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11th (Lewisham) Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment
11th (Lewisham) Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment was raised at Lewisham on the 5th of May 1915 by the Mayor and a local committee. They trained at Catford and joined 118th Brigade, 39th Division in July. In in October they transferred to 122nd Brigade, 41st Division. They moved to Aldershot for final training in January 1916 and proceeded to France on the 3rd of May, and 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 they were summoned back to France and departed from Campo San Piero, travelling by train to concentrate near Doullens and Mondicourt. On the 16th of March 1918 the 11th Kents were disbanded in France with troops transferring to other units.
30th September 1915 Entraining
16th Oct 1915 The Derby Scheme
16th October 1915 Reorganisation
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
3rd May 1916 On the Move
4th May 1916 On the Move
5th May 1916 On the Move
5th May 1916 On the March 
7th May 1916 Demonstration
8th May 1916 Concentration
8th May 1916 Inspection
9th May 1916 Orders
9th May 1916 On the March
10th May 1916 Orders
10th May 1916 Instruction
11th May 1916 Preparations
11th May 1916 Instruction
12th May 1916 School of Instruction
12th May 1916 Instruction
13th May 1916 Postponement
13th May 1916 Instruction
14th May 1916 Trench Raid
14th May 1916 Instruction
15th May 1916 Instruction
17th May 1916 Gas Alert
17th May 1916 Route March
18th May 1916 Orders
18th May 1916 Test Alarm
19th May 1916 Gas Alert
21st May 1916 Instruction
22nd May 1916 Instruction
23rd May 1916 Instruction
27th May 1916 Gas Alert
28th May 1916 On the March
29th May 1916 Reliefs
30th May 1916 Quiet
31st May 1916 Quiet
1st Jun 1916 Observation Balloon
2nd Jun 1916 Quiet
3rd Jun 1916 Quiet
4th Jun 1916 Reliefs
10th Jun 1916 Working Parties
11th Jun 1916 Reliefs
12th Jun 1916 Quiet
13th Jun 1916 Quiet
14th Jun 1916 Quiet
15th Jun 1916 Quiet
16th Jun 1916 Gas Alert
17th Jun 1916 Gas Alert
18th Jun 1916 Gas Alert
21st Jun 1916 Working Parties
22nd Jun 1916 Gas Alert
23rd Jun 1916 Working Parties
24th Jun 1916 Reliefs
25th Jun 1916 Holding the Line
26th Jun 1916 Quiet
27th Jun 1916 Quiet
28th Jun 1916 Quiet
29th Jun 1916 Quiet
30th Jun 1916 Trench Raid
13th Sep 1916 Instructions
14th Sep 1916 Reliefs
14th Sep 1916 Instructions
15th Sep 1916 Orders
19th Sep 1916 Reorganisation
28th October 1916 Reliefs
2nd November 1916 Reliefs
8th November 1916 Quiet
15th November 1916 Reliefs
22nd November 1916 Reliefs
27th November 1916 Reliefs
2nd December 1916 Relief Completed
8th December 1916 Reliefs
11th December 1916 Camoflet
21st December 1916 Inspection
28th December 1916 Reliefs
2nd January 1917 Reliefs
7th January 1917 Reliefs
14th January 1917 Reliefs
16th February 1917 Reliefs
21st January 1917 In Reserve billets
27th January 1917 Reliefs
2nd February 1917 Reliefs
9th February 1917 Trenches
21st February 1917 In the Trenches
4th March 1917 Reliefs
10th March 1917 Reliefs
16th March 1917 Quiet
22nd March 1917 Relief
24th March 1917 Trench Raids
4th April 1917 Reliefs
9th April 1917 Washing and rubbing of men's feet prior to moving in to the line.
If you can provide any additional information, please add it here.
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| Want to know more about 11th (Lewisham) Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment? There are:5326 items tagged 11th (Lewisham) 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 with11th (Lewisham) Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment during the Great War 1914-1918. - Ames Ernest Thomas. Pte. (d.7th Jun 1917)
- Anstiss Harry Sidney Augustus. Pte. (d.15th Sep 1916)
- Anstss Harry Sidney Augustus. Pte. (d.15th Sept 1916)
- Davison Aylmer Allsworth. Pte. (d.25th June 1918)
- Day Lionel Henry. Pte
- Drewett William James. Pte. (d.10th April 1917)
- Duffy Frank. Cpl (d.21st Sept 1917)
- Gee George William . Pte. (d.7th October 1916)
- Griffiths Victor Ernest. Sgt. (d.25th Aug 1918)
- Morley MC Arthur Victor Donald.
