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10th (Kent County) Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment
10th (Kent County) Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment was raised at Maidstone on the 3rd of May 1915 by Lord Harris, Vice Lieutenant of Kent, at the request of the Army Council. After inital training close to home they joined 118th Brigade, 39th Division in July. In October they transferred to 123rd Brigade, 41st Division. They moved to Aldershot for final training in January 1916 and proceeded to France on the 4th of May where the division concentrated between Hazebrouck and Bailleul.
In 1916 they were in action at The Battle of Flers-Courcelette and The Battle of the Transloy Ridges on the Somme. In 1917 they fought during The Battle of Messines, The Battle of Pilkem Ridge, The Battle of the Menin Road and took part in the Operations on the Flanders coast. In November the Division was ordered to Italy, moving by train to Mantua. The Division took the front line near the River Piave, north west of Treviso.
In February 1917 they were summoned back to France and departed from Campo San Piero, travelling by train to concentrate near Doullens and Mondicourt. They were in action during The Battle of St Quentin, The Battle of Bapaume and The Battle of Arras before moving to Flanders for The Battles of the Lys. They were in action during the Final Advance in Flanders, at Courtrai and Ooteghem. At the Armistice the advanced units were at Nederbrakel, Tenbosch and the River Dender.
41st Division was chosen to join the Army of Occupation, and on 12 January the Division took over the left section of the Cologne bridgehead. Demobilisation began; in March 1919 and the Division was renamed the London Division.
6th May 1915 On the Move
16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme
1st Dec 1915 Derby Scheme Armlets
11th Sep 1915 Last day of Derby Scheme Recruitment
10th Jan 1916 Group System Reopens
9th February 1916 Call Ups
1st May 1916 On the Move
1st May 1916 March Table 
8th May 1916 Concentration
9th May 1916 Orders
10th May 1916 Orders
11th May 1916 Preparations
12th May 1916 School of Instruction
13th May 1916 Postponement
14th May 1916 Trench Raid
15th May 1916 Instruction
17th May 1916 Gas Alert
18th May 1916 Orders
12th June 1916 Reliefs
24th June 1916 Enemy bombarded our trenches 97 & 98 with 30 - 40 aerial torpedoes and rifle grenades
3rd July 1916 Battalion relieved 10th R.W. Kent Regt.
5th July 1916 In accordance with B.O.O.11 the frontage occupied by the Battalion was increased.
8th July 1916 Attempted a raid on the German trenches from "D" Gap
13th July 1916 Large numbers of shells
23rd July 1916 Re-enforcements
1st August 1916 Reliefs
12th August 1916 Reliefs
13th Sep 1916 Instructions
14th September 1916 123rd Infantry Brigade Order 31.
14th September 1916 Instructions
15th Sep 1916 Orders
19th September 1916 Orders
5th Mar 1917 Reliefs
29th March 1917 Reliefs
6th May 1917 Throughout the day the Forward Area was fairly quiet.
7th May 1917 Some hostile shelling on the back areas
10th May 1917 Relieved 10th R.W. Kent Regt. in Front Line
30th May 1917 Appendix "I" - Operational Order No. 9.
7th June 1917 At 0030 hours night of 6th - 7th the Battalion moved on to tapes laid out behind our Front Line
29th Mar 1918 Reliefs
29th March 1918 Outpost positions
1st April 1918 In Front Line
25th May 1918 Hostile Artillery active.
16th June 1918 Operational Order No. 11.
30th June 1918 Instruction No.7. Para 2 to be read in conjunction with Operation Orders No. 7.
5th July 1918
10th July 1918 Operational Order No.8.
11th July 1918 Slight shelling of Front & Support positions
12th July 1918 Relief completed
27th July 1918 Operational Order No.13.
28th July 1918 Hostile Shelling
29th July 1918 Relief complete
30th July 1918 Operational Order No.14.
31st July 1918
31st July 1918 Dress & Equipment.
