Name
Jack Kingsley
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
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TYNE COT MEMORIAL
Panel 48 to 50 and 162A.
Belgium
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial, St Mary's Church Roll of Honour, Hitchin
Pre War
His parents were the Richard and Elizabeth Kingsley and he was born in Hitchin and residing there, he volunteered in Bedford in February 1915. His home was 8, Bearton Rd, Hitchin though another reference, probably later, shows his home as being at Pound Farm, London Road, Hitchin.
Wartime Service
Eight months after he volunteered he 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 after an engagement on Passchendaele Ridge and in July 1918 was presumed killed.
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.
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
The initial information concerning his being missing came to his sister.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
