Lieut Kenneth Stuart Gregory

Kenneth Stuart Gregory was born in early 1894 in St Albans, Hertfordshire the son of Alfred William and his wife Bertha (nee Smart) who were married in 1888 in Hastings, Sussex. 

On the 1901 Census the family are living at 59 Beresford Road, Oxton, Birkenhead. His father, Alfred W., is aged 34, an insurance secretary born in Luton, his mother, Bertha, is aged 33, and was also born in Luton. They have four children in the household; Harold D. aged 10 born London, Violet H. aged 8 born London, Kenneth G. aged 7 born St Albans, and Bertha D. aged 6 born St Albans. 

On the 1911 Census the family have moved to 60 Park Road, Birkenhead. His father, Alfred William, is aged 44, and an insurance manager, his mother Bertha is aged 43. They advise that they ahve been married for 22 years, and have had 7 children.  All of their children are in the household; Harold Douglas aged 20, an insurance clerk, Violet Hilda aged 18, Kenneth Stuart aged 17, a wholesalers clerk, Bertha Doris aged 15 at school, twins Alan Alfred and Leslie Heber aged 11 at school, and George Hazlewood 9 at school. They also have two servants. 

His mother died, aged 45, in Luton in 1913, probably on a visit to see her parents.

His father, Alfred, remarried at the end of the year to Cicely J. Plummer in Bedford. 

Kenneth enlisted in Liverpool in September 1914 with the Liverpool Pals, his service number and battalion are unknown at present until his service records at Kew are viewed.  

He received his commission in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers on the 01st September 1915, and after year’s service with his battalion was gazetted on the 23rd December 1916 “seconded for duty” to the Machine Gun Corps. 

A dispute with his employer was reported in the Londonderry Sentinel on Saturday 19 August 1916: 

PROMOTED FROM THE RANKS. 

EMPLOYERS SUED FOR HALF-WAGES.  

An army lieutenant obtained judgement at the Liverpool County Court on Thursday for half his wages, which his employers promised him when he enlisted as a private, but which they discontinued when he obtained a commission. Plaintiff was Lieutenant Kenneth Stuart Gregory, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, and the defendants were the British and Argentine Meat Company Ltd., by whom had been employed as a clerk at 25s a week. Judge Shand found that although the directors subsequently passed a second resolution refusing to give the pay to those whose army allowances exceeded their former total wager, that had no effect in plaintiff's case. He was, therefore, of opinion that an offer was made to pay half the plaintiff's wages if joined the army, which he accepted by enlisting. Judgement was given for the amount claimed, £20 12s 6d, with costs. 

His brother Harold Douglas attested on the 14th January 1916 as Private 34510 with the 3rd Battalion of the Cheshire Regiment but was discharged as medically unfit on the 19th April 1916 (from a pension record). 

Kenneth went to France on the 14th February 1917 (from MIC) and was involved initially in the in the Battle of Messines Ridge. On the 01st July 1917 he was promoted to full Lieutenant with the RWF but still seconded to the MGC (gazetted 29th Oct 1917).  

He was sadly killed in action on the 10th November 1917, according to his probate in or around Poelcappelle, Belgium. 

His death was reported in the Birkenhead News on 21st November 1917: 

Prenton Officer Killed. 

Lieut. Kenneth Stewart Gregory, Royal Welsh Fusiliers, attached M.G.C., was killed in action on November 10, aged 24. He was the second son of Mr A. W. Gregory, Thornhurst, Acrefield Road, Prenton, and joined the King's Liverpool Regiment Pals in September 1914. He received his commission in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers in September 1915, and after year’s service with his battalion secured his transfer to the M.G.C. in the Autumn of 1916. He went out to France in February last, and amongst other engagements fought in the Battle of Messines Ridge. He was promoted full Lieutenant last July and at the time of this death was a section commander in his company. 

Kenneth's body was either not recovered or was subsequently lost as his name appears on the Tyne Cot Memorial at Panel 63-65. 

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

Probate:- 

GREGORY Kenneth Stuart of Thornhurst, Acrefield Road, Prenton Cheshire lieutenant in H. M. Army died 10 November 1917 having been killed in action at or near Poelcappelle Belgium Administration Chester 13 May to Alfred William Gregory insurance manager. Effects £145 12s 11d. 

His name appeared in the Birkenhead News on 09th January 1918; 

Fallen Heroes of 1917. 

Lieut. Kenneth Stuart Gregory, MGC; 

Soldiers Effects went to his father Alfred, no Pension record has been found. 

His father, Alfred, is found on the 1939 Register at 155 Chester Road, Wrexham. He was living with wife Cicely J. and hosted, the Maple family. He died, aged 73, in Birkenhead later that year. 

We currently have no further information on Kenneth Stuart Gregory, if you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.