Young Kenneth Baylis Jarvis

Kenneth, a Great War veteran born in Redditch, was a long-standing figure in the community and the father of local historian and our President, Philip Jarvis. He had a twin brother named Philip Baylis Jarvis.

He was born on the 24^th July 1896 in Redditch, Worcestershire, and his parents were Walter Jarvis and Emily Baylis.

He was educated at St Stephen’s School, Redditch.

At Redditch Technical School in July 1910 he passed Elementary Shorthand, and went on to pass Intermediate Shorthand in July 1911.

His first job was as an office boy at Whiteley & Pickering, a law firm. Before enlisting in the Army, he also had a brief stint of employment at the Royal Enfield Cycle Company.

Enlisting in the Army in December 1915, he travelled from Birmingham to Chiseldon Barracks in Wiltshire to join the 17th Battalion, Royal Warwickshire Regiment.

Kenneth Baylis Jarvis in Army Battle Dress

He was classified as a 1^st Class Signaller on 4^th October 1916 at Chisledon.

He was wounded and was treated in The Northern General Hospital, Lincoln from 2^nd January 1917 to 30^th March 1917 for P.U.O.

He was awarded the Victory Medal and British War Medal.

After the war, in 1924, he joined Ernest Clarke, the founder of Clarkes Spring Manufacturing Company. In 1932, he was appointed as the company secretary and continued in that role until his retirement in 1964.

He passed away on 11^th December 1975 in Redditch, Worcestershire.

Community and Remembrance Legacy

• Kenneth Jarvis played a key role in organizing the original dedication of Redditch’s War Memorial Cross at St. Stephen’s in 1922. This contribution was highlighted during the centenary re-dedication in 2022, which was organized by his son, Philip Jarvis, the president of the Redditch Royal British Legion.
  

• In recognition of his legacy, the Redditch Branch of the Royal British Legion has named its committee space the "Jarvis Room."
  
        

• The Minister for the Armed Forces, Alistair Carns DSO OBE MC MP, dedicated the committee room as the "Jarvis Room," alongside Chris Bloore MP for Redditch and the Villages. The room was blessed by Father Jason Mahoney. Kenneth was a founding member of the Royal British Legion Redditch Branch, established on 21^st September 1921.

Philip Baylis Jarvis (1896–1917)

Philip enlisted as a gunner in the Royal Garrison Artillery, 289 Siege Battery. He was killed in action on 27^th October 1917 during the Battle of Passchendaele, an area in Flanders that experienced significant losses, with many soldiers from various regiments reported as killed.

He is buried in Plot 3, Row G, Grave 2, Stone 405, at Klein-Vierstraat British Cemetery in Zonnebeke, Belgium, located near the town of Passchendaele.

In recognition of his service he was awarded the Victory Medal and British War Medal.

The Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the Third Battle of Ypres. This battle was fought between British and Allied forces against the German army, beginning in July 1917 and continuing until November 10^th 1917.