31st July 1918 Shelling
1st August 1918 Trench improvements
1st August 1918 Operational Order No.15. Ref.
1st August 1918 Addenda to Operational Order No. 15.
1st August 1918 Reliefs
2nd August 1918 Relocation and Award of MM
3rd August 1918 rest day and bathing
4th August 1918 Church Parade and commendations
5th August 1918 Routine Training and appointments
8th August 1918 Reliefs
8th August 1918 Operational Order No.17.
9th August 1918 Back into the trenches
10th August 1918 Normal situation in the trenches
10th August 1918 Operational Order No.18.
11th August 1918 Relief in trenches
12th August 1918 Positional defense
13th August 1918 Ongoing trench routines
14th August 1918 Ongoing trench routines
15th August 1918 Gas attack on HQ
16th August 1918 Quite day in trenches
17th August 1918 Ongoing actions
18th August 1918 Enemy attack repulsed
19th August 1918 Situation normal
21st August 1918 Relief successful.
22nd August 1918 Routine in reserve position
24th August 1918 Situation normal
26th August 1918 Relief in trenches
27th August 1918 Situation normal
29th August 1918 Relief and relocation
30th August 1918 Move to billets
31st August 1918 Rest,cleaning and bathing
1st September 1918 Rest, bathing and clothing issue
2nd September 1918 Reliefs Complete
3rd September 1918 Reserve Area
4th September 1918 Standby awaiting orders
5th September 1918 Relieved unit in trenches
6th September 1918 Heavy shelling in trenches
7th September 1918 Ongoing Action
8th September 1918 Relieved unit in trenches
9th September 1918 Situation normal
11th September 1918 Adjustment to Line
12th September 1918 Relieved from trenches
13th September 1918 Enemy Artillery active
13th September 1918 Improving positions
14th September 1918 Relief and relocation
15th September 1918 Enemy Artillery active
18th September 1918 Move to Lappe Area
20th September 1918 Rest and cleaning up
21st September 1918 Bathing and new clothes. Enemy artillery casualties
23rd September 1918 Training and cleaning up
27th September 1918 Move to Dominion Camp
28th September 1918 Further moves
29th September 1918 Attack Made
29th September 1918 Location Wercicq Comines Railway.
30th Sep 1918 Ongoing Action
1st Oct 1918 Ongoing Action 10th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment
left Houthem at 0910 and got to the camp off the cross roads at 1330, Remained here until 1600 and were heavily shelled during this period. The whole Brigade then marched to America Camp (?) through Tenebrielen and were in full view of the Boche who was only 1500 yds away in Comines. Heavy barrage was put down by the enemy, which caused a certain amount of casualties. The Battalion rested at America Camp for the night.
2nd Oct 1918 Intensive Action
3rd Oct 1918 Rest period
7th Oct 1918 Reliefs
10th Oct 1918 Battalion Relief
10th October 1918 Relieved 10th Royal West Kent Regt. in the Front Line
11th Oct 1918 Battalion moves
15th Oct 1918 Rest day
16th Oct 1918 Rest and relocation
17th Oct 1918 Shelling
20th Oct 1918 On the Move
21st Oct 1918 Further moves
23rd Oct 1918 Further Action
24th Oct 1918 Ongoing Action
24th October 1918 Operational Order. Ref map sheet 29.
24th October 1918 The Battalion remained in Reserve
25th October 1918 Further actions
26th October 1918 Patrols
27th October 1918 Rest period
28th October 1918 Rest period and reinforcements
29th October 1918 Rest period
31st October 1918 Rest period
1st November 1918 Move to Billets
2nd November 1918 Rest day
3rd November 1918 Exercise in attack
4th November 1918 Further moves
5th November 1918 Situation unchanged
6th November 1918 More shelling
7th November 1918 Shellinng
8th November 1918 Move to support front line
9th November 1918 Final Advances across the Scheldt
9th November 1918 At 1201 hours an order was issued to O.C. "D" Coy. ( Capt. Hedley ) to push on and make good the Audenarde - Berchem Railway.
