Name
David George Kentish
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
26/07/1916
28
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
4733
Royal Warwickshire Regiment
1st/8th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 9A, 9B and 10B
France
UK & Other Memorials
St. Thomas’ Church Memorial, West Hyde
Pre War
David George Kentish was born on 27th October 1888 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 1891 David George, aged 2, lived with his parents at Canalside, Harefield. George worked as a carpenter. In 1901 the family was still living by the canal at Copper Mill, Harefield including his brother Richard (2) and half-cousin Thomas George Waller (5). In 1911 George senior was the publican (aged 65) of the Dumb Bell pub at Horn Hill, West Hyde. David George (22), Richard (12), and Thomas Waller (15) lived there too. David George worked as a domestic gardener. George senior died in 1917 aged 73.
Recorded as enlisting in Watford.
Wartime Service
Private David George Kentish served in the 1st/8th territorial battalion Royal Warwickshire regiment.
The battalion formed part of the 143rd (Warwickshire) Brigade and the 48th (South Midland) Division. During the 1916 Battle of the Somme the Warwickshire Brigade captured Ovillers-la-Boiselle on 15/16 July and then took part in the costly attack on Pozieres ridge on 23-27 July when David George was killed in action.
After his death the army paid his father £2 15s 11d and, after the war the army paid his mother Mary a war gratuity of £3.
His brother Richard was killed on 14 April 1918 and his half-cousin Thomas Waller died on 28 March 1918.
Additional Information
David was the brother of Richard Kentish who also died and is commemorated on the West Hyde memorial.
Acknowledgments
P Szelewski, Mike Collins
