Tréport Military Cemetery
Image courtesy of Dr S.J. Harris © 2004

In addition to the MC he was awarded the 1914-1915 Star, British War medal and the Victory medal.

Ralph's name appears on the following memorials:-

Upland House School Memorial Screen, St Martin's Church, Epsom.
Memorial Hall, Marlborough College.
Keble College, Oxford War Memorial.
St Peter's Church, Ealing War Memorial.
St Andrew's Church, Copford War Memorial.
Royal Military Academy, Sandhurst War Memorial.
Christ Church Cathedral, Oxford, Ox & Bucks Light Infantry Roll of Honour.
St. Peter's Church, Billingford War Memorial.

Much of the above has been gleaned from the excellent biography, 'RBK A Very Parfit Gentil Knight', written by his great nephew Dr Simon Harris, and based on 750 surviving letters and documents covering his schooldays and war, published in 2004. Copies are available at £15 plus postage and packing. Contact Dr Harris by email:

UHS

With grateful thanks to Ralph's great nephew Dr S.J. Harris for information given.

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KNIGHT Stanley Horace, Private. 17570.

9th Battalion East Surrey Regiment.
Killed in Action 24 June 1917, aged 23.

Stanley's inscription on the Menin Gate Memorial

Horace Stanley Knight was born in 1894 in Epsom (GRO reference: Jun 1894 Epsom 2a 22), to John and Kate Knight (nee Skinner). Horace Stanley is how he appears in the birth register, but, it seems he preferred Stanley as his first name.

In the 1881 census before Stanley was born the family lived at Redland Cottages, Holmwood Road, Holmwood, near Dorking. Stanley's father was a 24 year general labourer, his mother Kate was also 24. The oldest sibling was Kate aged 4, and there was a brother, Albert John aged 2.

In the 1891 census the family lived in Albert Road, Epsom. Father John was now working as a cab driver, and brother Albert John, now 12 years old was working as a telegraph boy. Six more siblings had been born, Eva aged 10, Thomas aged 6, May aged 4, Amy aged 3, Frederick aged 2 and Elsie aged 6 months.

By 1901 the family had moved to 39 Adelphi Road, Epsom, and Stanley had another 3 siblings, Edwin aged 9, Hilda aged 8 and Marjorie aged 5. Stanley's father John was still driving cabs, but brother Albert was a builders carpenter.

Stanley attested in Epsom on 15 December 1915 into the 3rd Battalion East Surrey Regiment, a recruiting and training Battalion. He was aged 21, 5 feet 7 inches tall, weighed 126 lbs, and had a chest measurement of 36 inches with an expansion of 3 inches. He lived at 39, Adelphi Road, Epsom, and worked as a stableman.

After his training he was transferred to the 9th Battalion East Surrey Regiment which was in the 72nd Brigade, 24th Division. On the 24 June 1917 the Battalion was holding the line at the southern end of Battle Wood about 3 miles south east of Ypres. The following is an extract from the 9th Battalion's war diary.

24th-25th June BATTLE WOOD. Heavy shelling by the enemy on whole of area. A Coy. had 12 casualties B Coy. 1. It was noticed that every one of the enemy shells came from a direction N.E. - probably from POLYGON WOOD behind HOOGE. This enfilade fire is very destructive, and we were hoping for a small push to be made on the northern side of the old salient to cut this fire out.

26th June. Battn. was relieved by the 1st Battn. North Staffords Regt. and moved back into brigade support. Relief complete by 12.30 am. C & D Coys. were in the old German front and support line between the Ypres - Menin railway and 500X N. of YPRES - COMINS canal, A, B and H.Q. Coys. were on the railway cutting immediately WEST of VERBRANDEMOLEN.

On 24th June 1917 the Battalion were not attacking but were just 'holding the line'. Nevertheless, on that day 7 men lost their lives, no doubt as a result of the shelling referred to in the war diary. Stanley, who was one of the 7 to lose his life on the 24th, has no known grave and is commemorated on Panel 34 of the Menin Gate Memorial.

The CWGC state he was the son of John and Kate Knight, of 39, Adelphi Road, Epsom, Surrey.

The St Martin's church roll of honour has the following "HORACE STANLEY KNIGHT, was killed in action at Ypres on 24th June 1917."

EP SM

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KNIGHTS John Percy, Private. 9145.

2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters (Notts and Derby Regiment).
Killed in Action 20 October 1914, aged 28.

