Early years

Alfred Kent was born at Upton-on-Severn in 1889, the son of a house painter, Francis and his wife Mary Ann.  He was one of six brothers.  Alfred was christened at Upton Parish Church on 2nd June 1889, at the time the Kent family were living at Bury Field.  By 1901 the family were living near the Royal Oak Hotel.

The Royal Oak pub, Upton-on-Severn in the 1930s.

Francis Kent was also a member of the Worcestershire Volunteer Force for 20 years.  Sometime after 1901, Francis and Mary moved to North Malvern – living at 5 Rock Terrace, Cowleigh Road.  Francis died in 1912 and was buried at West Malvern Church on 21st September.

Regular army service

Alfred Kent enlisted into the Nottinghamshire & Derbyshire Regiment (Sherwood Foresters) at Ilkeston, Derbyshire not long before the First World War.  On the 1911 Census he was enumerated at Crownhill Barracks, Plymouth with the 2nd Sherwood Foresters.

First World War

Alfred landed in France on 4th November 1914 with the 1st Sherwood Foresters landed at Le Havre as part of the 24th Brigade in the 8th Division. He took part in fighting around Ypres at the end of 1914 and the Battle of Neuve-Chapelle in March 1915.  The battalion also took part in the battle of Auber Ridge and the Battle of the Somme in 1916.

A bomb carrying party of the 1st Battalion, Sherwood Foresters going up to the front line at La Boisselle, France, 6 July 1916. (c) IWM Q780

Death in action

On 1st September 1917 the Malvern News reported:

“Alfred Kent of Cowleigh (Sherwood Foresters) has died in hospital of wounds received in action in France. His mother, a widow, who for the last 2½ years at least has had six sons serving their King and Country, one in the Royal Navy and five in the Regular Army; and in consequence has been the proud recipient of a letter of congratulation from HM the King. On several occasions one or other of her sons have been wounded, but till now their lives have been spared. Alfred was the only unmarried son.”

Commemoration

Alfred’s body was not recovered, or at least not identified after the war.  Today he is commemorated on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.  His brother Ernest was also killed during the Great War.

The Kent brothers are also commemorated at St Joseph’s Roman Catholic Church, Newtown Road, Malvern.

Upton upon Severn Parish Registers
1901 Census
1911 Census
Malvern News 1/9/1917
Wikipedia
World War I Service Medal and Award Rolls (National Archives WO 329/2462)