1915

My grandfather, William Francis Kite, enlisted in 1914 when World War 1 broke out. It was difficult to find work and I feel sure enlistment was to help feed a family of seven. My father was born in 1915 and given DNA was not known at the time, there might have been doubt to my origins. The fact that there is a likeness to the photos we have of William Francis leads me to believe I am a Kite in blood as well as name.

He was sent to France and won a medal in the Battle of Loos.

He was a POW till the war ended. He was a member of the West Sussex Regiment. He was also like his son. Upon his transfer to a munitions site in Germany he objected to the work or hours and was transferred to a harsher prison.

His son, in the second World War, decided he didn’t want a promotion to a Sergeant so he overturned a jeep – so the story goes.