A man we never knew, grandad Lance Corporal 11518 James Kennedy lived in Chorlton, Manchester, he was married to Elizabeth, they had seven children Mary Elizabeth, John, James William, Robert William (our father), Sidney, Frances and Emily. Sadly John, James and Sidney died as infants before WW1 started. Grandad joined up at the outbreak of war, he was injured in 1915 was repatriated home to recover, he returned to his unit in 1917 to pay the ultimate sacrifice near the Menin Road opposite a place called Lewis house on 26 October 1917 age 31. He is remembered on the memorial wall, (panel 85 to 86) in Tyne cot Cemetery, Belgium. He would never see his youngest daughter Emily, she was born shortly after his death. His wife Elizabeth remarried a John Wall in 1919 and they had their own family which are our step cousins. His son Robert William (our father)died in 1955 at the age of 42, he and his wife Vera had five sons James Denis Robert, Leslie, Paul Brian, Peter Alan, and Malcolm. We are all surviving with our own families, children and grandchildren so from your Great Great, Great and Grandchildren thank you for your sacrifice so that we could have our lives

Paul Brian Kennedy