ALDOCK, STEPHEN THOMAS, Private, No. 5050, The Queen’s Own (Royal West Kent Regt.), 2nd s. of Charles Henry Baldock, of 4, Woodland Villas, Pembury; b. Brenchley, co. Kent, 1891; educ. Lamberhurst; volunteered for active service, and enlisted in the Royal West Kent Regt. 20 Dec. 1914: served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders; was severely wounded in May, 1915, and invalided home; on recovery, proceeded to Mesopotamia in Feb. 1916, and was killed in action there 28 Oct. 1918. Buried where he fell; unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 5

Ashdown F Pte Royal West Kent Regiment

Source : The Vivid 1st May 1915

From Burham, Kent

Son Of David and Mary Ann Ashdown, of 11, Margetts Cottages, Wouldham, Rochester, Kent.

Killed In Action 25th September 1915

Walker E B 2nd Lt 1st Royal West Kent Regiment

Source : The British Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Walker E B 2nd Lt 1st Royal West Kent Regiment

WALKER, EDMUND BASIL, 2nd Lieut., 1st Battn. Royal West Kent Regt., 2nd 8. of the Rev. George Sherbrooke Walker, M.A., Rector of March, by his wife, Jessie Elizabeth, dau. of Edward Carter, of Hazelwood, Edgbaston; b. Birmingham, 8 Aug. 1888; educ. The Towers, Portinscale, Keswick; Sherborne School, and Emmanuel College, Cambridge, and soon after leaving college, went as a master to Sherborne Preparatory School. On 23 March, 1912, he was gazetted 2nd Lieut. to the Dorsetshire Regt. (Special Reserve), and after war broke out joined his regt. at the Front, afterwards transferring to the 1st Battn. Royal West Kents, and was given a commission in that regt. 2 Jan. 1915; took part in the heavy fighting for Hill 60, near Ypres, and was killed in action there, 18 April, 1915; unm.

He had been called upon to undertake the Senior Captain’s duty and he volunteered for the post of danger with the machine-guns on Hill 60, near Ypres. He was on the Hill all through the awful night of Saturday 17, when so many fell-with two officers under him, and in the early, morning just as day was breaking, their company was relieved. They had left the ridge of the hill, when with his usual devotion to duty he suddenly said to his fellow officer: “You go on-I’ll follow in a minute,” and turned back again, explaining that he wanted to make sure all was right for the relief company just coming to take their place. So he went back and in doing this, lost his own life, for he was shot dead. He was buried in the little military cemetery near Ypres.

Major Dunlop, officer in command of the Battn., wrote: “I found your son of great assistance to me, as he was not only devoid of fear, but was an exceptionally keen officer, and, I am sure, would have made a great name for himself had he survived. Anyone who knew him could not help admiring nim.” An officer, working with Lieut. Walker when he was killed, wrote: ” on all sides I heard mention of his bravery. He stood on the top of the hill, directing operations, and was actually handling the machine-gun at the time he was shot in the throat, and died instantly. He had volunteered for the post of danger.” Lieut. Walker was mentioned in F.M. Sir John (now Lord) French’s Despatch of 5 April, 1915. He was in the O.T.C. at both Sherborne and Cambridge, and after his two years of teaching, spent a year in promoting Boy Scout work, and was organising secretary to the Great Rally at Birmingham in 1913.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Vicat H J Lt 1st West Kent Regiment

Source : The Army And Navy Illustrated

Vicat H J Lt 1st Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment

VICAT, HORATIO JOHN, Lieut., 1st Battn. Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regt., eldest surviving s. of the late Horatio Nelson Vicat, of Sevenoaks, by his wife, Miriam Frances Kate (East Lodge, Sevenoaks), dau. of Henry Augustus Prevost Holland, of Quebec, Canada (grandson of Capt. Samuel Holland, R.A., A.D.C. to General at the capture of Quebec, and afterwards Surveyor General of Quebec and Director of Surveys in British North Americal) b. Melbourne, P. Quebec, Canada, 24 June, 1885; educ. Cheltenham College and the Royal Military College, Sandhurst; gazetted 2nd Lieut. Royal West Kents, 25 Jan. 1905, and promoted Lieut. 26 May, 1908; was seconded for service with the West African Frontier Force (Gold Coast Regt.), from Nov. 1910 to Oct. 1912; went to France with the Expeditionary Force, 21. Aug. 1914, and was killed in action near Missy, during the Battle of the Aisne, 13 Sept. 1914. He was in command of his company when they were forming advanced guard to the Brigade and he was leading his men down to make good a bridge-head which was held by the enemy when they opened fire with a machine-gun. and he was killed instantly. Buried 300 yards East-South-East of Missy Bridge on the south side of the river; unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Tuff C T Captain 1st Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment

Source : The Sphere 15th May 1915

Tuff C T Captain 1st Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment

TUFF, CECIL THOMAS, Capt., 3rd (Reserve), attd. 1st, Battn. The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regt., 3rd s. of Charles Tuff, of Westfield, Singlewell, near Gravesend, and Rochester, J.P., formerly M.P. for Rochester, by his wife, Marian, dau. of George William Gill; b. Rochester, 16 Aug. 1885; educ. Abbey School, Beckenham, and Malvern College ; obtained a commission in the Royal West Kent Militia in 1905; but resigned in or about 1911 rejoining as a Lieut. the day war was declared. He was gazetted Capt. to 3rd Royal West Kents, 26 Sept. 1914; went to France, 25 Nov. following, where he was attd. to the 1st Battn., and was killed in action at Hill 60, near Ypres, 15 April, 1915. Buried Hill 60; unm.

Source : De Ruvigny’s Roll Of Honour Vol 1

Bessell M Captain 10th Queens Royal West Surrey Regiment

CAPTAIN MOWBRAY BESSELL, The Queen’s (Royal West Surrey) Regiment, was born on 23 September 1876. He became a member of the Stock Exchange in 1902. A keen supporter of the Volunteer movement, he was for many years a captain in the 3rd Volunteer Battalion, Royal Fusiliers.

On the outbreak of war he applied for a commission and was gazetted Lieutenant in the East Surrey Regiment, being promoted Captain on 1 January 1915 and transferred to The Queen’s Regiment.

He was one of the many victims of the battle of the Somme, being killed in action on 15 September 1916 at Flers.

His Colonel wrote: “You know how much we all loved him, and personally I feel I have lost a real and dear friend; never was there a more loyal and hardworking officer. I can’t tell you what I and all the regiment owe him. He loved his Company and was always working for them, and it was through him that they were able to do what they did last Friday, and go through everything with the greatest dash and in a manner unsurpassed by any regiment in the British Army.”

Captain Bessell was married, and resided at Indian Farm, Effingham, Surrey.

Source : The Stock Exchange War Memorial 1914-1918

Abel James Edgar 2nd Lt

LATEAU WOOD, 20th November, 1917. For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. When his company commander became a casualty he assumed command at a critical period and worked his men forward to a strong point, whence the enemy were developing heavy machine-gun fire, and silenced them by concentrated rifle fire. His courage and fine leadership saved many casualties, and enabled the battalion to continue the advance.

Source : The Regimental Roll of Honour and War Record of the Artists’ Rifles