David Shackleton, of Staveley, has been scouring past editions of The Westmorland Gazette and came across details 100 years ago in World War One of the first Kendal soldier to die from the 'Kendal Pals'.

On October 4, 1915 at 6am Private Thomas William Bailey was shot through the head by a German sniper and died within the hour.

He was buried in what is now known as London Rifle Brigade cemetery at Ploegsteert in Belgium.

Thomas has the sad distinction of being the first Kendalian to be killed in action while serving with the 8th battalion of the Border Regiment, known locally as the 'Kendal Pals'.

This battalion had landed at Boulogne on September 27, 1915, moved to billets at Le Bizet by the 29th and soon began visiting the front line trenches, a couple of kilometres east of Ploegsteert.

This area was a 'quiet' portion of the Western Front, much used by the British army as a training area for newly-arrived units, but it was still a dangerous place with frequent very heavy enemy artillery bombardments and more than usually active German snipers.

Few of the battalion had any military experience, and as one of Bailey’s comrades wrote at the time: “We were a bit excited at first when we went into the firing line, it’s great sport firing at the German trenches, trying to hit them.

"Bailey was trying to locate one of the snipers, but the German got his shot in first. He was buried decently and with every respect. The service was conducted by the Brigade Chaplain, Captain Ward”.

Thomas William Bailey, aged 19, was the son of Elizabeth Ann and Nicholas William Bailey, a time-expired soldier who had re-enlisted and was serving with the Royal Engineers.

Before he joined the army at Kendal on September 3, 1914, Thomas worked at Oakbank and lived with his mother and sister, Annie ,at Pump Yard, Far Cross Bank, the home of his grandparents Mr and Mrs Anthony Troughton.

The 8th battalion remained in the area about Ploegsteert for some four months. During this period 14 of their officers and men were killed or died of their wounds.

Five of these were from South Westmorland, and one of those, Private William Ellis Jones, of Serpentine Terrace, lies not twoi metres from Thomas.

In 1919 Mrs Annie Woodage, his sister and sole legatee, received £6. 12. 10, this being Thomas’s savings, plus £4 War Gratuity.