Coventry Blitz Victims

Coventry Blitz victims' details organised alphabetically: Surnames beginning with 'K'

William Thomas Keay

Born 10/09/1892 at Birmingham. Resided 305 Brearley Street. Hockley, Birmingham. Employed Lea-Francis Limited, Coventry. Killed in the Coventry Blitz 14/11/1940 at the Greyhound Inn, Much Park Street Aged 46. Buried Handsworth New Cemetery, Birmingham.

James Kelly

Son of Patrick and Catherine Kelly. Resided at 34 Starley Road. Killed in the April Raids 18/04/1941 at Warwick Row Shelter Aged 11. Buried London Road Cemetery Coventry.

Patrick Kelly

Husband of Catherine Kelly father of James, Retta (Rita),Gerald and Bob. Resided at 34 Starley Road. Killed in the April Raids 18/04/1941at Warwick Row Shelter Aged 43. Buried London Road Cemetery Coventry.

Retta (Rita) Kelly

Daughter of Patrick and Catherine Kelly. Resided at 34 Starley Road. Killed in the April Raids 18/04/1941at Warwick Row Shelter Aged 17. Buried London Road Cemetery Coventry.

Robert Kemble

Born 03/02/1862 Devonshire. Husband of Ada Frances Marsh. Resided at 181 Lythalls Lane. Killed in the November raids 11/11/1940 at 181 Lythalls Lane Aged 78. Buried London Road Cemetery Coventry.

James Kenney

Born 05/02/1911 at Newcastle-on-Tyne. Son of James Kenney and Elizabeth Jane Lough. Husband of Elizabeth. Brother of Margaret Adeline Kenney, Joseph H, Ernest, Douglas C, Ella, Stephen and Elizabeth Jane. Resided 16 Sherbourne Crescent. Employed Riley Motors Limited. Fireman, Auxiliary Fire Service. Killed in the Coventry Blitz 14/11/1940 Aged 29 at the Swanswell. Buried in the Communal Grave at London Road, Cemetery, Coventry.

Alfred Flint Kershaw

Born 19/07/1867 Loughborough, Leicestershire. Husband of Emily Alice Howland. Resided 6 Eaton Road, Coventry. Father of Alfred Howland Kershaw, Winifred Emilie Kershaw and Madeline Kershaw. Employed as a Watchmaker by Rotherham and Sons Limited, Spon End. Killed in the April Raids 09/04/1941 at Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital Aged 74. Buried 15/04/1942 in the Communal Grave London Road Cemetery, Coventry.

Louise Mildred Kibbler

Born 1876 Coventry. Daughter of John Kibbler and Esther Shesby. Sister of Florence and Ethel Kibbler. Resided 12 Coundon Street. Injured in the October Raids 21/10/1940 at 12 Coundon Street. Died 22/10/1940 Aged 64 at Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital. Buried in the Communal Grave at London Road Cemetery, Coventry.

Frederick Kilbuern

Born 12/09/1908 at Coventry. Son of Frederick Kilbuern and Emma Jane Barnacle of 685 Stoney Stanton Road. Husband of Lily May Greenway of 58 Nuffield Road. Employed E Harris and Son Limited Builders and Contractors. Leading Fireman, Auxiliary Fire Service. Killed whilst on duty in the Coventry Blitz 14/11/1940. Buried in the Communal Grave at London Road Cemetery, Coventry.

William Killpack

Born 15/02/1884 at Radford. Son of Samuel Killpack and Mary Ann Giles. Husband of Elizabeth Killpack. Resided 39 Leicester Causeway. Employed at Dunlop Rim and Wheel Company Limited. Killed in the April Raids 08/04/1941 Aged 58 at Church Street. Buried London Road Cemetery, Coventry.

Frank Henry Kimberley

Born 1888 at Birmingham. Son of John Kimberley a Metal Spinner and Louisa, of 123 Greenfield Road, Harborne, Birmingham. Brother of Florence Elsie, Gwendoline Mary and John Leslie. Husband of Elizabeth Alice. Resided 64 Queensland Avenue. Employed at Southam and Company Limited. Special Constable. Killed in the April Raids 08/04/1941 Aged 54 whilst on duty at the Central Police Station, St Mary Street. Buried Communal Grave London Road Cemetery Coventry.

Maria Sarah Kimberley

Widow of Thomas Alfred Kimberley who died Aged 67 in 1914. Resided at 16 The Butts, Coventry. Injured in the Coventry Blitz 14/11/1940 at 16 The Butts Coventry. Died 16/11/1940 Aged 79 at Rugby Emergency Hospital.

