241360 Private John Walter Kenward, 1/5th Queen's (Royal West Surrey Regt)

John Walter Kenward was born at Chailey in 1894, his birth registered at Lewes in the December quarter of that year.  He appears on the 1901 census of England and Wales as a six year old living at Bevendean Cottage with his parents George Kenward (a 29 year old domestic gardener born at Chailey and Adelade Kenward (aged 28, born at Wivelsfield).

 

Chailey Parish Magazine first notes John Kenward serving his King and Country in March 1915.  In October 1915 it notes Kenward, Private J, East Surrey, England and in December updates this information with, Kenward, Pte J, MG, 3rd East Surrey, England.  In April 1916 the parish magazine reports that he is in India (still with the 3rd East Surrey Regiment although this is obviously incorrect) and in May 1916 that he is attached to the 1/5th Queen’s in India. 

In June 1916 the parish magazine notes that Private Kenward has been invalided but he nevertheless continues to appear in the parish magazine.  By November 1916 he is reported to be in Mesopotamia and his name then appears continuously in the parish magazine up to and including July 1919 when the final roll call was published. 

The 1/5th Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment) was a territorial battalion formed at Guildford on 4th August 1914.  On 29th October 1914 it sailed for India with the Home Counties Division to which it had been allocated in August. It landed at Bombay on2nd December 1914 where the Home Counties Division was broken up.  On 7th December 1915 it arrived at Basra in the 34th Indian Brigade and remained in Mesopotamia for the remainder of the war. 

John's father, George Kenward, also served his King and Country during the First World War.