Pte. J. Kitching

FIRST NAMES: Joseph UNIT: 18th Lancashire Fusiliers NUMBER: 20845 STATUS: Killed in Action DATE OF DEATH: 24th April 1918 CEMETERY OR MEMORIAL: Martinsart British Cemetery, France AGE: 25

Joseph's parents were called Thomas and Mary Kitching of High End, Brompton and he was a younger brother of Frederick Kitching whose name is also recorded on the Brompton Memorial.

He originally joined the 4th Yorkshires as a Territorial and served with them until his time expired. He then spent some time at home before re-enlisting in the Royal Field Artillery and was then posted to the Lancashire Fusiliers.

He was killed by a shell, aged 25, while on sentry duty with his lewis gun team, during the German 1918 Spring Offensive.

The cemetery in which Joseph is buried is interesting because the headstones are not made from the traditional cream-coloured Portland stone. They are made from a red sandstone material, which was used by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, on an experimental basis, to try to find a material which would stand up to weathering better and need less maintenance than the traditional headstones.