10th November 1918 Advance
11th November 1918 Armistice Day
12th November 1918 CO's Inspection and compliments
13th November 1918 Battalion move
14th November 1918 Training and move preparations
18th November 1918 Forward positions
19th November 1918 Rest day
20th November 1918 Further moves
21st November 1918 Cleaning and training
23rd November 1918 CO's Inspection
24th November 1918 Divisional Medals presentation
25th November 1918 Training, Sports and Amusement Committee formed
30th November 1918 Concert and Post War activity
30th November 1918 Drill
2nd December 1918 Ceremonial parade
24th January 1919 Reliefs
25th February 1919 Reliefs
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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| Want to know more about 10th (Kent County) Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment? There are:5389 items tagged 10th (Kent County) Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment available in our Library
These include information on officers, regimental histories, letters, diary entries, personal accounts and information about actions during the Great War.
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Those known to have served with10th (Kent County) Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment during the Great War 1914-1918. - Balls Daniel Methuen French. Pte.
- Bance George. Pte.
- Chambers Frank David. Pte. (d.7th Jun 1917)
- Conroy Martin Joseph. Pte. (d.21st Sep 1917)
- Dee Richard George James. Cpl.
- Highams Thomas William. L/Cpl. (d.21st Sep 1917)
- Hills Reginald Howard. Pte. (d.8th June 1917)
- Keating Albert James. Pte.
- Kemp Charles Henry. Pte. (d.11th Oct 1916)
- Kent William. Pte. (d.31st Jul 1917)
- Laing MM & Bar. Frederick. L/Cpl.
- Langley Hubert John. Pte. (d.1st July 1916)
- McKenzie Herbert. Pte. (d.8th Oct 1917)
- Ostler Sydney William. Pte. (d.15th Jun 1917)
- Sprigge Ralph Abner. G/8779 (d.7th Jun 1917)
- Wales Francis Joseph. Pte. (d.7th June 1917)
- Wales Francis Joseph. Pte. (d.7th June 1917 )
- Withall John. Pte. (d.30th Mar 1918)
All names on this list have been submitted by relatives, friends, neighbours and others who wish to remember them, if you have any names to add or any recollections or photos of those listed,
please Add a Name to this List
Records of 10th (Kent County) Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment from other sources.
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L/Cpl. Thomas William Highams 10th Btn. Royal West Kent Regiment (d.21st Sep 1917) Tom was my uncle and as far as I can gather was first posted to France in May 1916. He was allowed leave from the front to attend the funeral of his young wife who had died of T.B in February 1917. He returned to the front only to be killed in action during the Battle of the Menin Road in September. He is commemorated on the memorial wall at Tyne Cot Cemetery.
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Pte. Hubert John Langley 10th Battalion, A Coy. Royal West Kent Regiment (d.1st July 1916) Hubert Langley was the only son of John and Sarah Ann Langley of Sandwich, Kent. He was born in Worth, Kent and enlisted in Sandwich. He was killed in action on the 1st of July 1916 in Flanders and is buried in Comines-Warneton in Belgium at the Tancrez Farm Military Cemetery.
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Cpl. Richard George James Dee 10th (Kent County) Btn. Royal West Kent Regiment Richard Dee, my Grandfather, joined up in Dec 1915 and was mobilised in Apr 1916 serving with the Buffs. He was sent to France on 23rd Sept 1917 on arrival at the 38th Infantry depot at Etaples he was transferred to 10th Battalion, Royal West Kents. He served in Italy and returned to the Western front early 1918 with his Battalion. He was a sniper, and was promoted to L/Corporal and then Corporal until being de-mobbed and returning to Herne Bay in Feb 1919.He married and had two sons, both served in WW2 in the RAF. Sadly he died in 1943. He was a lucky man he survived the Great War.
