James Stephen Kenchington

Story:
James Stephen Kenchington was born in Donhead St. Andrews, Wiltshire, on 7 Jul 1896 and baptised there on 2 Aug 1896 the son of Alfred Henry Kenchington, a Miller's Foreman, and Ellen Kenchington (nee Trowbridge).   He lived his early life at the Mill in Mill Lane, Donhead St. Andrew until by 1911 the family had moved to Woodlands, Gill Green, Hawkhurst, Kent.   James had enlisted on 22 Nov 1915 and joined the Territorial Company of the 3rd/5th London Rifle Regiment as a Private (Service No. 3349).  Later he became part of the regular force and his Service No. was changed to 5987 then again when transferring to the 2/21st London Regiment in France & Flanders to 652770.  He was later posted to firstly the Balkans and later the Middle East especially Palestine where his Service No. was changed again to 494359 when joining the 2/13th Battalion.   He was eventually discharged on 16 May 1919 with the rank of Corporal.   He was awarded the Victory and British War Medals.  He married Elsie Pellett in Leigh, Kent, on 23 Apr 1924.  By the time of the 1939 Register he was living at 2 Red Cottages, Well End, Bourne End, Buckinghamshire, working as a Cowman.  He spent his later life in Norfolk and was buried in Scole, Norfolk, following his death in Ealing, London, on 20 Jul 1981.