AVERY |
Harold |
G/7724,
Private, 7th Bn. QORWK Regiment. Harold was born in Deptford in
London, and the family moved to Kemsing in the late 1890’s where
Harold’s father Horace was the village butcher. He joined up in
1915 and was killed on 8th July 1917 at the age of 23. He is buried
in Dickebusch New Military Cemetery Extension at Ypres. |
BOAKES,
MM |
Thomas |
81084
Private 8th Bn Canadian Infantry (Manitoba Regt). Thomas was the
eldest of a large family which came to Kemsing in 1902 from London.
He emigrated to Canada in about 1908, but joined up in December
1914 and returned to England. He took part in many battles and
family stories relate that he was a sniper. He was wounded but
returned to the front line where he was wounded again and died
of his injuries in a casualty clearing stationed at the age of
25 on 30th April 1917. He is buried at Augibny Cemetery. He was
posthumously awarded the Military Medal. |
BENNETT |
George
Hicks |
Petty
Officer, Royal Navy. Born in Plymouth on 3rd February 1881, George
joined the Navy at the age of 12 following his Father’s footsteps
as he had been a Royal Navy gunner. George became a ship’s carpenter
and served through the First War being promoted to Petty Officer.
He was eventually transferred to HM Drifter Catspaw which sunk
on 31st December 1919. He was drowned along with the entire crew
and is buried in Kviberg Cemetery in Sweden. He left a wife and
three small children. |
DIMON |
Reginald
Pierce |
20415
Private 10th Bn. Yorkshire Regiment. Reginald was born in Kemsing
on 28th November 1895, the youngest son and one of 10 children.
He attended Kemsing School, and then worked as a gardener on a
local estate. He died at a casualty clearing station in Armentieres
on Wednesday January 26th 1916 and is buried in the Cite Bonjean
Military Cemetery. |
EATS |
Thomas
Charles |
[Also
listed as EATES] 44567 Private 11th Bn. Essex Regiment Thomas
was born in 1900 in Bedford. His Father was a blacksmith and the
family moved to Kemsing. However, his Father died, his mother
re-married and Thomas joined up. He was killed on 17th September
1918 and is buried in Trefcon British Cemetery, Caulaincourt. |
FENN |
Phillip
(born Philimon) |
481
Private 6th Bn. QORWK Regiment. Phillip was born in Streatley
on Thames in Berkshire in 1895. His father George was a Policeman,
and the family came to Kemsing when his Father retired and became
the first Steward of the Kemsing Working Men’s Club. He and his
brother George were amongst the first to join up. Phillip was
killed on 9th April 1918 during a time when the Regiment were
suffering a very heavy bombardment on the front line. He was 24
years old and is buried in Bouzincourt Cemty. on the Somme. |
GUNNER |
Charles
William |
19678
2/4th Bn. QORWK Regiment. Charlie Gunner was born in Seal in 1898
and attended Kemsing School where his name appears often in the
Headmaster’s comments!. He was desperate to join up and after
some trouble locally, became a soldier at the age of 18. He was
killed on 4th November 1917 during the battle to capture Beersheba
from the Turks. He is remembered on the memorial in the Beersheba
War Cemetery, Israel. He was just 19 when he died. |
HOLMDEN |
Thomas
James |
G
2207. Private 7th Bn. QORWK Regiment. Thomas was born on 3rd March
1883 and was part of a well known local family. He married Catherine
Austen Merton on 20th October 1909 and had a daughter Pearl. He
enlisted early, and was killed on 13th July 1916 aged 33, and
is buried in Delville Wood Cemetery. His wife re-married, became
Mrs Holcombe and moved from the village. |
LACEY |
Wilfred |
There
are two possible Wilfred Lacey’s on the CWGC Site and I have been
unable to confirm that he is either, however I believe he was
a Lieutenant with 59th Div. Ammunition Co. 59th TM Battery RFA.
If it is he, he was killed on 31st March 1918 and is remembered
on the Arras memorial. |
MORRISON |
George
Edward |
G/23138
Private 6th Bn. QORWK Regiment. George was born in 1898 and went
to Kemsing School. He was killed on 30th November 1917 at the
age of 19, leaving his parents and brothers including Charles
who served through the war and returned home safe. |
NYE |
Harry |
Private
28th Bn. Australian Infantry AIF Harry was born in Leigh, Tonbridge
in August 1888. After a brief period in the Kings Royal rifles,
he went with his Father to Australia in 1909. Harry and his Father
soon parted however, and he ended up working on a sheep station
in Gnowangerup in Western Australia. He worked on this station,
Jackadup, for some time and became part of the family, as in his
will, he left all his possessions to the station manager and his
wife Thomas and Annie Taylor. He joined up on 3rd October 1916
and left from Freemantle on 29th December 1916. He was wounded
in action on 29th September 1917, taken to a Canadian casualty
clearing station and died of his wounds the next day, 21st September
1917. He is buried in Lijssenthoeck Military Cemetary in Belgium.
He was 29. |
READ |
William
Thomas |
G/12355.
