Military service
Burial/memorial information
Son of William and Frances Kitching, of Cosham, England; husband of Florence St. Clair Kitching, of Victoria, British Columbia.
Digital gallery of Corporal Eaton Andrew Kitching
Digital gallery of
Corporal Eaton Andrew Kitching
Photo courtesy of Wilf Schofield, England
Digital gallery of
Corporal Eaton Andrew Kitching
Seven men were killed when a shell dropped during the evening of September 5th, 1918 in the lines of the 1st Canadian Divisional Ammunition Column. All were buried the following day on September 6th. Original War Diary entry.
The men killed were: Dvr. Joseph Audette, 40768; Dvr. John Alexander Cardinal, 345126; Dvr. John Cliffe, 92915; Dvr. Reginald Frank Davey, 304113; Corporal Eaton Andrew Kitching, 86113; Dvr. David Simpson, 42740; and Dvr. Harold Alphonse Smith, 349023.
A letter detailing these events can be found on the record for Dvr. Harold Alphonse Smith (Canadian Virtual Memorial).
Digital gallery of
Corporal Eaton Andrew Kitching
Digital gallery of
Corporal Eaton Andrew Kitching
This photograph of Eaton Kitching as a civilian came from the home of Eaton's sister Mary Crockford who lived at 23, Albert Rd, Cosham, Portsmouth UK. It was probably taken in England before he emigrated to Canada.
Digital gallery of
Corporal Eaton Andrew Kitching
Eaton Andrew Kitching - Grave Marker<P>
Eaton is buried in Plot VI. F. 17 at H.A.C. Cemetery, Ecoust-St Mein, Pas-de-Calais, France. The grave has been visited by his wife. His is probably a concentrated burial from Imperial(Dominion) Cemetery Hendecourt-les-Cagnicourt 3kM to the north east. See notes on CWG site. (Initial burial at Hendecourt confirmed in War Diary entry) He is buried alongside six other members of the Canadian army (All drivers of the same 1st Division Ammunition Column) who were killed on the same day.<P>
Inscription on his headstone reads<BR>
"His duty nobly done"<P>
The cemetery was visited by Chris Welti in April 2001.
Digital gallery of
Corporal Eaton Andrew Kitching
Eaton's attestation papers show that he joined the Canadian Army using the name Eaton Andrew Kitchener at Winnipeg in December 1914. In 1917 his service record was annotated to show:-
'Having declared his true name to be 'Eaton Andrew Kitching' will be in future be known as such. All documents to be altered accordingly'
This copy of Eaton's attestation papers differs slightly in detail to that shown on the web site.
Digital gallery of
Corporal Eaton Andrew Kitching
This portrait of Eaton in uniform taken during WW1 was found in 2012 after the death of his last known relation living near Cosham, Hampshire.
On the reverse is written "To May from Eaton thank you for writing I will write before long"
(May is Emily May Crockford (1897-1972), Eaton's niece)
Digital gallery of
Corporal Eaton Andrew Kitching
Highly likely to be a photograph of the area of Eaton Kitching's grave at H.A.C. Cemetery Ecoust - St Mein.
The sparse vegetation and the number of graves suggest this picture of Eaton's grave was taken after it was concentrated from Imperial Cemetery to Ecoust St Mein in around 1919. The location shown is consistent with the present position of Eaton's grave in plot VI, Row F, Grave 17 (middle of row) towards the front left hand side of Ecoust St Mein cemetery.
Photograph (Annotation on back K9378) found with a signed photograph of Eaton in December 2012 at the home of the last remaining relative associated with the Kitching / Crockford family of Cosham.
Photo probably belonged to Eaton's mother and passed down via a niece (Emily May Crockford) and daughter.
Probably sent to Eaton's mother by the Canadian Army. Eaton's burial record is annotated "Photo of G sent ?/K 3-8-21". None of the burial records of his six companions killed at the same time has this annotation.
Digital gallery of
Corporal Eaton Andrew Kitching
Eatons' Memorial Cross in original box with presentation card.
Digital gallery of
Corporal Eaton Andrew Kitching
Eaton's mother (Fanny Kitching nee Eaton 1838 - 1925) was awarded a Memorial Cross (Also known as the Silver Cross) by the Canadian Government after his death.
Original cross engraved with Eaton's name and service number found in Portsmouth Dec 2012. There is also a case and accompanying note.
Eaton was Fanny Kitching's youngest son. At the time of his death she had outlived her husband and at least six of her eight children. Her grandson Richard Charles Alfred Kitching (who served in the British Army) was also killed in France in 1916 at the age of 17.
