Name
Richard Charley Kentish
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
14/04/1918
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
28258
Somerset Light Infantry
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL
Panel 3
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
St Thomas' Church Memorial, West Hyde
Pre War
Richard was born in 1898 in Harefield. His father, George, already had two children, William and Selina Anne, from his first marriage to Selina Higgs who died in 1885. Selina (Annie) married Thomas George Waller in 1893 and their son Thomas George was born in 1895.
George Kentish married Mary Ann Humphries in 1888. In 1901 Richard, aged 2, lived with his parents, his brother George (12) and his half-cousin Thomas George Waller (5) at Copper Mill, Harefield. George senior worked as a joiner but by 1911 he was the publican (aged 65) of the Dumb Bell pub at Horn Hill, West Hyde. Richard (12), David (22) and Thomas Waller (15) lived there too. George senior died in 1917 aged 73.
Recorded as enlisting in High Wycombe, Bucks.
Wartime Service
Private Richard Kentish’s battalion formed part of the 11th Brigade in the 4th Division.
At the beginning of 1918 they were deployed north of the river Scarpe defending the line east of Arras, France. Then on 12 April the battalion was moved to Flanders to counter the German Spring Offensive there. On 14 April they attacked the village of Riez-du-Vinage near the Canal d’Aire. The attack was successful, inflicting heavy casualties on the Germans, but the battalion’s casualties were 5 officers and 210 other ranks. Richard was killed in action.
After his death the army paid his mother Mary Kentish £9 4s 8d, including a war gratuity of £4, and his sister Mrs Annie Waller £5 4s 7d.
Richard’s brother David Charles Kentish died on 26th July 1916. His half-cousin Thomas Waller died on 28 March 1918.
Additional Information
Richard was the brother of David Kentish who also died and is commemorated on the West Hyde memorial.
Acknowledgments
P Szelewski, Mike Collins