- Norton MM. Horace John. Pte. (d.20th Sept 1917)
- Norton MM. Horace John. Pte. (d.20th Sep 1917)
- Pashley William Stanley. Cpl. (d.7th Oct 1916)
- Semper Edward. Pte.
- Smith William Alfred. Pte.
- Taylor Thomas William. Pte. (d.7th Oct 1916)
- Tullett Henry William. Pte. (d.15th Sep 1916)
- Walford Charles. Pte (d.15th Sep 1916)
- Williamson Frederick Albert. Pte. (d.26th March 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 11th (Lewisham) Battalion, Royal West Kent Regiment from other sources.
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Pte Charles Walford 11th Btn. B Voy. Royal West Kents (d.15th Sep 1916) Charles Walford served with the 11th Btn. Royal West Kents and was killed on 15th September 1916.
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Pte. William Alfred Smith 11th (Lewisham) Btn. West Kent Regiment William Smith is my grandfather, who died in 1965.
I did not know until recent research revealed that he served in WW1.
He was wounded at the Somme, but I am still researching more details.
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Cpl Frank Duffy 11th Btn Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) (d.21st Sept 1917) I am trying to find all I can about my grand father Frank Duffy who died when my mother was only three so obviously I never saw him. My grandmother remarried but never spoke of Frank. I have no photos of him
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Pte. George William Gee 11th Btn. Royal West Kent Regiment (d.7th October 1916) Private George William Gee, born in Ampthill, Bedfordshire and enlisted in Bedford. Served with the 11th Battalion, Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment (service no.G18345). He was killed in action on 7th October 1916 in France and Flanders and is buried in Warlencourt British Cemetery, France. He is remembered on both The War Memorial and The Alamada, St. Andrews Church, Ampthill. Information courtesy of www.roll-of-honour.com
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Pte. Edward Semper 11th Btn. Royal West Kent Regiment Edward Semper was shot in the arm on the 7th of June 1917, transferred to a hospital ship on 11th June.
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Pte. Horace John Norton MM. 11th Btn., D Coy. Royal West Kent Regiment (d.20th Sep 1917)  Horace Norton, known as Jack to his family, was born in Ashford in Kent. His father was George Christopher Norton and his mother was Annie Norton. He had older siblings at the time of enlistment, Charles James Norton (32), Alice Elizabeth Page (30), Fredrick George Norton (28) and Albert Edward Norton (26)
He enlisted in the Royal East Kent Mounted Rifles on 5th of June 1915 at Canterbury in Kent. He was transferred to the 11th Battalion Royal West Kent Regiment 11th October 1916 where he was employed as a runner. He was killed on 20th September 1917.
This is a letter sent to the family on Jack's death:
11th Service Battalion, Royal West Kent Regt
Nov 12th 1917
Mr F. G Norton, 5 Sydney Street, South Ashford, Kent
Dear Sir, in reply to your letter of the 4th instant, reflecting your brother, No 18472 Pte H J Norton I very much regret to have to confirm the news already received by you by the chaplain of the 14th Hampshire regt. Your brother went into action with his battalion on the 20-09-17 and after the battalion was relieved was reported missing. Some days afterwards his pay book and other effects taken from his body were received from the 14th Hampshire Regt. These have been sent to the base and you will receive them in due course. Please accept our deepest sympathy.
Yours Faithfully
R. O. Russell, Lieut A Adjt, 11th Batt RWKR
Page 2 (the other side of the paper in pencil)
Your Brother came to France with me from the E. K. M. R. he has done some very gallant work. I find the last time he was seen alive by any one of the Battalion was on Sept 22nd when he left Brigade. H. 2 to return to his Company. He must have been killed by shell fire on his way back. I am more than sorry as he was invincible cheerful & brave beyond words you have my deepest sympathy in your loss
John C Beadle L Col, Comd 11th RWKR"
He was also mentioned in a book: The History of the 11th (Lewisham) Battalion, The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment, written by Captain R O Russell, MC.
