Reginald Walton Beck Kittle

A Private with the 1st Battalion, Reginald died on 8th of May 1917 at the age of 23. 

Reginald was born at Somerleyton on 23 November 1893, a son of John George and Marth Augusta Kittle. He was baptised at Saint Mary’s Church, Somerleyton, on 21 June 1894. In 1901 his family lived at Herringfleet Road, Somerleyton, and by 1908 they were living at Garden House, Somerleyton. In 1911 Reginald was working with his father as a market gardener. Later his parents lived at Manor House Farm, Saint Olaves Road, Somerleyton.

Reginald attended Somerleyton School and, from 9 January 1908, attended Lowestoft School of Science.

Reginald was working as a cowman and stockman when he enlisted in the Army at Bury St. Edmunds on 5 May 1916. He joined the East Surrey Regiment, service number 10695. Reginald was a trained bomber. He was posted to the Depot on 8 May and arrived at a Base Depot, in France, on 26 August 1916 and was immediately posted to the 1st Battalion. 

On 22 September 1916 Reginald was admitted to 5 Casualty Clearing Station with inflamed connective tissue in his arm, he was then sent to 22 General Hospital before being discharged to a convalescence camp on 30 September. He joined 38 Infantry Base Depot on 20 November and re-joined the battalion on 30 November. He served with the Lewis gun section of C Company. 

On the night of 7-8 May 1917 the battalion was holding a section of the front line near Fresnoy. The trenches had only recently been dug and there was no defensive wire. Between 3 and 3/30 a.m. on the 8th the enemy opened fire with rifle grenades and attacked while it was still dark. Reports at 4.30 a.m. stated that the enemy had been halted about 80 yards in front of the line. By 6.30 a.m. the Germans had established themselves of the right of the battalion and by 6.45 a.m. the enemy massed in the wood in readiness to launch another attack. Between 7 and 8 a.m. a general retreat began, and the battalion suffered many casualties, with men being shot down as they fell back. By midday only around 70 of the 1st Battalion were left in the front line and at 9.30 p.m. the remnants of the battalion were withdrawn.    

The battalion’s casualties were:
Officers: two killed, one wounded, 11 wounded and missing
Other ranks: 21 killed, 65 wounded (11 at duty), 420 missing

Reginald was reported missing and then his family were informed that he was a prisoner of war. However, this information was false and it was later presumed that he had been killed in action on 8 May.