Pte 91297 Norman Driffield Kinsey

• Age: 19
• From: Stockport, Cheshire
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 17th Btn
• K.I.A Monday 29th April 1918
• Commemorated at: Tyne Cot Memorial
  Panel Ref: Panel 31-34

Norman Driffield Kinsey was born in the March quarter of 1899 in Stockport the son of Thomas Kinsey and his wife Mary (nee Hadfield), who married in 1898 at Ashton-under-Lyne.

The 1901 Census finds the family living at 19 Farrars Building, 17, Rawtenstall, Lancashire. Norman is 2 years of age and is recorded as having been born in Hyde. His father is a sewing machine mechanic born in Bury in 1876 whilst his mother, who is employed as a machinist in a slipper works, was born in Denton, Lancashire in 1876.  

By 1911 the family have moved to 3 Boothman Terrace Bridleway, Rawtenstall. Norman is now 12 and listed as follows: School Shoe Works Warehouse. His fatehr is recorded as working as a mechanic in a boot factory. Norman now has one sibling Harold born in 1902 at Newchurch. His parents have been married 13 years and have 2 children. 

Norman enlisted in Rawtenstall and was serving in the 17^th Battalion, The King’s Liverpool Regiment as Private No 91297 when he was killed in action on the 29^th April 1918 during the German Spring Offensive. Details of the action were recorded in the battalion diary:

By the 25^th April the battalion had taken up positions of readiness in the Voormezeele sector. According to the battalion War Diary, on the night of the 27^th, at 8.30 p.m. they moved to the line to relieve 4^th Bn, relief completed about 1 a.m.

28^th – At about 1 p.m. a company of composite battalion gave way on the left of our line and the Bosche penetrated from the Canal Bank to the left of my battalion front, which position he maintained despite 5 hours fighting. My reserve company was ordered to counter-attack and restore the position at 7.45 p.m. but enemy laid down a barrage at 7.43 a.m. and the counter attack was unable to proceed. The enemy bombardment lasted until 10.30 p.m. and I then organised a defensive flank.

29^th – At 3.30 a.m. heavy enemy bombardment opened, followed later (9.00 a.m.) by enemy attack and our line was forced back to G.H.Q.1 where I organised and held on to the position. The enemy got through on both flanks practically surrounding 2 of my companies. ‘A’ company was actually surrounded and after severe fighting were captured.

Norman was originally posted as missing from the 29th April. Enquiries were made with the Red Cross  for assistance on 02nd August 1918 and again on 20th November 1918. It is not known when the family received final confirmation of Norman's death.

Norman's body was not recovered or was subsequently lost as he has no known grave and is commemorated on the Tyne Cot Memorial in Belgium.

Those United Kingdom and New Zealand servicemen who died after August 16th 1917 are named on the Tyne Cot Memorial, a site which marks the furthest point reached by Commonwealth forces in Belgium until nearly the end of the war.

The Tyne Cot Memorial now bears the names of almost 35,000 officers and men whose graves are not known. The memorial, designed by Sir Herbert Baker with sculpture by Joseph Armitage and F.V. Blundstone, was unveiled by Sir Gilbert Dyett on 20 June 1927.

The memorial forms the north-eastern boundary of Tyne Cot Cemetery, which was established around a captured German blockhouse or pill-box used as an advanced dressing station.

Soldiers Effects to father Thomas, Pension to mother Mary. 

Norman's name appears on the War Memorial located at The Lady Chapel of St Nicholas Church, Newtown.

His mother died in the March quarter of 1929, aged 53.

His widowed father, Thomas, date of birth 11th January 1876, a mechanical engineer, appears on the 1939 Register at 3 Bridlesway Place, Rawtenstall

We currently have no further information on Norman Driffield Kinsey. If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.