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Pte. Francis Joseph Wales 10th Btn. Queen's Own (Royal West Kent) Regiment (d.7th June 1917 ) Francis Wales, sometimes known as Frank by his family, was born in Tottenham, London in 1888 but when his mother married (long story) he moved to Broadstairs in Kent. Eventually he married Kathleen Mary Pollard in 1912. They ended up having three children although, sadly, the third child was born after he died. He worked at various times as a plumber although he was part of a very well known family of fishermen and members of the local lifeboat crew.
Francis joined up on 3rd September 1915 in Ramsgate. Although we have no written records it would appear he did training in Aldershot then was sent to France/Belguim.
We know he died on the first day of the Battle of Messines on 7th June 1917. He was initially recorded as missing, but after a short time this was changed to killed in action and his body was buried under a hedge along with two other people. One was an officer from the 23rd Middlesex Regiment, the other an unknown sergeant. In Sept 1919 his body was recovered and buried at Voormezeele Enclosure 3, near Ypres in Belgium.
We plan to visit his grave on the 100th anniversary of his death.
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Pte. Francis Joseph Wales 10th Btn. Royal West Kent Regiment (d.7th June 1917) The following is from record of war memorial site of Holy Trinity Church Broadstairs, where Frank Wales is remembered:
Possibly Francis Joseph Wales. Private G/9882. 10th Battalion, Queens Own (Royal West Kent Regiment). Killed in action 7th of June 1917, aged 28 years.
Husband of Kathleen Mary Wales of 31 Bloomsbury Road, Ramsgate, Kent. Born Brixton, enlisted and resident Ramsgate, Kent.
Buried in Voormezeele Enclosure No 3.
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L/Cpl. Frederick Laing MM & Bar. 10 Btn. Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment  Frederick Laing was born in 1897 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent. He died on 20 November 1920, Perth, Scotland.
He is buried in Arngask New Cemetery, Glenfarg, Perthshire, Scotland, with a grey granite war grave pattern headstone, and I have always been intrigued as to how a man of Kent came to his grave in a small village in Scotland. Although he died after the conflict had ended, it seemed to me that he was as much a casualty of the war as those others who, like him, are buried far from their homes.
His Commonwealth War Graves Commission graves registration documents note that it is a private grave and "Next of kin reside in Tunbridge Wells. The grave was purchased with deceased's own money, and deeds should be with Messrs Macgregor Mitchell & Co, solicitors Perth. Plan at the Inspector of Poor's office, Milnathort, Perthshire. (Sgd) H.G. McCoy Area Inspector Edinburgh Area".
Frederick Laing was born in Tunbridge Wells, Kent, the son of Fanny Saunders Laing who was the daughter of John and Ellen (née Hill) Laing, and who, herself, was born 26 October 1869 in Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
Her son Fred Laing's birth was registered between July and September 1897.
The 31st March 1901 census shows him living, aged 3, with his maternal grandparents John (aged 73, a retired gardener) and Ellen (aged 66, a launderer/washerwoman) Laing and with his mother, Fanny S. Laing (aged 31, also a launderer) at 9 Rochdale Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent.
The next census, 2 April 1911, shows him, now aged 13, in the household of George Hillman (aged 49, a builder's labourer), whom Fanny Laing married in 1902. Fanny Hillman (aged 42) now has two other children, May and Dorothy Hillman aged 6 and 1 respectively, but Frederick is listed as Frederick Laing, not Hillman. Also living in the household is John Edward Laing (aged 34, town postman) described as 'brother': presumably Fanny's brother. They are living at 9 Rochdale Road, Tunbridge Wells, Kent: the same address as his grandparents' in 1901.
No enlistment records survive for Fred Laing, but at the outbreak of WW1 he would have been 17, possibly just 18, and therefore eligible to enlist. The 10th (Service) Battalion (Kent County) Royal West Kent Regiment to which Frederick belonged, was formed in Maidstone on 3 May 1915 by Lord Harris, Vice Lieutenant of Kent, at the request of the Army Council. It consisted of men primarily from the south of England.