Private 1st Bn. QORWK Regiment. William was born in Kemsing on
28th April 1894 and went to Kemsing School. He was killed on 10th
February 1917 at the age of 23 and is remembered on the Loos Memorial |
RODEN |
Arthur |
127576
Gunner. 199th Siege Bty, Royal Garrison Artillery. Arthur was
born in Cheshire in 1885. In 1891 he lived with his parents John
and Fanny Roden at Cassia Green, Marton Road, Marton, Northwich,
Cheshire; his father, John was a groom. In 1911 he was single,
aged 25, born Sandiway, Cheshire. a Domestic Gardener, resident
in the Cottage Over Stables, Nunsmere, Sandiway, Cheshire, Marton,
Cheshire. He married a Kemsing girl, Ada Mary Waterman, on 17
April 1912 at St Mary the Virgin, Kemsing, and they had three
children Benjamin, Fanny and Ernie. He died in a casualty clearing
station on 29th December 1917 at the age of 32, and is buried
at Bucquoy Road Cemetary, Ficheux, Pas de Calais. See also Shelley
War memorial, Yorkshire |
SLADE |
Arthur |
424357
Private 28th Bn. Canadian Infantry (Saskatchewan Regiment) Arthur
was born in Kemsing on 22nd February 1888 He was working as a
labourer when he emigrated to Canada in about 1909 (did he go
with Thomas Boakes above?). He enlisted in the 45th Bn on March
9th 1915, returned to England for basic training and left for
France in March 1916, He was killed on 6th June 1916 during the
battle for Hooge. He was 28 years of age and is remembered on
the Menin Gate, having no known grave. |
SCOTT,
MM |
Arthur
Ernest |
G/23885
Private 6th Bn. QORWK Regiment. Baptised in Kemsing on 7th November
1897, the youngest of the 4 Scott brothers of Noahs Ark. He joined
up, was wounded and returned to France in December 1917, and was
awarded the Military Medal for gallantry in March 1918. Arthur
was killed on 7th September 1918 at the age of 20 and is remembered
in Peronne Communal Cemetery extension on the Somme, France. |
SCOTT |
Charles
William |
266397
Private 1st/1st Kent Cyclist Bn. Charles was the eldest of the
Scott brothers and was born in Kemsing in 1887. He went to India
with the 1st Kent Cyclist Bn. in 1916 and died of influenza on
11th November 1918, the day of the Armistice. One of their other
brothers William was also wounded but survived the War. |
SKINNER |
Herbert
George |
G/40846
Lance Corporal 16th Bn. Middlesex Regt. Born on 26th November
1878, Herbert worked a gardener. He was married to Ada Skinner
of Sevenoaks and was killed on 31st May 1917 at the age of 39,
the oldest of Kemsing’s WW1 dead. |
SWAISLAND |
Alfred |
M/225359
Private, 369th MT Cpy. RASC Alfred was born on 2nd August 1892
and was baptised in St. Mary’s on 2nd October 1892. He worked
as a Motor Driver and married Marion Elizabeth Beckley on 19th
April 1914. Alfred survived the War, but died on 18th February
1919 in an Army depot in Fulham of Influenza and Pneumonia. He
is buried in St. Mary’s Church graveyard, Kemsing. |
VAUGHAN |
Edward
John |
G/4138
Private 6th Bn. QORK Regiment Edward was born in Seal on 15th
August 1895, but baptised in St. Mary’s Church, Kemsing on 6th
October 1895. He attended Kemsing School and afterwards worked
in the gardens at Yaldham Manor. He enlisted early in the War
and was killed by a rifle grenade on 9th March 1916. He has no
known grave but is remembered on the Loos Memorial. He was 20
when he died. |
WINTER |
William
Owen Jarvis |
Z/2857
Able Seaman Drake Bn RN Division RNVR Was born in 1890 and was
a sailor in the Royal Navy prior to WW1. He was called from the
reserve in 1914, but as the beginning of the war the Government
had far too many sailors (between 20,000 and 80,000) William,
like many others, became a part of the army, the 63rd Royal Naval
Division. William died of wounds on 7th February 1917 at the age
of 26. He has no known grave but is remembered on the Thiepval
Memorial. |
1939-1945 |
During
World War 2, 300 men, and women, went into the services from the
village.
