Major Victor John Kent

Commemorative Plaque, St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, ON
Photographed by Kristen Way, ca. 2015. LLSC.

Maj. Kent’s Temporary Grave in France
Ca. 1918. VAC. “Victor John Kent.” CVWM. Accessed March 30, 2017.

Victor John Kent was born in London, ON, on 21 January 1883. He was the only surviving son of Malcom and Annie Kent and nephew of prominent lawyer Sir George C. Gibbons, who had been knighted for his work with the International Waterways Commission. Kent was a civil engineer in London, having graduated in 1902 with Honours from the Royal Military College in Kingston. Kent was also a former junior tennis champion of Canada. He enlisted in the 29^th Overseas Battery on 16 Oct 1915 and joined the 55^th Btn, 13^th Brigade upon its creation in January 1917. On the morning of 4 March 1918, the brigade was heavily shelled and Maj. Kent was killed by shrapnel while checking on his men.

He is commemorated on page 441 of the First World War Book of Remembrance, (Memorial Chamber, Peace Tower, Parliament Hill).

Grave: Aix-Noulette Communal Cemetery Extension, France.

Commemorated on: two family headstones at Woodland Cemetery, London, ON.