Robert William Kitson

A Private with 7th Bn., Robert died on 12th of April 1917 at the age of 19. 

Robert was born at Somerleyton on 27 November 1897, a son of Hebert and Frances Maria Kitson. He was baptised at Saint Mary's Church, Somerleyton, on 2 October 1898.

In 1901 his family lived at The Street, Somerleyton, and by 1911 were living at Staith Cottages, Somerleyton. 

Robert enlisted at Lowestoft and joined the Suffolk Regiment, initially serving in the Cyclist Battalion, service number 1486. Robert is named in a list of Somerleyton men serving in the Army printed in the Lowestoft Journal of 7 November 1914. Subsequently, and after 1 January 1916, he was posted to the 7th Battalion Suffolk Regiment in France.  

On 6 April 1917 the 7th Battalion moved to billets in the cellars beneath the museum at Arras and made preparations for the forthcoming attack which began on 9 April 1917. It is highly likely that Robert was wounded during the attack. 

Contemporary Commonwealth War Graves records suggest that Robert had actually died on 11 April 1917 and he, initially, had a battlefield burial at map reference H.32.C.72 and was, subsequently, interred at at Tilloy.

After the First World War Robert's father lived at 67 Reeve Street, Lowestoft, Suffolk.