Firstly, in July 1915, attached to 118th Brigade in the 39th Division, it was transferred in October to 123rd Brigade in the 41st Division and moved to Aldershot in January 1916. The units of the Division moved to France between 1 and 6 May 1916 and by 8 May they were concentrated between Hazebrouck and Bailleul. It remained on the Western Front until, in November 1917, it moved to Italy and took over a sector of the front line behind the River Piave, north west of Treviso between 30 November and 2 December 1917.
In March 1918 Frederick Laing's Division was back in France and on 23 March 1918 at Vaulx Vraucourt, near Bapaume (the battles of St Quentin, Bapaume and Arras – the first phases of the battles of the Somme 1918) during heavy fighting to hold back a German attack (the 'Spring Offensive'), L/Cpl Laing won his (first) MM.
His medal record card "Awarding The Military Medal", shows that he was awarded a bar to that on 13th of November 1918. When the Armistice brought fighting to an end, Frederick Laing's division was selected to join the army of occupation and on 15th March 1919 was retitled the London Division. These units were gradually dissolved leaving, by February 1920, only regular army units in place.
It seems that, on demobilisation, Frederick Laing went to Glenfarg, Perthshire, at the invitation of a Captain James Aubrey Lilburne Hopkinson to work for him as a groom at Duncrievie House, Duncrievie, Glenfarg. Capt. Hopkinson had himself served in WW1 with the Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment and it is possible that the two men came across each other whilst on active service – both their regiments served as front line troops in the 123rd Brigade 41st Division.
Whilst Capt. Hopkinson had been born in Kensington, London (Feb/March 1895), both his grandmother and mother (Charlotte and Mary Lilburne respectively) were born at Pittenweem in Fife and lived at Duncrievie House, Duncrievie, Glenfarg. In 1893 his mother married Samuel Day Hopkinson and he and his sister (Marian Charlotte Lilburne Hopkinson b. 3 May 1896) lived with their parents at 41 Campden Hill Road, Kensington, London W8.
His father died in 1903 aged 44, and the 1911 census shows his mother and grandmother (both widows) at that address, but there is no sign of James. The London Gazette of 7 August 1914 notes the confirmaton of James A. L. Hopkinson's rank to Second Lieutenant, 3rd Battalion The Queen's (Royal West Surrey) Regiment.
Capt. Hopkinson's medal index card shows that he entered the theatre of war in France in May 1915 and in 1921 it records that he had changed address from 78a Lexham Gardens, London W8 to Duncrievie House, Glenfarg, and requesting that his medals be sent there.
By that time however, Frederick Laing was dead. He died on 20th November 1920 in Perth Royal Infirmary of 'Sub-acute Nephritis and Uraemia'. His occupation was described as 'Barman' and his usual residence as The Glenfarg Hotel, Glenfarg.
From the Perthshire Advertiser 1 December 1920, page 3:
Military Funeral
The remains of ex-Lance Corporal Fred Laing, West Kents, were laid to rest with military honours in Arngask Cemetery. Deceased, who was only 24 years of age, died in the Perth Royal Infirmary, after an illness of five weeks' duration. He was a native of Tunbridge Wells, England, and on being demobilized came to this district as a groom to Captain Hopkinson, Duncrevie [sic], and was latterly employed as a barman at Arngask Hotel. Corporal Laing was of a quiet and unassuming nature, and was much repected by all who knew him. The coffin was conveyed from Arngask Hotel to the Cemetery by a military escort, and after being lowered the piper played the lament, and the Last Post was sounded.
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Pte. Sydney William Ostler 10th Btn. Royal West Kent Regiment (d.15th Jun 1917) Sydney Ostler was the son of William and Mary Ostler, he was my mother-in-laws uncle. He was previously with Northamptonshire Regt, no.22423.
He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Menin Gate.
