Name
Jack Kingsley
1895
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
18/10/1917
22
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
20782
Bedfordshire Regiment
7th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 48 to 50 and 162A.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
NA
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin, Not on the St Ippolyts memorial
Pre War
Jack was born in 1895 in St Ippolyts, nr Hitchin and his parents were Richard and Julia Eliza Kingsley(*1) (also née Kingsley – her father was James Kingsley) they married on 15 June 1885 at St Luke’s Church, West Holloway: Penn Road, Islington, Middlesex where Richard was living at the time
In 1901 the family were living at Pound Farm, St Ippolyts, nr Hitchin. Present were both parents: Richard (40) and Julia (44), with Richars a sheep and cattle dealer and employer. Their children were: Herbert (15), Julia E (14), Frank (6), Jack (5) and Violet M (2). William Kingsley (23) a stepbrother was also present.
By 1911 the family were living at 85 Walsworth Rd, Hitchin. Of Jack’s parents only Julia was present and notes as a widow and living off private means. The census recorded they had been married for 25 years with 8 children, of whom 2 had died. Of the children only Julia, Jack and Violet were still present, with Jack, 15, and still at school.
Exactly when Richard died in unclear as there are two local records for that name and both of a similar age. One died late in 1909 and the other in 1911.
Officially he was recorded as born in Hitchin, Herts. (actually St Ippolyts) and living in Hitchin when he enlisted in Bedford.
Wartime Service
He enlisted in March 1915 and went to France in February 1917 and was posted to the Western Front. He joined the 7th Battalion of the Bedfords with the Regimental Number 20782.
He fought at Loos, on the Somme and at Ypres. He was reported missing on 18 October 1917 after an engagement on Passchendaele Ridge, and in July 1918 was presumed killed on or since 18 October 1917.
His death occurred a few days after the capture of Poelcappelle. The 7°' Battalion was in reserve at the time being part of the 54th Brigade in the 18 Division.
On the 18th October 1917 the 7th Bedfords were at the canal bank north of Ypres and moved up the line to relieve the Royal Fusiliers. They had moved up from Tunnelling Camp near Sint-Jan-Ter-Biezen just west of Poperinghe. On their way to the line they stopped at Hurst Park to rest and wait for darkness to fall. The mud was bad and there were few duckboards. Gas shelling was severe. The line consisted of shell holes filled with water into which men could disappear.
The local papers reported on January 1918 that after the reports that he was missing, his friends have been unable to obtain any news and it was not until August 1918 that it was now being presumed that he had been killed. It was reported then that a ‘manuscript’ had been send addressed to the ‘late’ Mrs Kingsley – so but then she too had died – it read: “that the deceased served so long under me and was so well known to me that I hope I may be allowed to express to you my sincere sympathy in in the sad loss you have sustained. No son died a gallant death, giving his life in the cause of his country.”
Then family clearly accepted that he was dead as they placed and ‘In Memoriam’ notice in the Herts Express paper dated 19 October 1918.
He has no known grave and is remembered on Panels 48-50 and 162A of the Tyne Cot Memorial to the Missing in Belgium.
Additional Information
After his death his pay owing was divided amongst his siblings on 2 November 1918, with 13s 7d each going to Herbert and Dorothy and 13s 6d to Julia, Violet and the same amount to Frank on 17 September 1919. Later, a war gratuity of £10 10s was authorised to be paid to Julia on 17 December 1919.
His pension cards record Miss Violet Maud Kingsley as his sister and dependant, living at 8 Bearton Road, Hicthin. She was awarded a gratuity of £30 6s 8d on 6 June 1918, but apparently no pension.
The initial information concerning his being missing originally came to his sister.
His brother Frank had enlisted about the same time as Jack and as of August 1918 was in Egypt.
*1 We believe that the CWGC information is incorrect and that his parent were Richard and Julia not Rich and Elizabeth. The evidenced by the siblings listed in Jack’s Soldiers’ Effect records and the corresponding information in the various census.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