Digital gallery of
Corporal Eaton Andrew Kitching
Eaton is commemorated on the War Memorial at Wymering Church, Cosham, Hampshire. See right hand panel.
Note error in initials, E E Kitching shown on memorial, it should be E A Kitching.
Many of Eaton's relations attended this church.
Image gallery
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Photo courtesy of Wilf Schofield, England
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Seven men were killed when a shell dropped during the evening of September 5th, 1918 in the lines of the 1st Canadian Divisional Ammunition Column. All were buried the following day on September 6th. Original War Diary entry. The men killed were: Dvr. Joseph Audette, 40768; Dvr. John Alexander Cardinal, 345126; Dvr. John Cliffe, 92915; Dvr. Reginald Frank Davey, 304113; Corporal Eaton Andrew Kitching, 86113; Dvr. David Simpson, 42740; and Dvr. Harold Alphonse Smith, 349023. A letter detailing these events can be found on the record for Dvr. Harold Alphonse Smith (Canadian Virtual Memorial).
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This photograph of Eaton Kitching as a civilian came from the home of Eaton's sister Mary Crockford who lived at 23, Albert Rd, Cosham, Portsmouth UK. It was probably taken in England before he emigrated to Canada.
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Eaton Andrew Kitching - Grave Marker<P> Eaton is buried in Plot VI. F. 17 at H.A.C. Cemetery, Ecoust-St Mein, Pas-de-Calais, France. The grave has been visited by his wife. His is probably a concentrated burial from Imperial(Dominion) Cemetery Hendecourt-les-Cagnicourt 3kM to the north east. See notes on CWG site. (Initial burial at Hendecourt confirmed in War Diary entry) He is buried alongside six other members of the Canadian army (All drivers of the same 1st Division Ammunition Column) who were killed on the same day.<P> Inscription on his headstone reads<BR> "His duty nobly done"<P> The cemetery was visited by Chris Welti in April 2001.
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Eaton's attestation papers show that he joined the Canadian Army using the name Eaton Andrew Kitchener at Winnipeg in December 1914. In 1917 his service record was annotated to show:- 'Having declared his true name to be 'Eaton Andrew Kitching' will be in future be known as such. All documents to be altered accordingly' This copy of Eaton's attestation papers differs slightly in detail to that shown on the web site.
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This portrait of Eaton in uniform taken during WW1 was found in 2012 after the death of his last known relation living near Cosham, Hampshire. On the reverse is written "To May from Eaton thank you for writing I will write before long" (May is Emily May Crockford (1897-1972), Eaton's niece)
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Highly likely to be a photograph of the area of Eaton Kitching's grave at H.A.C. Cemetery Ecoust - St Mein. The sparse vegetation and the number of graves suggest this picture of Eaton's grave was taken after it was concentrated from Imperial Cemetery to Ecoust St Mein in around 1919. The location shown is consistent with the present position of Eaton's grave in plot VI, Row F, Grave 17 (middle of row) towards the front left hand side of Ecoust St Mein cemetery. Photograph (Annotation on back K9378) found with a signed photograph of Eaton in December 2012 at the home of the last remaining relative associated with the Kitching / Crockford family of Cosham. Photo probably belonged to Eaton's mother and passed down via a niece (Emily May Crockford) and daughter. Probably sent to Eaton's mother by the Canadian Army. Eaton's burial record is annotated "Photo of G sent ?/K 3-8-21". None of the burial records of his six companions killed at the same time has this annotation.
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Eatons' Memorial Cross in original box with presentation card.
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Eaton's mother (Fanny Kitching nee Eaton 1838 - 1925) was awarded a Memorial Cross (Also known as the Silver Cross) by the Canadian Government after his death. Original cross engraved with Eaton's name and service number found in Portsmouth Dec 2012. There is also a case and accompanying note. Eaton was Fanny Kitching's youngest son. At the time of his death she had outlived her husband and at least six of her eight children. Her grandson Richard Charles Alfred Kitching (who served in the British Army) was also killed in France in 1916 at the age of 17.
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Eaton is commemorated on the War Memorial at Wymering Church, Cosham, Hampshire. See right hand panel. Note error in initials, E E Kitching shown on memorial, it should be E A Kitching. Many of Eaton's relations attended this church.
In the Books of Remembrance
Commemorated on:
Page 443 of the First World War Book of Remembrance.
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HONOURABLE ARTILLERY COMPANY CEMETERY (ECOUST-ST. MEIN) Pas de Calais, France
Ecoust-St-Mein is a village in the Department of the Pas-de-Calais, between Arras, Cambrai and Bapaume. The H.A.C. Cemetery is about 800 metres south of the village on the west side of the D956 road to Beugenatre.
For more information, visit Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
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