KENNETH PERCIVAL WINDOW
14th July 1899 – 28th August 1918
Kenneth Percival Window was born on the 14th July 1899, the son of Captain Percival and Mrs
Louisa Window (nee Sparkes) of 10 Cornerswell Road, Penarth and later of “Rosebank” 91
Cornerswell Road. Kenneth had an older brother, Lionel, who was killed on the Somme on 13th
November 1916.
From the census we see that Percy was a coal inspector. His father had moved from Gloucestershire
to Cardiff. In the 1901 census we see that they lived at 27 Dingle Road, Penarth. By the 1911
census, Kenneth was 11, the family were at 10 Cornerswell Road, and there were three other
children: Lionel, then 14, Constance 9 and Dorothy 7. They also had a family member visiting at
the time of the 1911 census, Ellen Window, who was 61 and from Gloucester.
A piece in the Penarth Times of the 25th February 1916, stated;
“A most successful and enjoyable social was held at the Drill Hall, in aid of the local funds for the
widows and orphans of soldiers and sailors. It is estimated that about £12 will have been handed
over after all expenses are paid. All expressed themselves as having spent a most enjoyable evening
and were sorry when “”lights out”” was sounded”. Amongst those present were Lieut. and Mrs P
Window, as yet unaware they would lose two sons to the War”
Kenneth went first to Victoria School in Cornerswell Road, and then to Penarth County School.
After school, Kenneth joined the London and Provincial Bank in St Mary Street as a clerk. London
& Provincial was later taken over by Barclays. Like his father, he took an interest in swimming and
was a member of Penarth Swimming Club.
On the 25th November 1917, Kenneth enlisted with the 43rd Training Depot Station RAF as an air
cadet, with service number 89729. He passed a most successful period of training. On the 7th
February 1918 he was promoted, passing two severe training rests with honours, gaining 98 and
100 marks respectively in his examinations. The authorities decided he was so capable that he was
to remain in the UK for some time to act as a Flying Instructor. He was promoted to a 2nd
Lieutenant. We presume that he would be flying a Sopwith Strutter of which around 6,000 were
built in France and the UK. They were used for observation and also, more importantly, for
dropping bombs. These planes saw active service on the Western Front and at Ypres in 1917 and on
the Somme in 1918.