Memorial to Kent soldiers in Belgium

The memorail is made of Kentish ragstone. Credit: Royal West Kent Regiment Living History Group

Hundreds are to gather in a Belgian village this morning for the unveiling of a memorial honouring the sacrifice of thousands of soldiers from a Kent regiment during World War One. The Mayor of Maidstone along with the local mayor, residents and schoolchildren is due to join members of The Queen’s Own Royal West Kent Regiment Living History Group, which has raised £50,000 to build the memorial in the village of Tertre. The regiment fought there on August 23rd 1914 during the battle of Mons - the first majorBritish engagement of the Great War.

The memorial, built of Kentish ragstone, commemorates the 6,866 men ofall ranks killed in service with The Royal West Kents in Belgium, France, Italy, India, Egypt, Mesopotamia and Salonika. The idea was first put forward by Nigel Bristow, whose Great UncleLeonard Bristow from Dartford served with the regiment and was killed at Ypres in 1914, aged 18.

The memorial is set in a garden of remembrance of English rosesand flowers planted to represent the Regimental colours. An oak bench inscribed with the Regimental motto “Quo Fas etGloria Ducunt” (Where Right and Glory Lead) has been provided by theRegimental Association, The Queen’s Own Buffs, and The Royal KentRegiment as it became known as when the county’s two regiments wereamalgamated.Maidstone was the former home for the Depot of the regiment whererecruits such as Leonard Bristow were trained.

During the service school children from nearby St Ghislain will read out the names ofthe 20 men who were killed-in-action near the memorial in the clashwith the 3,000 soldiers of the German 12th Brandenburg GrenadierRegiment. The regiment was tasked with holding the bridge at St Ghislain.

Nigel Bristow said “I am absolutely delighted that (the memorial) hasbeen built as, until now, there was no single memorial to the regimenton the Western Front. I am pleased that the sacrifices of my GreatUncle and his fellow soldiers will be recognised in this way. Mygreat Uncle is amongst those who have no known grave and I am stillresearching his past and trying to track down a photograph of him andthe medals that were issued to him – my search will continue untilthey are found.”