Edward Kent was born in the Berkshire village of Little Coxwell on 8th December 1887. One of fourteen children, his parents were John and Agness Kent. John was a mason’s labourer, and by the time of the 1901 census, the family had relocated to Fisherton de la Mare in Wiltshire.

Edward found work as a general labourer when he completed his schooling, but when war broke out, he was called upon to serve his country. Conscripted in the spring of 1916, he enlisted in the Royal Marine Light Infantry as a Private. His service papers show that he was 5ft 6.5ins (1.69m) tall, with brown hair, brown eyes and a fresh complexion. He was also noted as having a scar on the back of his neck.

Private Kent was sent to Deal, Kent, for his training, but by September 1916, he had moved to Portsmouth, Hampshire. Change was afoot, however, and in November Edward was assigned to the 3rd Battalion and sent to the Aegean, where he would remain for the rest of the conflict.

Edward returned to Portsmouth in January 1919, and was admitted to the Haslar Hospital, suffering from pneumonia. The condition would prove fatal, however, and he passed away on 2nd February 1919: he was 31 years of age.

The body of Edward Kent was taken back to Wiltshire for burial. He was laid to rest in the graveyard of St Nicholas’ Church, Fisherton de la Mere.

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