Ashtead War Memorials - WWI - Captain Kenneth James Maples, South Staffordshire Regiment
| CAPTAIN KENNETH JAMES MAPLES,
SOUTH STAFFORDSHIRE REGIMENT
CAPTAIN KENNETH JAMES MAPLES (G, 1890-1896) was born on November 27th, 1877 son of W Maples Esq., of Ashtead, Surrey, and one of three Wykehamist brothers, another of whom, Major WE Maples (G, 1893-1897), Duke of Wellington's Regiment, fell in December 1916: both brothers came to Winchester from Mr. Johnson's school at Ashtead and played in Commoner XV. Like his brother William, Kenneth was in G house (Sergeant’s, also known as Phil’s) at Winchester. According to the College Archivist the Maples brothers probably knew it as Hewett’s, after their housemaster. When the South African War broke out he joined the 3rd Battalion South Staffordshire Regiment and went with them to the front, being gazetted Lieutenant in 1903 and Captain in 1908. In 1903 he was admitted solicitor and appointed to the office of the Great Western Railway Company, in which he had been articled. According to the Ashtead Parish Magazines of 1900/01 Kenneth Maples and Charles Rooke, (another name on the Ashtead War Memorial), fielded amateur football teams in competition with Ashtead Football Club, and one another. At the outbreak of war he was mobilised with his regiment and
early in. 1915 was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, He fell
at Festubert on May 16th of that year, leading his men in a
night, attack. |
 Kenneth J Maples via Andy Pay and by kind permission of Winchester College |
He is named on the GWR War Memorial at Chester Station. It is stated to be in the Ticket Clerks' Office which the pubic cannot enter, so the memorial must be viewed from a distance. The Memorial is described as a Roll of Honour printed on paper, framed and protected by glass. It lists the employees of the Great Western Railway who fell in the First World War. [via Brian Bouchard].
He is also listed on the website Buckinghamshire Remembers: he is listed on the Beaconsfield War Memorial which can be viewed via the same website - the connection with Beaconsfield, Bucks is yet to be established. His widow's last known address was in Battersea Park, London. [via June Underwood, courtesy Andy Pay]
5 Feb 09 Brian Bouchard adds: Married on 1st June 1912 , at St Judes Church, South Kensington, by the Rev. Leopold Wales, Kenneth James Maples, Captain 3rd S Stafford Regiment, second son of William Maples of Ashtead, to Alice second daughter of the late Octavius Bernard King of Brecon.
A place of residence in Buckinghamshire was not initially identified but there was a very long-standing friendship between the Maples and Disraeli families. Since Benjamin Disraeli became M.P. for Buckinghamshire and subsequently 1st and last Earl of Beaconsfied this could suggest a connection to the town.
Touchingly, the motto attached to In Memoriam notices for both KJ Maples and his brother WE Maples (the third brother, Frederick Chauncy Maples, also served as a Captain in Royal Field Artillery but survived) was Mors janua vitae - "Death is the gate of [everlasting] life".
Frank Hicks is another Wykehamist listed on the Ashtead War Memorials - the Hicks and Maples were neighbours on Agates Lane.
10 Mar 09 Frank Haslam adds: According to A History of Ashtead, Kenneth Maples was one of those for whom a memorial service was held "There were memorial services to those killed in action, including one for Capt Kenneth J Maples on 30 May 1915 ..."
15 May Brian Bouchard adds: Kenneth had been mobilised immediately as a Special Reservist. He is reported to have been killed in action at Richebourg L'Avoue. His widow's address in Buckinghamshire has been identified as Ivy Dale, Beaconsfield and she, Mrs Alice Maples was awarded a Gratuity of £250 with a pension of £100 p.a. from 20 May 1915. [National Archives WO 339/479].
Name: MAPLES, KENNETH JAMES
Initials: K J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Captain
Regiment/Service: South Staffordshire Regiment
Unit Text: 3rd Bn. attd. 2nd Bn.
Date of Death: 16/05/1915
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 21 and 22.
Memorial: LE
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page added 3 Feb 2009, last updated 15 May 2009: 28 Nov 17