Charles Edward Kennard Lance Corporal Charles Edward Kennard, was the only son of Richard and Eleanor Kennard of 34 Whitehorse Hill, Chislehurst. He had joined the Army on his eighteenth birthday in April, 1918. He served with the 51st Battalion in the Bedfordshire Regiment during World War I. He had served with the Army of Occupation in Germany and had been home on leave. Returning to Ripon Camp on 12th September, he was taken ill a week or more later. He passed away before his family could arrive. He died on…
Category: WW1
The Birth of Women’s Football
The birth of women’s football Written by Pam Preedy. Girls Versus Boys Football had always been a male preserve, but in December 1915, a match was played between Bromley Boys (National Team) and Vickers Girls: The Bromley & Kentish Times reported on the match (7th July 1914). “A game that finished up in a comical football match was played on the Queen’s Mead ground last Saturday … The game ended with a large amount of scoring, the Old Boys scoring 17 goals to the Ladies’ 1 … At the start…
Leading-Stoker Charles William Venters
Leading-Stoker Charles WIlliam Venters Lost at Sea Charles William Venters was the son of William G.T. and Rose Venters of Wharton Road, Bromley (Kent). Charles attended Wharton Road Council School and later joined up to the Royal Navy where he served for 7 years, for most part onboard HMS Queen Mary. HMS Queen Mary was the last battlecruiser built by the Royal Navy before the First World War. Completed in 1913, she participated in the Battle of Heligoland Bight as part of the Grand Fleet in 1914. A battle also served by Leading Stoker Venters. On…
The “Spanish” Flu Pandemic of 1918-1920
The “Spanish” Flu Pandemic of 1918-1920 Written by Pam Preedy. Towards the end of January in 1918, Dr. Loring Miner who lived in Haskell County, Kansas was called to see a patient with body aches, fever, a headache, and a dry cough. It was clearly influenza, but the symptoms were more severe than typical flu symptoms, and as the days went on more people became ill, with disproportionately large numbers of young, strong adults dying. Then it spread to a military training camp, Camp Funston in Kansas, on March 4,…
Leading-stoker Ernest Bourne
Leading-Stoker Ernest Bourne Ernest Bourne of Canon Road, Bromley (Kent) spent 8 and a half years with navy on HMS Hecla, and a further 2 years on foreign service including China & Japan. On leaving the service he became a fireman of the London Fire Brigade Bourne served at Cannon Street, Sydenham & Clapham, before moving to Poplar workhouse where he worked for about 3 years before being called up for World War 1. During WW1 he served with the Royal Naval Reserve onboard HMS Aboukir. Sadly Bourne did not…
Horses in the First World War
Horses in the First World War Written by Pam Preedy. We sometimes forget that horses were essential to the Army during World War One. Much attention has been focused on the dreadful conditions and sufferings of the men in the trenches, yet the suffering was shared by the horses as seen in the book, play and film War Horse by Michael Morpurgo. All the armies used horses and mules. At the outbreak of war, there were 25,000 horses at the disposal of the British Army. Under the Horse Mobilisation Scheme of…
Second-Lieu F. G. W. Marchant
Second Lieutenant Francis George Wake Merchant Killed in Action Second Lieutenant Francis George Wake Marchant served with the 3rd Squadron of the Royal Flying Corps and was the only son of Frank and Torfrida Marchant, of Woodside, Keston (Hayes), Kent. Born in London on the 4th March 1897, he was educated at Ludgrove and Eton. Having proceeded to Sandhurst in May, 1915, Francis obtained a commission in the Royal West Kent Regiment on 19th October, 1915 and immediately volunteered for the Royal Flying Corps. After 5 months training went overseas…
The First Boys of Bromley Who Went Away to War
The First Boys of Bromley Who Went Away to War Busy scenes in Bromley (BDT 7th August 1914) After weeks of speculation and mounting tensions, on Tuesday 4th August 1914, at 8am, the German Army invaded Belgium. Britain leapt to defend their little ally and an ultimatum was immediately sent to Germany to withdraw its troops. When no response was received by 11pm that evening, Britain declared war on Germany. The men of Bromley were ready to play their part in the forthcoming war. Many were already trained for battle…
Albert Bailey
Some time since we reported that no news had been received since Christmas, 1914, of Lance-Corporal Albert Bailey, son of Mr Bailey of Pound Place, Eltham. Although from his long silence the worst was feared, hope was not entirely given up, and his brother in Roper Street, Eltham, addressed inquiries to the German authorities, in the hope that he was a prisoner. the only reply has now come back that nothing is known of him in Germany, and it is not to be concluded that he was killed. Lance-Corporal Bailey,…
Nurse K.E. Stacey
Nurse from Green Street Green awarded for her services to The Red Cross during World War One The Royal Red Cross The distinction of being the only trained nurse to go abroad from the village of Green Street Green during the war belongs to Miss K.E. Stacey, eldest daughter of the late Mr James Stacey of Green Street Green, and on Wednesday last week, at Maidstone, in recognition of very valuable work, she was decorated with the Royal Red Cross, 2nd Class. Sister Stacey, who served in Malta and Salonika,…