John's Headstone in Rue-David Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix

John Percy Knights was born in Bethnal Green in 1887 (FRC reference: Mar 1887 Bethnal Green 1c 230) to James and Sarah Knights (nee Pluck). He was actually registered as Percy John Knights.

In the 1881 census before John was born the family lived at 8, Gloucester Street, Bethnal Green. John's father was a 30 year old carman, driving some kind of horse drawn vehicle. His mother was aged 27, and they had a lodger, 24 year old Horatio Jones, a cabinet maker.

By the 1891 census they had moved to 85, Mare Street, Hackney, and John had three siblings, Charles Albert aged 7, Hannah Lydia aged 5 and Frederick William aged 2.

I have been unable to find any of the family in the 1901 census, but another sibling Ada, was born in 1894. She was baptised on 2 August 1896 at Christ Church, South Hackney.

In 1911 John Percy was a 25 year old private in the 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters, in Gough Barracks, Trimulgherry, Deccan, India. His father, now 60 was shown as a widower living at 10, Lyte Street, Bishops Road, Cambridge Green. The only other person shown was brother Frederick who was working as a train guard.

John attested in Kingston on 5 February 1904, aged 18, into the Sherwood Foresters. He was a brush maker by trade, and was already serving in the 4th East Surreys, a militia unit. This was before the major reorganisation of the army in 1908, that saw the introduction of the Territorial Army. He was 5 feet 4½ inches tall, weighed 113 lbs and had a chest measurement of 33½ inches with an expansion of 2 inches. His complexion was fresh, eyes were grey, hair was brown, and he had a scar on the right side of his face. His religion was C of E.

John's first 2 years in the Army were spent training in Britain. Apart from falling from a horse and dislocating a shoulder, whilst on a mounted infantry training course, this time appears to have been quite uneventful. On 19 December 1906 he was sent to India, where he remained for the next 6 years and 96 days. He was appointed Lance Corporal on 14 February 1908, but on 17 December 1909 he reverted due to 'misconduct'. Unfortunately his 'burnt' service papers do not tell us the nature of the 'misconduct'. John was inoculated against typhoid on 7 and 22 May 1908.

After spending just over 9 years with the colours, John joined the Army reserve on 21 March 1913. After his army service he worked at the Long Grove asylum. He appears on the Long Grove war memorial (now lost) and in the book 'Record of War Service London County Council Staff 1914-1918'. After the discipline of army routine, working in another, albeit different type of institution, probably appealed to an ex-army man.

Without doubt John would have been re-called as soon as war broke out. His medal card tells us that he was sent to France on 19 September 1914. Up to October 1914 the war had been one of movement, with each side trying to outflank the other, known as the race to the sea. This phase was ending and the virtually static trench lines that characterise the Great War were beginning to become established. On the day John was killed, 20 October 1914, his battalion was attacked by a strong German force at Ennetieres, south east of Armentieres, and was forced back to Bois Grenier. The Germans were desperately trying to break through the British lines in order to capture the Channel ports of Dunkirk, Calais, and Boulogne, and thereby stop supplies reaching the troops. Although they fell back, the line was not broken. The 2nd Sherwood Foresters war diary for 20 October states that 710 NCOs and men were missing. This is a huge number out of the nominal total of around a thousand men. However, the Soldiers Died CD states that 75 were killed on that day. No doubt some were taken prisoner, but probably many were cut off and rejoined their unit as soon as they could.

The War Office wrote to the officer in charge of infantry records at Lichfield, on 7 February 1916 stating that for official purposes John was to be regarded as having died on or since 20 October 1914. Then on 17 February 1916 the War Office directed that any of John's personal property and any medals he might be entitled to, should be sent to his father, his next of kin, at 27 Millicent Road, Lea Bridge Road, Leyton. However, John's father, a widower, was not to live long enough to receive John's medals, plaque or scroll, as he died in 1920.

On 15 October 1921 John's brother Charles signed to acknowledge receipt of his brother's British War medal and his Victory medal. Charles was a CQMS, serving in the 1st Battalion Sherwood Foresters. John was also awarded the 1914 Star, but records of who received it do not survive.

John is buried in plot III. E. 10. in Rue-David Military Cemetery, Fleurbaix. At the Armistice this cemetery held 220 graves in plot I, but there are now 898 graves, as many were concentrated in after the war. John must have been one of those who was exhumed and reburied.

EP LGH

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