James Lewis Kitchen
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
James Lewis was the fifth son of John and Emily Kitchen (née Watson). His father John Kitchen was born in Ropsley, Lincolnshire in about 1856 and his mother Emily Watson was born in Wilsford, Lincolnshire, in about 1861. They were married in 1878 and had seven children who were born in Ropsley with Humby, Lincolnshire: John William b. 1879, Arthur Henry b. 1880, Fred b. 1883 and Walter b. 1885 who were all baptised at the parish church of Somerby by Grantham, and James Lewis b. 1888 bap. Ropsley parish church 8 April 1888 and Amos b. 1890 and Clara b. 1895 (reg. 1896) who were also baptised at Ropsley. in 1881 John, an agricultural worker, and Emily were living in Little Humby with their two children John William and Arthur Henry. They had moved to Chapel Street, Ropsley, by 1891 where they were living with their six sons. Their only daughter, Clara, was born four years later in 1896. The family home was at 18 Chapel Street, Ropsley, in 1901 but only the three youngest children, James, Amos and Clara, were in the home on the night of the census. John William was a coal miner in Shirebrook, Nottinghamshire, boarding with a fellow coal miner and his family. Walter and Fred were both farm servants, Walter in Wilsford and Fred at Glebe Farm, Somerby, near Grantham. The second son, Arthur, has not yet been traced on the census. By 1911 John, now employed as a woodman, and Emily had moved to Barkestone in the Vale, near Bottesford, Leicestershire. Their children had left home but they were caring for their grandson, Wilfred Gilbert Kitchen (4), the son of Fred and his wife Lucy Florence (née Gilbert m. 1906). Fred, a shunter (railway), his wife and their two daughters were living in Carlton, Nottingham. John William and his wife Kate Hephziabah (née Wright, m. 1903) were living in Shirebrook. Arthur, a groom, had married Mary Spowage in 1906 and they and their daughter were living in Arnold, Nottingham. James had joined the army in 1905 and was serving with his regiment in the Sudan. Amos, a malster, and his wife Nellie (née White, m. 1907) and their two daughters were living in Newark. Clara was a domestic servant at a farm in Plungar Nottinghamshire. The fourth son, Walter, has not yet been traced on the 1911 Census. John Kitchen died in 1917. His widow Emily was still living in Barkestone in the Vale when the later CWGC record was compiled.
2nd Bn Alexandra Princess of Wales's Own (Yorkshire Regiment). Formerly the Yorkshire Regiment. The 1st Bn., which James was initially posted to, served in South Africa in 1899 and then in the UK until 1908 when the battalion was posted to Egypt. This was followed by Sudan in 1910 and Sialkot, Punjab (now in Pakistan), in 1912. By 1914 the battalion was serving in Rawalpindi and spent the remainder of the war in India. However, James had been transferred to the 2nd Bn. which prior to August 1914 was serving in Guernsey. The battalion returned to Britain at the end of August and was posted to BEF France, disembarking Zeebrugge in early October. James was a regular soldier who joined the Yorkshire Regiment on 6 March 1905 having initially attested in the Militia (4295, 4th Leicestershire Regiment) on 16 January 1905. He was 17 years 11 months old when he attested and working as a farm servant for W Freckingham, farmer, of Stapleford near Melton Mowbray, Leicestershire. In 1911 James was serving with the 1st Bn in the Sudan. James served with the BEF France from 5 October 1914 and was killed in action on 2 November 1914. He has no known grave and is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial, Belgium. He qualified for the 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal. CWGC - History of the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial (extract): 'The Menin Gate is one of four memorials to the missing in Belgian Flanders which cover the area known as the Ypres Salient. Broadly speaking, the Salient stretched from Langemarck in the north to the northern edge in Ploegsteert Wood in the south, but it varied in area and shape throughout the war. The Salient was formed during the First Battle of Ypres in October and November 1914, when a small British Expeditionary Force succeeded in securing the town before the onset of winter, pushing the German forces back to the Passchendaele Ridge.' (www.cwgc.org) 54356 Commonwealth casualties.
James' brother-in-law, Thomas Alfred White, his sister Clara's husband, served with the 7th Bn Sherwood Foresters (5001 Private) and died of wounds on 25 July 1916. He is buried in Mont Huon Military Cemetery, Le Treport, France. (See record on this Roll of Honour) Barkestone le Vale War Memorial: 'Granite block with plaque attached, in commemoration of the six servicemen from Barkestone le Vale who lost their lives during WW1. Five trees have been planted in the surrounding land, located on Fishpond Lane. These five trees were planted in 2014 in remembrance of the men from Barkestone le Vale, who lost their lives during the First World War. May these trees flourish and grow for generations to come, to honour all those who served between 1914-1918.’ (www.leicestershirewarmemorials.co.uk) Note: names on the plaque include James Lewis Kitchen and Thomas Alfred White. CWGC: 'Son of Emily Kitchen, of Barkestone, Bottesfold, Notts, and the late John Kitchen.' Registers of Soldiers' Effects: three legatees received small payments, his parents John and Emily and his brother Fred. WW1 Pension Ledgers Index Cards: named his mother Emily, residence Nottinghamshire
