Thomas John Leicester
Regimental Serjeant Major 70898
2nd/ 1st Berkshire Yeomanry
War Plot
Divisions 71 & 72
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Thomas John Leicester was the husband of Fanny Elizabeth Leicester, of 36, Waylin Street, Reading.
Thomas Leicester had served in the Boer War and had obtained a Long Service and Good Conduct Medal. He died on 31st March 1918. Cause of death is not given, it is possible that it was influenza, there was a serious epidemic at the time.
Frederick John Thomas Knott
Private 31609
63rd Company Machine Gun Corps.
Division 9
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Frederick Knott is commemorated on a his family’s grave number 9931. He was the son of Frederick and Harriet Knott who lived at 4, Fulham Road, Reading. The 1911 census indicates that he was the eldest of seven children, he had a younger brother and five sisters. Frederick Knott was killed on 23rd April 1917, aged 19.
Frederick Knott has no known grave and is commemorated on the Arras Memorial Panel 10. The Arras Memorial bears the names of 35,000 casualties who died between Spring 1916 and 7th August 1918 and who have no known graves.
The exact circumstances of his death are unknown but the Battle of Arras began on 9th April 1917 and the 23rd April 1917 was the start of the second phase, with the British attacking north and south of the River Scarpe. The early stages involved the capture of Vimy Ridge and the village vantage point of Monchy-le-Preux. The second stage continued the steady pressure towards the east and Cambrai with heavy fighting around Gavrelle and Oppy Wood.
Percy Francis Kington
Rifleman 554923
16th Battalion London Regiment, Queens Westminster Rifles
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Percy Francis Kington was the son of John and Marion Kington (nee Blow) of 1, Hamilton Road. He was one of six children according to the 1901 census. No records have been found of Percy in 1911. He is believed to have been born in 1899.
He is buried at Maroeuil British Cemetery, in the Pas-de Calais, location IV. H.11. He died on 16th March 1918, killed in action, in the build up to the German Spring offensive which is officially deemed to have begun on 21st March 1918. Percy was about 19 years old.
Percy Francis Kington is also commemorated on the family grave in the Reading cemetery. His name can be found on the kerbs in Division 62, 13103. The headstone bears the names Kington, Hooper-Blow and Greaves. (Berkshire Family History Classification is 62D41) His name is commemorated on the Alfred Sutton School memorial and also that of the YMCA