Kenneth Abbot Giviens was born on 21 March 1915 in Bristol County, Massachusetts. He was the son of Robert Walter and Edna Teresa Giviens of Providence, Rhode Island.
Pvt Kenneth A. Giviens completed High School in Rhode Island and New York. While going to High School he worked in a grocery store. His first job in leaving school was at a refrigerator plant of General Electric in Schenectady, N.Y. He traveled around New England for 2 or 3 years as a "pitchman" i.e. displaying and selling goods. Then he got a job with G.E. in 1937 through a friend in the personnel department in Shop Electric Dept. until his enlistment on 5 August 1941 in Montreal. He had reinforcement training at Farnham and Huntingdon and passed for the Test of Elementary Training. He was sent to England in March 1942.
Statement from Pte Brunner, M, D.137947
At 0500 hours, 2 October 1944, Cpl Wilkinson, Pte Giviens, and I were detailed for a dawn patrol at the town of Brecht. On the outskirts of the town, Pte Giviens heard movement about 10 yards in front of me. I was a few yards behind him so he crawled back to inform me. We immediately went to the opposite side of the road where Cpl Wilkinson was. Just as I touched the ditch, potato mashers and machine gun fire opened up on us. Pte Giviens was wounded. He groaned and another masher was thrown at us. After hearing him groan I tried to find out the trouble but as soon as I moved they threw another masher and also opened up with a rifle on me. As it was coming daylight, Cpl Wilkinson and I withdrew to "D" Coy H.Q. On leaving Cpl Wilkinson and I told Pte Giviens that we would return with help. When I last saw Pte Giviens he was very much alive although he was severely wounded and could not move. We explained the situation on arriving at "D Compay and a party was sent out to retrieve the body but they did not bring the body back upon their return.
Pvt Giviens died of wounds in Holland while a prisoner of war. He was initially buried at Rucphen Church Cemetery.
Source of information: www.findagrave.com