Kenneth Legh Turner
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Kenneth Legh was the son of Frederick (also Fred) John Turner and his second wife Emily Cunynghame (also Cunningham) née Horne. His father Frederick John was born in London on 2 January 1824, the son of Joseph and Ann Turner. He married Charlotte Eliza Escudier (b. 29 January 1824), the daughter of Richard and Eliza Escudier, at Firbeck parish church, Yorkshire, on 29 May 1851. Frederick and Charlotte had at least seven children, Frederick, Eliza Ann, Joseph Hurling, Thomas Warner, Harry Gordon, Richard John and Charlotte Maria. The two older children were born in London but the younger ones were born in Kilmarnock, Ayrshire, where their father was land agent for the Dukes of Portland's Ayrshire estates. Frederick was to be their land agent for nearly 50 years. Charlotte Eliza died in 1868 and Frederick married secondly Emily Horne (b. Edinburgh 1846), in Edinburgh on 13 December 1870. He and Emily had eight children: Caroline Emily b. 1872, David Neville b. 1873, George John b. 1874, Charles Edward b. abt 1876 and Kenneth Legh b. abt 1878 who were all born in Kilmarnock, and Freda Harriett Alida b. 1880, Arthur William Lindsay b. 1881 and Elizabeth Stewart b. 1886, who were all born in Mansfield Woodhouse. Between 1861 and 1871 the family home was at Dean House, Kilmarnock, but by 1881 Frederick and Emily had moved to Cross Hill, Mansfield Woodhouse. In the home on the night of the census were three children by his first marriage - Thomas a land agent's clerk, Richard and Charlotte, and their six children, Caroline, David, George, Charles, Kenneth (3) and Freda. Frederick and Emily were living on Church Street, Mansfield Woodhouse, by 1891 and were still at the same address in 1901. By then only Freda, Arthur and Elizabeth and their half-sister, Eliza Ann (44) were still living at home. Kenneth has not yet been traced on either the 1901 or 1911 Census and may have already left the UK for Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) where he lived at Edwaleni. Frederick John died on 10 March 1906; the probate record gave his profession as estate-steward. His sons Joseph and Thomas, estate agents, and David, mining engineer, were executors of his Will. His widow Emily was still living on Church Street in 1911 along with her stepdaughter, Eliza. Emily died on 23 November 1921. Both she and her husband were interred in St Edmund King & Martyr churchyard, Mansfield Woodhouse. Kenneth's brother, Arthur William, worked in Ceylon and served with the Ceyon Planters Rifle Corps at Gallipoli where he was severely wounded.
Reserve Cavalry 5th Regiment attd. Queen's Own Worcestershire Hussars (Worcester Yeomanry). Formerly 34223 (Private) King's Royal Rifle Corps. Kenneth Legh did not serve overseas while in the KRRC. He was killed in action at Es Salt, Palestine, on 2 May 1918 and is buried in Jerusalem War Cemetery Israel and Palestine (including Gaza) (grave ref. Q.109). CWGC - History of Jerusalem War Cemetery (extract): 'At the outbreak of the First World War, Palestine (now Israel) was part of the Turkish Empire and it was not entered by Allied forces until December 1916 ... By 21 November 1917, the Egyptian Expeditionary Force had gained a line about five kilometres west of Jerusalem, but the city was deliberately spared bombardment and direct attack. Very severe fighting followed, lasting until the evening of 8 December, when the 53rd (Welsh) Division on the south, and the 60th (London) and 74th (Yeomanry) Divisions on the west, had captured all the city's prepared defences. Turkish forces left Jerusalem throughout that night and in the morning of 9 December, the Mayor came to the Allied lines with the Turkish Governor's letter of surrender. Jerusalem was occupied that day ... Jerusalem War Cemetery was begun after the occupation of the city, with 270 burials. It was later enlarged to take graves from the battlefields and smaller cemeteries in the neighbourhood [listed].' (www.cwgc.org)
Note: Second name 'Legh' as family gravestone. His parents are buried in St Edmund King & Martyr churchyard extension. The headstone also commemorates their son: 'Also Kenneth Legh Turner 2nd Lieutenant Worcestershire Yeomanry. 9th son of Fred J Turner. Fell in action at Es Salt, Palestine, 2nd May 1918, aged 40 years.' Mansfield Reporter, ‘Deaths’, 10 May 1918: ‘Turner. Killed in Action in Palestine, May 2nd, Kenneth L Turner, of Edwaleni, S. Rhodesia, Second-Lieutenant, Cavalry Reserve, attached to Yeomanry, aged 40, son of the late Fred J Turner and Mrs Turner, Mansfield Woodhouse.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Mansfield Reporter, 17 May 1918: ‘Mansfield Woodhouse. Memorial Service. An impressive memorial service conducted by the Vicar, Rev. ET Harcombe, was held at St Edmund’s Church on Sunday morning. The service was to the memory Lieut. Kenneth Leigh (sic) Turner, on of the late Mr FJ and Mrs Turner. He was in the Worcester Yeomanry, and fell in his first action on May 2nd in Palestine; also to Pte Harold Blackwell, of the 6th Bedford Regiment, who was killed in action in December last; to Pte Ernest Newton, Sherwood Foresters, killed in action; and to Richard Bertie Yates, 5th Sherwoods, who was wounded and taken prisoner but who afterwards succumbed to his injuries. A muffled peal was also rung to their memory.’ (www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk) Probate: Turner Kenneth Legh (sic) of Mansfield Woodhouse Nottinghamshire second-lieutenant in HM Army died 2 May 1918 in Palestine Probate Nottingham 11 October to Arthur William Lindsay Turner second-lieutenant in HM Army and Freda Alicia Turner spinster. Effects £710 8s. Medal Rolls Index Cards: Kenneth's brother David Neville received his medals, the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
