Lieutenant, 432nd Field Company Royal Engineers.
Died of wounds 12th October 1918 age 28.
Buried at Rocquigny-Equancourt Road British Cemetery, France.
Former student of mechanical engineering.
Kenneth was born at Prestwich on 12th November 1890 to Arthur James and Annie Martin Sinclair. His father was Director of Messrs. R. Johnson, Clapham and Morris, a metal merchants and manufacturer. Kenneth was educated at Liverpool College, and Manchester Grammar School (1904-1908). He played Lacrosse for Manchester Grammar School, Marple Lacrosse Club, where he was also vice-captain, and ocassionally Cheshire. He entered Manchester University in 1912 to study mechanical engineering and graduated in 1915. He spent some time as president of the Student’s Union.
From October 1914 to August 1915 he was a member of the University Officer Training Corps. After his studies he took up an engineering apprenticeship with Pollock and Macnab, Bredbury. In August 1915 he was gazetted to the Royal Engineers and served in Egpyt with 1/3rd Field Company in 42nd Division. He was mentioned in despatches by Lieutenant-General Sir Archibald Murray for gallant and distinguished service in the field. The division was moved to the Western Front and whilst laying new trenches in July 1916 he suffered a groin injury which caused him to be evacuated home to 2nd Western General Hospital in Manchester. This gave an opportunity to marry his fiancee Beatrice.
In March 1918 Kenneth had recovered and was sent to the Royal Engineers Command Centre in Norfolk and the School of Military Engineering at Chatham. In April 1918 he was back in France. On 10th October 1918 he was in charge of two sections of engineers who went forward shortly after an infantry attack, near Le Cateau, with the task of consolidating the ground that had been captured. A shell burst close to him and he sustained severe injuries. He died on 12th October 1918 of his wounds at No. 18 Casualty Clearing Station.Ten days previous his son, Ian Kenneth Donald, had been born.