235230 Pte. Reginald Goatham British Army 7th Battalion East Kent Regiment from:Gravesend Reginald Goatham was my Great Uncle, my paternal grandfather's older brother. He signed up to serve in November 1914 and was killed in action on the Somme in October 1916. Reginald has no marked grave, but is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.
I inherited a large number of letters that he wrote home to his parents and siblings during this period, and also have the robe that he was christened in in 1893 or 1894. Due to ill health and some spells in hospital, he remained in southern England with Kent Cyclists Battalions until July 1916, when his Battalion was sent to France. Not long after arrived, these Cyclists seem to have been transferred to the 7th Battalion, East Kent Regiment.
My favourite letter is one that he wrote to thank his mother for sending him some of her home-made jam and a pair of boots. The only problem is that she packed the jam inside one of the boots, but the lid came off and he received one very sticky boot.
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