Prominent other ranks Page 124 excerpt reads:
"Other runners who deserved a mention were Ptes. H. J. Norton, H. Packman and P. Taylor. Only those who have done duty as runners can conceive what it means to carry messages continuously to and fro across a shell torn, bullet-swept, wastes between company and companyor back to Battalion or Brigade Headquarters. Sergt. Major Johnson, to whose splendid training we chiefly owe the wonderful efficiency of our runners, used to greet the newcomers to his class with "So you're going to be a runner are you?" "Yes Sir." "Oh! Why? Do you think you want a cushy time?" "I Don't Know, Sir." "Well take it from me, theres one of three things a runner is sure of in this war; do you know what they are?" "No Sir," very meekly. "The most likely is an R.I.P., the next a blighty, and the others a decoration. And another thing you can get into your head is this: a runner can count on getting no rest, he'll find himself on duty all the time!"
How many runners discovered the truth in those words."
Others Who displayed Fine Qualities, Page 147 1st 2 paragraphs, excerpt reads: "Those respecting Pte. H. J. Norton are perhaps the fullest. A D Company Runner, quite a boy, it was not long before he found he was the only one left to carry messages, the sole means of communication between his Company and Battalion Headquarters. He made repeated journeys to and fro (and as they had to be done over the top he was in full view of the enemy all the time) keeping going until the end of the tour. When he went back and guided up the incoming unit.
Incidentally, one may mention here, Norton had promised to get his C.Q.M.S. a souvenir on the 14th June and he kept his word, bringing back a very fine pair of field glasses. He had joined us at Ribemont with the yeomen and showed exeptional bravery on all occasions, until he was killed in the attack on Tower Hamlets."
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Pte. Aylmer Allsworth Davison 1/28th (Artists Rifles) Btn. London Regiment (d.25th June 1918) Aylmer A. Davison was my maternal grandfather. He was the son of Robert & Frances, born Rainham, Kent 1890. Brother to Eliza (b 1882) & George (b 1885). Husband of Ethel Alice (nee Conley). Father of Kathleen, Edith (later West).
Aylmer enlisted at Newington, 1917, aged 26. He was originally posted to 11th (Lewisham) Batn, Royal West Kent Reg, Private G/25239. He served in France then Italy. On 16th March 1917 Batn was disbanded and Aylmer was reposted Private S/48484 1/28th Batn London Reg (Artists Rifles).
He was killed, or died of wounds on 25th June 1918, aged 27, at Albert, France. He is buried in Mailly-Maillet Cemetery, Picardy.
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Pte. Thomas William Taylor 11th(Lewisham)Btn. Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment (d.7th Oct 1916) Update - At the time of his death, his Battalion were part of the 41st Division and engaged in the latter stages of the Battle of the Somme.
He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, Pier and Face 11C.
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Pte. Henry William Tullett 11th Btn. Royal West Kent Regiment (d.15th Sep 1916) Henry Tullett was my Grandfather who joined up in 1915 at Lewisham and went to France. In May 1916 he was killed at the assault on Fleurs on the 15th of September 1916.
He is now buried at Thiepval Cemetery, he left behind a wife and 2 sons
Henry and George who he never saw.
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Pte. Harry Sidney Augustus Anstss 11th Battalion oyal Kent Regiment (d.15th Sept 1916) Pte. Harry Anstss served with the Royal West Kent Regiment 11th Battalion Lewisham, after volunteering in 1915. Soon after going to the front he was killed in action on 15th September 1915. His body was never found.
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Pte. Harry Sidney Augustus Anstiss 11th Btn. Queen's Own Royal Kent West Regiment (d.15th Sep 1916) Private Harry Anstiss was born around 1898 in Greenwich London. Son of Harry and Annie Anstiss. Annie originally from Cambridgeshire
1901 Census shows Harry living with parents at in Greenwich with:
Harry (father) 30 Signal Fitter, Annie (mother) 27, Nellie 6, Daisy 4, Harry 3, Mabel 8 mths.
1911 Census shows Harry living with his family at 49,Chalderick Road, New Cross:
Harry (father)37, Annie (mother)35, Nellie 16, Daisy 14, Harry 13, Mable 11, Sidney 9, Albert 7, Christopher 5, Agnes 3.
Harry was killed in action on 15th September 1916.
I have no photos of my Uncle who died in 1916 listed as missing, there must be a photo somewhere.
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