Medal Index Card
CWGC Headstone at Vlamertinghe Cemetery
Hartlepool News Thursday 29th April 1915
Newcastle Journal Friday 30th April 1915
Alan Williamson Kent was born in April 1893, baptised 8th June 1893, to Peter Burns Kent, [son of James Kent, born 4th April 1810, in Prestonpans, East Lothian died October 1893 in Sunderland, and Elisabeth Burns, born 27th November 1812, who were married on the 21st June 1835, died 2nd February 1873 at 107 High Street, Dalkeith], who was born 31st March 1848 in Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland, died 17th November 1927 in Darlington], who married Emily nee Williamson, born 1st May 1851 in Darlington, she died on the 13th January 1921.
They had six children, but one child died before 1911, Florence Kent, born April 1883, Stuart Burns Kent, born 27th July 1884 in Darlington, [in 1939, he was a Managing Partner in O. B. Kent Co Agricultural Merchants Broker, residing at House One Row, Darlington R.D., Durham, England, and also a Special Constable], died on the 3rd October 1949 in Dorset. He married a Eileen Corder in September 1920, who was born in North Shields on the 31st July 1894, she died in Corbridge on the 30th April 1993. [Also at the same address in 1939 was Margaret L, Corder born the 20th October 1864 Female Incapacitated Private - Means, and her nurse Mary A. Evans born 12th February 1884 Female Nursing Sister Nja], Herbert Burns Kent was born in January 1886 in Darlington, he married a Catherine Hamilton Marshall in September 1926 in Kendal, Westmorland, he died on the 5th July 1939. Raymond Kent was born in July 1888 in Darlington, he married a Martha Webster on the 25th February 1922 in Otley, All Saints, West Yorkshire, [she was born on the 12th March 1894], she died March 1976 in Leicestershire, and finally Alan.
Alan's father was a Agricultural Merchant, Stuart Burns was an assistant in his fathers Agricultural business and Herbert Burns was a Bank Clerk.
In 1911 they were residing at 'Ingleside' Darlington, with two servants.
Prior to this address they were at 'Elm Bank' Woodlands Road, Darlington. Alan was educated at the Darlington Grammar School, then was an apprentice Engineer Fitter at the North Eastern Railway works, Darlington
Alan had volunteered into the Northumberland Hussars in 1910, and when he tried to enlist in 1914, he was rejected due to poor health.
Alan was commissioned to be a 2nd Lieutenant on the 10th February 1915, into the 1/7th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers. They were training at Cambois. The battalion left the Council School, their Billets and marched through Blyth to the Railway Station. From the railway station they travelled in two trains to Folkestone, they then boarded the Invicta for Boulogne in France on the 20th April 1915 at about 23.00 hours.
They then travelled in Cattle trucks to to Cassel and then marched eastwards towards Ypres.
On the 22nd April 1915 after 16.00 hrs, the Germans shortened the range of their artillery and began an intense bombardment of the French front line trenches then located north of Ypres.At approx 17.00 hours, in the east west wind, two greyish-green clouds were spotted, either side of Langemarck, drifting close to the ground towards the 87th and 45th Algerian Army Division. The clouds eventually merged into one rolling bank of choking fog. After an hour, the front line had been abandoned, an 8000 yard gap had appeared in the Ypres defences. Canadian infantry, wo wee on the right of the French position, filtered to the left to launch a series of counter attacks which seemed to stop the Germans advance. In many places though, the Germans dug in, rather than to advance.
On the 23rd April, the 1/7th Battalion left Winezeele to Vlamertinghe Wood arriving about 19.00 hrs. A second gas attack place in the morning of the 24th April. The battalion marched towards Ypres, which was starting to suffer damage from shell fire. The first casualty of the 1/7th Battalion was at Ypres in the Market Square as they marched through, a high explosive shell landed at the end of the 1/7th Battalion column. [Thomas Rachael, a postman from Ashington], from the 1st platoon, also a Private Henderson was wounded. The battalion proceeded to Potijze. The following day the 1/7th were sent forward to support the 10th Brigade in a counterattack against Kitcheners Wood and St Julien.
At 16 30 hours, Sunday, 25th April, the battalion formed up, 'A' and 'B' Companies in the front line, 'C' and 'D' in support.
The Battle of St Julien.
2nd Lieutenant Alan Williamson Kent was wounded and died of his wounds on the 27th April 1915.
Alan Williamson Kent is remembered at Alnwick in A11.59 and at Darlington on D40.021 D40.022, D40.029, D40.034 and in D40.067