Cyril Alfred King

Born 31/03/1925 at Coventry. Only son of Alfred King and Amy Maria Bates. Resided 653 Sewall Highway, Coventry. Firewatcher. Employed British Piston Ring Company Limited. Killed in the April Raids 08/04/1941 Aged 16 at Sewall Highway. Buried in the Communal Grave at London Road Cemetery, Coventry.

Leslie George King

Born 18/03/1907 at Coventry. Son of Mr and Mrs J King of 24 Weston Street, Hillfields, Coventry. Husband of Frances May Smith. Fireman in the Auxiliary Fire Service. Employed Savages Bakery. Injured in the Coventry Blitz 14/11/1940. Died 07/12/1940 Aged 31 at Evesham Emergency Hospital. Buried Evesham Cemetery.

Stephanie Kinzett

Born 1922 at Foleshill. Resided at 7 Glover Street. Daughter of Fergus Kinzett and Laura B Russell. Employed at the British Thomson-Houston Company Limited. Injured in the Coventry Blitz 14/11/1940 whilst at the Scala Theatre in Far Gosford Street. Died 15/11/1940 at Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital Aged 20.

Catherine Emily Kirk nee Bott

Born 1889 Newton Burgoland, Leicestershire. Wife of Albert Rudolph Kirk. Daughter of William Bott and Olivia Saddington. Sister of Harry, Walter, Frederick, Ethel, Ada and Margaret Bott. Mother of James Henry Kirk. Resided 181 North Street. Killed in the April Raids 11/04/1941 at North Street Aged 51. Buried London Road Cemetery, Coventry.

Albert Rudolph Kirk

Born 1888 Loughborough. Son of Herbert Kirk and Edith Elizabeth Whittle. Brother of Ethel and Elsie Elizabeth Kirk. Husband of Catherine Emily Bott. Resided 181 North Street. Killed in the April Raids 11/04/1941 at North Street Aged 53. Buried London Road Cemetery, Coventry.

James Henry Kirk

Resided 181 North Street. Son of Albert Rudolph Kirk and Catherine Emily Bott. Killed in the April Raids 11/04/1941 at North Street Aged 17. Buried London Road Cemetery, Coventry.

Joanna Kletzenbauer

Born 23/03/1916 at Coventry. Daughter of Carl Franz and Leopoldina Kletzenbauer. Resided 25 St Paul’s Road. Comptometer Operator. Killed in a September Raid 16/09/1940 Aged 25 at 74 Wallace Road. Buried St Nicholas Churchyard.

Bert John Knighton

Born 17/11/1889 Ipswich, Suffolk. Resided 28 Gorseway, Coventry, Warwickshire. Husband of Hilda Sabina Carter. Father of Hilda V, Marjorie E, Muriel W, Joyce M and Cyril B Knighton. Employed Coal Mine Clerk Wages Office. Injured in the Coventry Blitz died 16/11/1940 (18/11/1940 on burial records) Aged 50 at Warwick Hospital. Buried 22/11/1940 Warwick Cemetery, Warwick, Warwickshire.

Emma Martha Knutton

Wife of J. Knutton. Resided 63 Woodside Avenue, Coventry. Died 18/11/1940 at Warwick Hospital Aged 74.

Birmingham at War 1939-45 (Towns and Cities in World War Two) by Julie Phillips

Barely 17 years after the Great War that had brought Britain to its knees, the country was once again asked to make sacrifices and give their all to the war effort. With its strong industrial background, Birmingham was already geared to help manufacture the vehicles that could be adapted for war use, and with the threat of the German Luftwaffe screaming across the skies, it was only right that the production of planes, most notably the spitfire, was ramped up to help protect the British public.

While many of its men and women were involved in the forces abroad, many more stayed behind to defend the city, with inhabitants risking their lives by taking up fire hoses, first aid kits, manning anti-aircraft guns and positioning barrage balloons in order to save others from the devastating destruction of the Blitz. Meanwhile, the city's children were separated from their families to escape the worst of the bombing and would return from their adventures changed: not all host evacuee families were as kind or as welcoming to their charges as it would appear.

Yet not everyone was so patriotic and keen to do their bit, and the opportunity for crime and to fiddle the rations with black market goods was rife. Not even Government issue equipment was off limits, as one Birmingham gang of sandbag thieves demonstrated.

For Birmingham, the Second World War was a time of great hardship and sacrifice and the hard work continued for many years after, as its people painstakingly rebuilt parts of the bomb-damaged city.