Of these 20 men and 1 woman did not return. |
BALDWIN |
Phillip
Andrew |
Private
6347218, 7th Bn QORWK Regiment. Phillip was born on 3rd December
1918 in Kemsing and attended Kemsing School. After leaving school,
he worked at Kemsing Brickworks. He was called up on 30th October
1939, and with many other members of his Regiment was captured
at Dunkirk. He was a Prisoner of War in Poland, in Stalag XXA
at Thorun(which was not actually a camp, but a series of work
places ranging from farms to factories). Although his exact fate
is not known, he died on 18th February 1945 on the long march.
He has no known grave and is remembered on the Dunkirk Memorial. |
BUSHELL,
DSM |
Stephen
Henry |
Chief
Petty Officer C/216859 HMS Pembroke Stephen Bushell was born oat
Stourmouth Nr Canterbury on 9th September 1885. At the age of
13 he contracted diphtheria and a Doctor suggested that he join
the Boys Naval Service. This he did, and served through the First
War and was injured, and awarded the DSM. In 1918 he married Gertrude
Bush and after leaving the navy he had many jobs and the family
moved a great deal. However, they settled in Kemsing in 1934 where
Mr Bushell became the school caretaker. Stephen was called up
from the Reserve in 1939, and travelled all over the UK as a Chief
Director Gun Layer. He was killed during an air raid on Hull on7th
May 1941 with 7 other Navy men. He is buried in Hull Northern
Cemetery. He was the oldest of Kemsing’s war dead, being 55 when
he was killed. |
BUTLER |
Henry
George |
6346387
Corporal 6th Bn. QORWK Regiment Henry Butler was called up in
August 1939, and married Elsie in April 1941. He was killed on
1st August 1943 during the attack on Centuripe in Sicily when
43 men incl. a major were killed. He is remembered in Catania
War Cemetery. |
CHITTY |
Thomas
Joseph |
P?JX
51556 HMS Collingwood Thomas was born on 27th August 1928, the
eldest of 7 children. Thomas’ family came to Kemsing from London
in 1940. He volunteered for service in 1943 and was killed in
an accident whilst loading munitions on 18th June 1943. He was
just 17 years of age and had been in the Navy for only a few weeks.
He is buried in Haslar Naval Cemetary. |
DAVIDSON |
James
Edward |
6347484
Private 4th Bn QORWK Regiment Jimmy Davidson was born in 1920
and attended Kemsing School. He was called up in November 1939
and was killed during the night of 3rd September 1942 when the
Company were involved with fierce fighting with the Italians at
Alam Haifa. He was 22 when he was killed and is remembered on
the Alamein Memorial, having no known grave. |
HADOW |
John
Maude |
122121,
Flying Officer, 137 Sqn. RAFVR John Hadow was born in 1923, the
younger son of Lt. Col. Arthur Hadow CMG, a first war veteran.
John was taught to shoot by his Father and became a good shot.
After Repton, he volunteered for the RAF in June 1941, and eventually
found himself flying Westland Whirlwind aircraft. He was killed
at Manston on 15th April 1943, practising dive bombing. He is
buried in Margate Cemetery. He was 20 when he died. |
HODGES |
Colin |
1892520
Driver, 265 Field Park Co. R.E. Colin was born on 23rd March 1919
and baptised in St. Mary’s Church. The fourth of five brothers,
he attended Kemsing School and was called up in October 1939.
He was killed on 19th May 1940 during fighting to retain the crossing
of the Somme. He is buried in Abbeville Communal Cemetery, Somme. |
HOVER |
Charles
William |
C/SSX
32773 Able Seaman HMS Arethusa Charles was born in 1920 and was
called up in 1939. He was killed when his ship was attacked when
on convoy duty in the Mediterranean between Cyrenaica and Crete.
Approx 156 men of the ships company of 500 were killed and buried
at sea. He is remembered on Chatham Naval Memorial. |
IMESON |
William
John |
P/KX
119417 Stoker 1st class HMS Brocklesby William Imeson came to
Kemsing with his wife Lillian at the outbreak of war from Lee,
S. London. He died of TB on 26th May 1944 at the age of 39 and
is buried in Lewisham Cemetery |
KENTISH |
Barbara |
K/200
FANY Womens Territorial Services (East Africa) Barbara Kentish
was born on 11th March 1913 and worked as a School Secretary in
Enfield after leaving finishing school at Lucerne Switzerland
in 1931.At the outbreak of war she was visiting relations in E.
