Basra Memorial, Iraq

Notice of Death appears in Jersey Evening Post of Wednesday 26 January 1916


Commemorated on:
Family memorial in Grouville Church, Jersey
Grouville Parish Memorial, Jersey
and on OV Memorial, Jersey

NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post of Wednesday 26 January 1916

Roll of Honour. It is with very great regret that we publish the news officially received today of the death in Mesopotamia of Major Kenneth W L Simonet of the Alexandra Princess of Wales Own 1st Yorkshire Regiment. Major Simonet was the son of the late Mr W Simonet of Radier, Grouville, for many years Deputy of that parish, and was educated at Victoria College where he had a most successful career both from the scholastic and athletic points of view. Leaving College in 1899 he obtained a position in the 2nd or East Battalion of the RMIJ and in the following year headed the list of infantry candidates in the Militia competitive examinations. He was gazetted to the 1st Yorkshire Regiment and by his amiable disposition and soldierly qualities soon became exceedingly popular with officers and men; it may be said that this popularity only increased with the course of the years and had never been greater than when at the beginning of the present year he obtained his Majority and was, we think one may safely say at his own request, attached to another Regiment forming part of the Persian Gulf Expeditionary Force. The deceased officer was gazetted Captain some 4 years ago and paid what proved to be his last visit to the Island about the same time. He has since then been in India for 3 years and had last year been acting as Instructional Officer to Territorial Battalions in India. Exactly how he met his end is not known, the official message merely conveying the news of his death but giving no details. Major Simonet, who was unmarried, had many friends in the Island to whom the sad news will come as a shock. His death in the cause of his Country adds another to the already long list of names on the Victoria College Roll of Honour.

 

Major Kenneth William Lee Simonet
1st Battalion , Yorkshire Regiment
21/01/1916

Son of William Simonet of Radier, Grouville, Jersey. One of two brothers who both fell. Brother of Captain Harold Keith Simonet, M.C.

Educated at Victoria College Jersey

Killed in action, aged 34 years

 

NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post of Monday 14 February 1916

The Late Major K W L Simonet - Memorial Service at Grouville Church. A Memorial Service for the late Major Kenneth W L Simonet of the 1st Yorkshire Regiment who was killed in Mesopotamia on 21 January was held last evening at Grouville Parish Church. The service was conducted by Rev Le Feuvre, Rector, and was well attended. The first portion of the usual evensong was used, the only alteration being the inclusion of special psalms and chants. The second part of the service was taken from the authorised Forms of Prayer for Public Use in Times of War, including a special Litany. The solo "O Rest in the Lord" was most sympathetically rendered after which the Rector preached a powerful and impressive sermon.
Family Memorial

NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post of Saturday 18 March 1916

The Late Major K W L Simonet - How He Met His Death. It will be remembered that when the death in Mesopotamia of Major Simonet was announced in January last no details were given of the manner in which this gallant officer had come to his end. These are now to hand in a letter received locally from a brother officer of the deceased who writes "Major Simonet was badly hit during our advance towards the Turkish trenches and should have gone back to the rear. He insisted on going on, however, and led the next attack very gallantly and was almost immediately hit in the head and killed instantly." The officer also pays glowing tribute to his deceased comrade and states that the officers and men of the Regiment were greatly devoted to him. We feel sure that this brief account of the gallant manner in which Major Simonet fell will be read with great interest and feeling of pride by his many friends in the Island and by all Old Victorians.

NEWS ITEM in Jersey Evening Post of Thursday 6 September 1917

Memorial to Major Simonet. A brass memorial tablet to the late Major Kenneth Simonet, who was killed in action in Mesopotamia on 21 January 1916, was dedicated at Grouville Church on Sunday evening. The Rector of Grouville uncovered the tablet which is placed over the family pew, suitable prayers were said and appropriate hymns were sung at the service which was most impressive.

 

Commonwealth War Graves Commission Record