Kendall, Louis Stanley

Stan Kendall was born on 6 October 1878 in Milton, to parents Thomas Kendall and Margaret Allen. In 1903, he married Ruby Kendall and lived at 'Wingello Cottage' in Kiama. They had three children, Cedric Milton, Allen Surfleet and Margaret Joyce.

A Kiama dairy farmer, Stan enlisted on 8 March 1916 with the 30th Battalion, 9th Reinforcement, at the age of 37.

Stan was a keen member of the Kiama Rifle Club, which was formed in 1894 and was affiliated with 'E' Company, 2nd Infantry Regiment located at Kiama. One of his last matches was on 11 March 1916, against Shellharbour.

Before Stan embarked, he represented the Kiama Rifle Club in a match with a team from No. 1 Camp.

Stan's dairy herd was auctioned by Alex Campbell on the 18 March 1916, and tenders were invited to run his farm while he was away at war.

Stan was on board a train (pictured below) as it left Kiama Station on 4 August 1916. As it departed, a chorus of 'Advance Australia Fair' would have been ringing in his ears. This would be the last time Stan saw his hometown. No doubt his wife and children were there to see him off.

Stan embarked from Sydney on board HMAT Anchises on 24 August 1916, as part of the 30th Battalion, 9th Reinforcements.

Stan was appointed as Acting Corporal on 20 December 1916. He then reverted back to Private a few days later.

On 23 October 1917, Stan was killed in action. Initially it was stated that he was killed when a bomb dropped on the Ambulance wagon he was driving. However, four months later, according to the Kiama Independent of 13 March 1918, he was exiting a German pill box when a shell burst nearby, killing him instantly.

He was buried in an isolated grave in the vicinity of Garter Point, ¾ of a mile southwest of Zonnebeke and 3 ¾ miles east-northeast of Ypres. In April 1920, his remains were exhumed and reinterred in Hooge Crater Cemetery, 2 miles east of Ypres.