Lance Corporal Charles Edwin Kitching - 5th Bn Yorkshire Regiment - Died 23.04.1917

[Salfordian]

Good Morning all, I hope that you are all fine and dandy!

 

I would be grateful for any information MICs, War Diary etc for this chap.  

 

Thank you all in advance

 

Steve 

[RaySearching]

A transcript of the 5th Bn Yorks war diary can be found  Here

 

 

His Mic is free to view on Ancestry (you will have to register)

or may  be able to be viewed at your local library 

 

Charles entered the theater of war in France on the 8th October 1915

 

 

Ray

[MaxD]

Deleted - Ray quicker off the mark!

 

Max

 

Edited 20 July , 2019 by MaxD

[RaySearching]

A photo of the man in question can be found HERE

 

Ray

 

Google is your friend 

[Mark1959]

19511

Interestingly his medal rolls only mention the 10th and 2nd battalions and not the 5th that is on his CWGC record

This appears to be him on the Kildale War Memorial

https://www.iwm.org.uk/memorials/item/memorial/29707

Edited 20 July , 2019 by Mark1959

[MaxD]

 

His Effects Register entry also has, in his case, 1/5th.  Neither of the other two battalions suffered casualties on or around 23 April 1917 so a case of his docs not catching up with his movements?

 

Max

[RaySearching]

1 hour ago, Mark1959 said:

19511

Interestingly his medal rolls only mention the 10th and 2nd battalions and not the 5th that is on his CWGC record

 

Mark an interesting observation

looking at the medal roll - on a couple of near numbers

Long          19497  2nd Bn Yorks

Fitzpatrick 19498   2nd Bn Yorks

Kay            19500 2nd Bn Yorks

There are more

 

It appears that Kitching was originally a 2nd Bn Yorks  transferred to the 10th Bn at some point then transferred to the 5th Bn

I assume to make up losses and take the battalion up to strength  Kitching  not an original enlisted 5th Bn  soldier

although he resided in the catchment area of the 5th Bn

 

Ray

 

[MaxD]

2nd Battalion record a draft of 5 officers and 150 men "brought into the trenches" on the night of 10/11 Oct 1915.  Follows an earlier large draft of 264 on 6th.

 

Max

[Mark1959]

At the moment I can detect no clear pattern on near numbers re battalion transfers.

His £10 War Gratuity and the near numbers suggest an enlistment date Jan-Feb 1915.

[Salfordian]

Thank you all for your help.  Steve