Patrick Joseph Kent

He enlisted on September 23rd 1914 - evidence of strong desire to serve - and was Gazetted 2nd Lieutenant in 10th Sherwood Foresters a month later and promoted to 1st Lieutenant on transferring to 15th Sherwood Foresters on June 5th 1915. Around 30th September 1915, Kent was found unfit for home or general service by an army medical board which, correctly, diagnosed heart disease. It is possible, although unlikely, that the doctor examining Kent in September 1914 ignored his symptoms in order to earn the 1/- (5p) received for each man passed fit. Kent’s m.v.p. may have resulted from latent damage to the heart valve caused by childhood rheumatic fever becoming manifest after enlistment in the army. However, this is also unlikely because valve defects caused by rheumatic fever invariably affect the elderly and Kent was only thirty when diagnosed. Twenty first century mvp patients are routinely prescribed antibiotics before undergoing basic medical procedures such as dental surgery which can introduce bacteria into the body thus exacerbating the valve damage. There is no evidence that Kent contracted such an infection. Clearly too disabled for further military service, Kent supported a pension application by declaring ‘I was passed fit on several occasions for foreign service and on no occasion was I unable to fulfil my regimental duties…I might add that I sacrificed a great deal to join the army in this present crisis so I respectfully submit my case.’ He was granted half pay for five months from 15th October 1915 but refused a gratuity on the grounds that ‘this officer served for a year before being medically discharged.’ Patrick Kent died from heart failure in Cardiff on September 2nd 1916.Source: Britannia Calls: Nottingham schools and the push for Great War victory by David Nunn

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