CWGC thanks Spink & Son Ltd for this story.

Jabez Kendall was born in April 1888, the son of Hebert and Ellen Kendall of 26 York Road, Bromsgrove.

The young Kendall enlisted at Bromsgrove at some stage prior to 1911 and was serving as a Private with the Worcestershire Regiment at the time of the 1911 Census. When the war began they were stationed in Egypt, but were swiftly transported back to Britain via Gibraltar and Kendall, along with the rest of the 1st Battalion, entered the war in France on the 5th of November 1914.

In France the Battalion faced an unpleasant introduction to the trenches at Neuve Chapelle. Heavy bombardment and freezing weather resulted in one in four soldiers suffering from frostbite and trench foot after just five nights in the trenches. The men then had to suffer what later became known as, 'the retreat from Moscow': a six-mile march from the front to La Gouge through the heavy snow and by mid-December a reported 440 men had experienced frostbite in that battalion alone. 

Faced with heavy action at Aubers Ridge in March 1915 they later went into action at Passchendaele in 1917.

Kendall was promoted Corporal and transferred to the 4th Battalion, Worcestershire Regiment. It was with them that he was to win his award in early 1917, when a German breakthrough reached his fatigue party behind the lines. It is likely this occurred on the night of the 29th-30th of November, when the regiment faced a heavy attack in the town of Marcoing.

Later they moved into Flanders, where they were stationed in the vicinity of Lys from April-September 1918. By that point the 4th Battalion were in a position to advance up the Lys Valley, which they did - though not without resitance; notably during the relief on the 5th of September they were gassed.

Finally engaged in the last Battle of Ypres from the 28th of September to the 2nd of October 1918, the battalion faced a number of stern actions.

Kendall was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal (DCM) which was announced in the London Gazette on the 1st of May 1918, the original citation states:

"For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty. He was working with a fatigue party behind the lines when the enemy broke through. Collecting a party of twenty men, he kept the enemy at bay with rifle fire, until reinforced some hours later. He then led his men forward in a counter-attack, drove the enemy out, dug and consolidated the position and held it until relieved. His skillful leadership and fine display of initiative undoubtedly saved a critical situation."

At some stage in early October 1918, possibly 19 October, Kendall was wounded in the legs - he received treatment at 31 Ambulance train but the severity of the wounds resulted in his legs being amputated. Despite this last-ditch attempt to save him, Kendall died on the 25th of October 1918 and is buried at Terlincthun British Cemetery, Boulogne.

The image above shows the Distinguished Conduct Medal, 1914 Star, British War & Victory Medals that were subsequently issued to Jabez's next of kin.