Stamford and Rutland News reported on the 11th of July 1917: "Killed in Action. - The sad news has been received announcing that Private Sidney Ostler, Queen's Royal West Surreys, eldest son of Mr and Mrs W Ostler, Station Road, Helpston, was killed in action on June 15th. He was formerly employed at the Helpston Paper Mills and joined up in October 1915, going to France in May 1916. His Commanding Officer writing to the bereaved parents states: "He was killed in the trenches on Thursday during a heavy bombardment of our positions by the enemy. he was a good soldier and we thought a lot of him. He was buried just behind our trenches. I ask you to accept the sincere sympathy of officers, NCOs and men of this company."
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Pte. Daniel Methuen French Balls 10th Battalion East Kent Regiment Daniel Balls enlisted at Tottenham in 1915 at the age of 15 in the 10th Battalion, West Kent Regiment at Maidstone. On the 01/01/1916 he was transferred to The Machine Gun Corps at Grantham until 15/02/1917 when he was transferred to The Army Cyclist Corps at Chiseldon.
On the 14/09/1917 he was transferred to The 2nd/12th Mt. Brigade at Chiseldon. By 02/01/1918 he was with The Leicestershire Cyclist Regiment at Tonbridge and by the 04/03/1918 was with The 67th Division Cyclist at Sutton. On the 25/05/1918 he was transferred to 3rd Battalion East Kent Regiment in Palestine.
He was then sent to France to join the 10th Battalion, East Kent Regiment as part of the 74th Yeomanry Division which took part in the Flanders Advance, 2nd Battle of The Somme, Battle of the Hindenberg Line, Battle of Ephey and The Advance to Artois although I have no knowledge if he took part in any of these actions.
He was gassed on the 03/11/1918 but survived his injuries. On the 30/12/1918 he was transferred to No.86 Labour Coy number, 5 Infantry Section with a new number 419356.
He was demobilised at Nottingham on the 23/02/1919 where he was transferred to Section "B" Army Reserve.
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Pte. Charles Henry Kemp 10th Btn. Royal West Kent Regiment (d.11th Oct 1916) Pte. Charles Henry Kemp (G/10291) wasb orn in Biddenden, Kent, he enlisted in Maidstone, Kent and served with the 10th Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment. He died on 11th October 1916 aged 23.
On 7th October 1916 the 10th Battalion was near Mametz Wood on the Somme. It moved forward and attacked a German trench system known as Gird Trench. On 10th October 1916 the Battalion was in Mametz Wood. On 12th October it moved to Dernancourt. Charles was killed somewhere in Mametz Wood and his body probably still lies beneath the ground there.
Charles has no known grave. His name appears on the Thiepval Memorial on The Somme, France.
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Pte. Albert James Keating 11th Btn. Royal West Kent Regiment I am currently, writing an account of Pte. Albert Keating's WW1 experiencewith the 11th Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment .
According to the Regimental History held at Lewisham Library, he volunteered at Catford in the 11th Battalion raised by the Mayor.
He survived a number of engagements on the Western Front.
He was wounded in 1917 near Dickebush Lake, and transferred to Huddersfield for treatment.
He returned to the Battalion on 9th September 1917 which was to take part in the Tower Hamlets offensive, 3rd Battle of Ypres, near Zillebeke.
The Battalion subsequently transferred to the Italian Campaign.
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Pte. George Bance 10th Battalion Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment  George Bance enlisted on the 20th November 1915 in Maidstone, Kent, aged 25, his height was 5ft 2 inches and he resided at 14/15 Rock Road, Borough Green, Kent. Formerly working as a labourer. He was the husband of Catherine Margaret Bance, (nee Webb) and they married on the 13th November 1915 in Platt, Kent.
