Name
Reuben Kenway
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
03/06/1917
23
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Rifleman
322445
London Regiment (City of London Rifles) *1
2nd/6th Bn. *1
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
ARRAS MEMORIAL
Bay 9 and 10.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Standon War Memorial, St Mary’s Church Memorial, Standon, Puckeridge Memorial Plaque, Standon Village Hall, Standon
Biography
Reuben Kenway was a Rifleman No. 322445 with the London Regiment (City of London Rifles) 2nd/6th Battalion.
He died of wounds on 3rd June 1917 aged 23 years and is commemorated at the Arras Memorial, Panel Ref. Bay 9 & 10.
Reuben was the son of Sarah Jane Kenway. He was born 2nd February 1894 at the Queen Charlotte Lying In hospital, which was for ‘married women or single women for their 1st child only’. He was baptised six days later in Marylebone, with no father’s name given. At that time Sarah, aged 33, was living with her parents in the Dalston area of Hackney where Benjamin Kenway was a police constable. On the 1891 census Sarah and her mother, Mary are described as dressmakers. Between 1891 and 1901 the family moved to Standon, perhaps when Benjamin retired from the police, and they lived at 2 Lindsey Terrace, Stortford Road. The family had their origins in Bridport in Dorset, moving to the London area between 1871 and 1881.
The Standon parish magazine for 1901 shows that Reuben was awarded a prize for good conduct at school. Perhaps as the grandson of an ex-policeman, nothing less would have been acceptable.
In 1916 he enlisted in the Army in Hackney, where he was working for a ‘provision establishment’ as mentioned in the article dated 16th June 1917 from Herts and Essex Observer quoted below. As there was another Kenway family living in Dalston, also originating from Bridport, it may be assumed he was living with a relative whilst working in that area.
The newspaper article tells the next part of his story:
"Standon - Death of Pte. Reuben Kenway
The toll of death in this Great War continues to wax larger in the village of young men in the prime of adolescence who have died nobly fighting for their country, and there is deep regret and sympathy for the bereaved ones. On Sunday morning the mother of Pte. Reuben Kenway received the following letter from his Company Officer, written on the 6th inst.: “I deeply regret having to inform you that your son Reuben Kenway died of wounds received in action. He was hit in the head and chest by a shell and only lived a few hours. I am glad to say he suffered no pain. His death is a loss to us all. With much sympathy.” Prior to joining the City of London Regiment in February, 1916, the deceased was in a large provision establishment at Dalston. He went to the front in January of the present year and the next month, on his birthday, went in the trenches. He sent a bright letter home on May 29th, and the following day a field card stating he was all right. A few days later he had fallen at the early age of 23, so giving his life for England’s cause of justice and right."
Reuben’s battalion went to France in January 1917 and formed part of the 58th Division. They were at the front from 8th February onward. His Division took part in the pursuit of the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line (17th – 28th March), The Battle of Bullecourt (4th – 17th May) and the flanking operations of the Hindenburg Line (20th May – 16th June) which was probably the action in which he was killed.
Additional Information
*1 Probably more correctly (City of London) Bn. London Regiment (Rifles).
Acknowledgments
Di Vanderson, Jonty Wild
