Name
Kenneth Seymour Boyd
1891
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
30/06/1915
24
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Lance Corporal
659
Honourable Artillery Company
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
BRANDHOEK MILITARY CEMETERY
I. C. 14.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
"THE GIFT OF GOD IS ETERNAL LIFE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD ROMANS 6.23."
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Broxbourne memorials*1
Pre War
Kenneth Seymor BOYD was born in Broxbourne, Hertfordshire,
in April 1891, son of Alexander Gaulle Boyd a Manchester Warehouseman and
Charlotte Christian Boyd (nee Faraker). One of twelve children although two
died in childhood.
1901 Census records Kenneth aged 9, living with his retired
father and mother, four brothers, two sisters, Helen (12) and Ethel (9) at “Stronsay”
Kirkley Cliff Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk. The family had five Domestic Servants,
two Housemaids, a Nurse, Parlourmaid and a Cook.
1911 Census records Kenneth aged 19, living with two of his
brothers, Douglas (26) and Hubert/Herbert (21), at 35 Mount Pleasant Lane,
Upper Clapton, London. All three brother are recorded as Wholesale
Warehousemen, Dougles and Kenneth are Salesmen and Hubert a Clerk. HIs parents,
brothers Stanley (29), Angus (14), siters Helen (22) and Ethal (16) are now
living at “Stronsay” Kirkley Cliff Road, Lowestoft, Suffolk
On 24th July 1911 Kenneth travelled to Armoury House, City Road, London, (The HQ of the Honourable Artillery Company) to enlisted in the 1st Battalion, Honourable Artillery Company, Territorial Force, for four years, issued with service number 659. He attended annual training camps in 1912
Wartime Service
He was mobilized for war service on 5th August
1914, appointed Lance Corporal on 7th November 1914, he sailed from
Southampton, on 29th December 1914, arriving at Le Havre, France, the
following day the 30th. Seeing action on the Western Front, he was
Killed in Action on 30th June 1915, aged 24. He is buried in
Brandhoek Military Cemetery, Ypres, Belgium. Grave Ref: I. C. 14.
Additional Information
His effects of £9-13-08, pay owing and his war gratuity of £3, went to his father Alezander Boyd.
His older brother Driver 22644 Douglas Graham Boyd of the
RFC/RAF survived the war.
Their elder brother Private 2225 Stuart Augustine Boyd of
the Australian Machine Gun Corps was Killed in Action on 5th May
1917, aged 33. He is commemorated on the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial in France.
*1 Both Kenneth and his brother Stuart are also commemorated
on their siblings’ headstone in Broxbourne (St. Augustine) Churchyard. Their
part of inscription reads:
“. . . IN EVER LOVING MEMORY OF THE TWO SOLDIER SONS OF THE
ABOVE (Alexander & Charlotte Boyd) CALLED TO HIGHER SERVICE FROM THE
BATTLEFIELDS OF FRANCE. KENNETH SEYMOUR BOYD ON JUNE 30TH 1915, AGED 24. STUART
AUGUSTINE BOYD ON MAY 5TH 1917, AGED 33. PSALM. XXI. 4.
Acknowledgments
Stuart Osborne
Jonty Wild
