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Topic: Alfred William Kent (1891-1915)
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Tauranga surveyors assistant Alfred William Kent was killed in action during the Battle of Chunuk Bair at Gallipoli on 8 August 1915. He was a trooper with the Auckland Mounted Rifles.
Alfred William Kent was born in England on 18 April 1891. He came to New Zealand in around 1905 with his parents ironmonger Alfred James and Abigail Kent who lived for a time in Gate Pa, Tauranga.
Alfred worked as a Surveyors Assistant for Tauranga Borough Council. His mother died in Tauranga on 28 October 1911, at the age of 56 (reg. 1911/1648) adn was buried in Tauranga Anglican Cemetery. The Bay of Plenty Times reported on 30 October 1911:
We regret to record the death of Mrs A. J. Kent, which occurred at her residence, Monmouth Street, on Saturday afternoon, at the age of 56 years. Deceased had been in ill-health for about a year. A few weeks ago she was compelled to take to her bed, and despite all medical and nursing efforts passed away as above stated. She was born in Berkshire (England), and accompanied her family to New Zealand about six years ago, shortly afterwards settling in Tauranga. Deceased was held in high esteem by all who knew her, and leaves to mourn their loss a husband, four daughters, and two sons, for whom the greatest sympathy is felt in the irreparable loss which they have sustained. The funeral takes place tomorrow afternoon.
Alfred enlisted in World War I on 15 August 1915 (Service Number: 13/376), becoming a Trooper with the Auckland Mounted Rifles
He was killed in action during the Battle of Chunuk Bair at Gallipoli on 8 August 1915 (reg. 1918/41493). Alfred was 24 years old.
On 14 September 1915 the Bay of Plenty Times reported:
The Mayor moved at the meeting of the Borough Council last night - That this Council desires to place on record its profound sorrow at the loss the community has sustained by the death in action, in defence of the liberties of his country, of Mr A W Kent. Mr Macmillan stated that the late Mr Kent had worked for the Borough as surveyor's assistant and was one of the first to volunteer. Later, when the war was over, it was his intention to have a permanent memorial placed in the Town Hall in honour of those who had fallen in their country's service, - The motion was passed in silence, all members standing.
On 19 November 1915 the Bay of Plenty Times published more details on Alfred's death:
DEATH OF A TAURANGA SOLDIER. Writing to his brother at Matangi, under date of September 5, from a hospital in Egypt, Corporal Thomas W. Phillips, who has since died of his wounds, described how he received his injuries. "Our regiment charged the Turkish outpost, a high, steep hill, covered with scrub," he wrote. "We stood in the trench all night, and in the morning carried the wounded away. We then shifted up the valley, and in moving back five men were hit. About 2 a.m. next day we got to the second firing-line, and then had to charge across a place riddled with bullets. We stayed on this awful hillside while the enemy 'peppered' us with shrapnel. One-shell killed a man and wounded two others, who died soon after. We then ran in fours over into the gully after having been on the hillside for six hours. We were now at the first firing line. I was feeling ill, so was told to gather in the wounded. I put them in a row under shelter. We had no tunics for five days, and it was bitterly cold at night. Next morning Alf Kent and I started to dig a dug out to escape the shellfire of our own guns. We had it finished, and I was just getting in, when a high explosive shell burst and threw me about 10ft into the air; I thought it was the finish, but I got to my feet and made for the gully. I dropped at last after a man had bandaged me. My left arm was blown away from half-way up the wrist. I was lying in the gully for 16 hours, and was then shifted. I have two wounds in the neck, six big holes in my leg, one in the right leg and one in the hand." Mr A. Kent referred to above enlisted in Tauranga, where he was well known as an employee of the Borough Council.
Alfred's father was Alfred James Kent who died, aged 91, in 1947 (reg. 1947/23604). He was buried in Tauranga Anglican Cemetery on 8 August 1947.
Sources:
Auckland Star (20 September 1915, p. 8).
Bay of Plenty Times (30 October 1911, p. 4).
Bay of Plenty Times (14 September 1915, p. 2).
Bay of Plenty Times (19 November 1915).
Births, Deaths & Marriages Online (New Zealand).
Burial Records, Tauranga NZ. 1881-1992.
Cenotaph Record (Auckland War Memorial Museum).
Fiona Kean (Tauranga Heritage Collection).
Military personnel file (Archives New Zealand).
William Alfred Kent
Alfred William Kent