George served with the 10th Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment, under command of 123rd Brigade, 41st Division. They served in Britain from 20th November 1915 to 2nd May 1916 then were part of the British Expeditionary Force, 3rd May 1916 to 7th August 1917. The battalion participated in the Battle of Fler-Courcellete (15-22 September 1916) when the 41st Division captured the village of Flers. (41st Division sustained 3000 casualties of the battle’s 29,376 total). They participated in the Battle of Le Transloy Ridges (Somme)(1 October-5 November 1916). At the The Battle of Messines (7-14 June 1917) they served under Under X Corps, which was composed of 41st, 47th, 23rd and 24th Brigades. They then fought in the Battle of Passchendaele / Third Battle of Ypres (31st July-10th November 1917). On the 31st July 1917 (First day of the Battle of Passchendale) George was wounded during the Battle of Pilckem Ridge, suffering multiple gun shot wounds. He returned to England on the 8th August 1917 and was in hospital until 19th November 1917. From the 5th October to 15th October 1917he was given leave from hospital. George was sent back overseas on 20th November 1917. The entire 41st Division moved by train to Mantua, Italy. They took up positions on the front line at the river Piave North-West of Treviso. In February they left Italy by train, departing from Campo San Piero, to concentrate near Doullens and Mondicourt. On the 22nd of February 1918, George was again wounded, suffering gun shot wounds, a compound fracture left femur, wounded in the face & forearm. He returned to England on the 6th of June 1918 and on the 23rd December 1918, discharged as "no longer physically fit for War Service" due to wounds and was issued Silver War (Wound) Badge number B70840. He was awarded a pension of 27/6 a week to be reviewed in 26 weeks, for 100% disability, gun shot wound to face, loss of eye, wounded thigh and forearm.
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Pte. Martin Joseph Conroy 10th Battalion Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) (d.21st Sep 1917) Pte. Martin Joseph Conroy of the 10th Battalion Queen's Own Royal West Kent Regiment (formerly 3647 Northumberland Fusiliers) enlisted in Walker.
Martin died on 21st September 1917 and has no known grave. He is remembered on the Tyne Cot Memorial and is commemorated on the Triptych in St. Paul's Church, Jarrow.
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Pte. William Kent 10th Btn. Royal West Kent Regiment (d.31st Jul 1917) Private William Kent, 205473, 10th Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, (formerly 315826, Northumberland Fusiliers) was killed in action, on the 31st of July 1917, age 37. He was born in Gateshead, Durham, enlisted in his home town. He was the husband of Louisa Kent, of 33, Waugh St., Gateshead, Durham. William is commemorated at Ypres on the Menin Gate.
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Pte. Reginald Howard Hills 10th Bn. Royal West Kent Regiment (d.8th June 1917) Reginald Hills is my Grandfather, who I only recently discovered whilst researching my family tree. From what I have found out he died of wounds received and was treated at the ADS in Proven near Popperingen before being buried at Mendinghem Cemetary.
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Pte. Herbert McKenzie 10th Btn. Royal West Surrey Regiment (d.8th Oct 1917) My Great-Grandfather Herbert McKenzie was born in Bury, Lancashire in 1885. He enlisted in the Cheshire Regiment 10th Battalion in 1916. He was transferred at some point to the 10th Queens' (Royal West Kents) and in October 1917 he was in the 118th Coy, Labour Corps.
He was killed by enemy artillery fire, south of Ypres on the 8th of Oct 1917 and is buried in Poperinghe New Military Cemetery.
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Pte. Frank David Chambers 10th Battalion, "C" Company Royal West Kent Regiment (d.7th Jun 1917) My great uncle Pte. Frank David Chambers was a 20 year-old dispatch rider (motorcycle messenger) who was lost in action with the exploding of the mines at Messines on the morning of June 7th. His name now appears on Panels 45/47 on the Menin Gate at Ypres.
All we have left to remember him by is the Army's letter of condolences sent to my great grandmother. Attached with a paper clip to the top of the letter is a single one penny stamp, which according to the text of the letter, is all that was left of my great Uncle David's army pay after his expenses had been paid.
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