Africa and could not return home. She volunteered for the FANY’s
and in 1944 asked to be transferred for a draft to the East. She
was killed when the ship on which she was travelling, the Khedive
Ismael, was sunk off the Maldives on 12th February 1944 with great
loss of life. She is remembered on the East African Memorial in
Kenya and on the FANY memorial in St. Paul’s Church, Wilton Place,
London SW1. |
LEACH |
Gerald
Charles Sommerville |
1165301
Sergeant Pilot RAFVR Gerald Leach volunteered for service in June
1940. By mid 1940, he was the Captain of a Wellington bomber,
a member of 148 Sqn. His aircraft disappeared during a raid on
Benghazi on 31st August 1941 and, as far as we know, his aircraft
has never been discovered. He is remembered on the Alamein Memorial |
MANKTELOW |
George
William Phillip |
1918270,
Sapper 59th Field Company RE George was born on 1st October 1915
and baptised in St. Mary’s on 17th November 1915. He worked as
a bricklayer, married Dora, moved in Godalming and had 2 sons.
He had served in Iceland for 18 months before going to Italy where
he was wounded. He met his brother Donald in Italy on the day
before he was killed on 15th September 1944 aged 29. He is remembered
on the Cassino memorial. |
NEWMAN |
Frederick
Edward |
C/J
97280, Able Seaman, HMS Zinnia Fred Newman was born on 15th March
1904 in Battersea, and joined the Navy on 14th May 1920 at the
age of 16. He married Dorothy Hodges of Kemsing on 28th August
1929. They settled in Kemsing and went on to have 3 children.
He was called up from the reserve and died when his ship was torpedoed
by a German U boat whilst escorting a convoy of ships bound for
Malta on 23rd August 1941. He is remembered on Chatham Naval Meml. |
SATURLEY |
Leonard |
5507284
Private 1/4th Bn Hampshire Reg. Leonard was born on 20th February
1920 and attended Kemsing School. He was a keen footballer and
was employed at Sevenoaks Waterworks. He was called up in June
1940 and was killed by a shrapnel splinter on March 10th 1943
in N. Africa. He is buried in Medjez-el-Bab War Cemetery in Tunisia. |
SHELL |
Benjamin
Cullen |
6352671
Private 4th Bn QORWK Regiment Benny Shell came to Kemsing with
his family in 1940 to escape the bombing in London. He joined
up on 29th September 1940 and saw action in N. Africa. He was
killed in the battle for Cactus Farm during the liberation of
Tunis on 6th May 1943 and is also buried in Medjez-el-Bab War
Cemetery in Tunisia. |
THOMPSON |
William
Henry John |
6088832
Corporal 1/7th Bn Queens Royal Regiment, West Surreys His Mother
moved to Kemsing in 1939 and William married Annette in July 1942.
He was killed on Friday 23rd October 1942 at El. Alamein. He is
buried in the El Alamein Cemetery. He was 25 when he died. |
TURTLE,
DFC |
Reginald
William Arthur |
40866
Flight Lieutenant 214 Sqn. RAF Arthur Turtle was born on May 14th
1916. His Father was a Doctor in London. Arthur joined the RAF
on a short service commission in 1938 and married Brenda in 1939.
He was killed when his plane was shot down on a night raid to
Emden on 6th June 1942. His body was washed ashore at Schiermonnikoog
one of the Friesian Islands in the Netherlands, and he is buried
there. |
WAGHORN |
Frederick
John |
6340932
Private 1st Bn QORWK Regiment Was the husband of Ivy and had children.
He was an embodied territorial, called up on 3rd September 1939.
He was killed on Friday 30th April 1943 at the age of 37 during
the final drive to capture Tunis. He is remembered in Massicault
War Cemetery in Tunisia |
WEBSTER |
Maurice |
6399818
Private 2nd Bn Royal Sussex Reg. I know very little about Maurice
Webster’s life, but more about his death. He was captured in Belgium
on 14th June 1940 and sent to Stalag XXA at Thorun. On 20th September
1941, he was detailed to agricultural work, had a dispute with
a guard and was shot. He is buried at Malbork commonwealth War
Cemetary, Poland |
WOODGATE |
Cyril
William Thomas |
P/JX
392506 Able Seaman, SS Fort Athabaska Cyril Woodgate was born
on 18th August 1924 at Brockham in Surrey. He joined the Navy
on 27th September 1942. He trained in Phwelli, N. Wales, during
which time his family moved to Kemsing to be with his grandparents.
On 2nd December 1943 the Fort Athabaska was in the docks at Bari
loaded and ready for departure carrying 76 tons of cargo, mail
and 2 captured German 1000 rocket bombs. The ship next to it blew
up, and despite the crews’ heroic efforts, the 2 German bombs
exploded killing 46 men out of her complement of 56. Cyril was
19 when he died and is remembered on Portsmouth Naval Memorial |