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Remembrance
- The Yorkshire Regiment, First World War Lieutenant Ernest Charles KEMP Close window to return to main page |
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Photo of Ernest Charles Kemp from the Alleyn's
School website
Lieutenant Ernest Charles KEMP. RFC, ex-
9th Battalion.
Son of Ernest Harry and Edith Marion Kemp, of 8, Arodene Rd., Brixton Hill,
London. Killed 6 September 1916. Aged 24.
Commemorated on the ARRAS FLYING SERVICES MEMORIAL.
The following information on Lieutenant Kemp is from Robert Coulson's Biographies
of Officers of the Yorkshire Regiment;-Ernest Kemp was born at Camberwell
in London on June 25th 1892.
He was educated at Alleyns School in Dulwich after which he worked in the
office of Atlas Life and was studying for the examinations of the Institute
of Actuaries when war broke out.
He was gazetted with the 9th Battalion on December 7th 1914 and went to France
with the battalion in August 1915. The remainder of the year was spent in
the Armentieres sector around Bois Grenier.
March 1916 found Lt Kemp and the battalion moved to the Souchez river sector
around Angres and it was while here that Lt Kemp was attached to the Royal
Flying Corps as an observer.
In September of 1916 Lt Kemp and his pilot 2nd Lt James Robertson were in
an FE2B of No 25 squadron patrolling the lines between Hulloch and Lens when
when they crossed over to the enemy side to attack a hostile aircraft. The
German pilot, Oberleutnant Hans Joachim Buddeke of Jasta 4 got in the first
telling shots and the British craft exploded and crashed behind enemy lines.
Lt Ernest Charles Kemp was killed in this action on September 6th 1916 aged
24.
His CO Major Cherry wrote,
“He and his pilot were seen to fall following an explosion probably
caused by the petrol tank exploding. He was a very fine fellow, always ready
to do anything he was asked and do it well”.
The body of Lt Kemp was lost and his name is remembered today on the Arras
Flying Services Memorial, which records all the missing airmen on the Western
Front.
He was the son of Ernest Harry and Edith Marion Kemp of 8 Arodene Road, Brixton
Hill in London."
The following entry is from the Alleyn's School Roll of those Killed in The First World War;-
Ernest Charles Kemp was a student at Alleyn’s and lived at 8 Arodene
Road, Brixton Hill before joining the war effort. During his time at school,
he was prefect from 1908-9 and was one of the pioneers of the House System.
After the outbreak of war, he was granted a commission and joined the Royal
Flying Corps as a Lieutenant. In 1916, he was serving on the Western Front
in France when his plane was shot down by enemy fire on September 6th. He
was known as a ‘very fine fellow’ who always followed orders well
and he is commemorated on the Arras Flying Services Memorial.
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