Percy Herbert Kinder
- Family History
- Military History
- Extra Information
- Photographs
Percy was born about 1887, the eldest child of Herbert Felix and Louisa Mary Kinder who in 1891 were living at 7 Northumberland Street, Nottingham. His father was a lace warehouseman. By 1901 the family was living at 17 Albert Grove, Lenton. Percy, 14 years old, now had a younger brother, Claude Stanley (4). His widowed grandfather, Samuel Kinder (73), a lace maker, and a 19 year old servant, Mary Hannah Severn, were also in the household. Percy joined the army in 1906 and by 1911 was in barracks at Winchester (see military history). His mother died in 1909; in 1911 his father, brother, grandfather and a servant, Mary Ann Archer (54), were still living at Albert Grove. Percy's brother, Claude Stanley, a stained glass artist, enlisted in the Army Service Corps (service number 306077) on 20 February 1917 when he was 20 years old. He was discharged 'no longer physically fit for war service' from ASC No 2 Depot Coy at Woolwich Dockyard to 124 Lenton Boulevard, Nottingham, on 26 April 1917. Claude was married (Marie Priscilla Kinder) and when he died on 10 September 1949 they were living in Hove, Sussex. Percy's father died on 17 February 1947, address 34 Cromwell Street, Nottingham. Probate: administration to Albert Edward Cullen, commercial traveller, 15 July (1947).
He enlisted on a Short Service Engagement (9 years regular service and 3 years reserve) on 12 May 1906 at the age of 18 and joined the King's Royal Rifle Corps at Winchester on 14 May. He served at home until September 1906 when he was posted to Egypt where he served until 12 February 1909 followed by home service. He was part of the BEF from 12 August 1914 and died of wounds less than a month later, having served 8 years 122 days. During his service he qualified as Mounted Infantry (September 1908), on the Maxim gun (June 1909), and Vickers light gun (February 1914). He was promoted lance corporal 6 April 1908, corporal 4 November 1910, lance sergeant 17 June 1913 and finally promoted sergeant on 3 July 1914, a month before the outbreak of war. He is buried in Montreuil-Aux-Lions British Cemetery (grave reference: II.C.4). He qualified for the 1914 Star, British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Nottingham Evening Post notice (abridged), 5 October 1914: ‘Kinder. Killed in action BEF, Percy Kinder (Sergeant King’s Royal Rifles) age 27.’ Nottingham Evening Post 10th September 1915 courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918: ‘A NOTTINGHAM HERO. Corporal Pettit, a native of Skegby, who is lying in hospital with a bullet wound in the head, tells how Sergeant Percy Kinder, whose home is at 124, Lenton-boulevard, met his death. “Sergeant Kinder, who was in charge of a Maxim gun with the King's Royal Rifles, was wounded not less than three times by bullets. He, however, heroically continued to work his gun until he was struck by a shell and killed. Truly he was a hero, whose name should be inscribed on Nottingham's roll of honour.”’
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