James Kirk
Second Lieutenant, 10th Battalion. (attachd 2nd Battalion) Manchester Regiment
- Register No.
- 699 (Alf's numbering, from The Register of the Victoria Cross, 1997)
- Rank
- Second Lieutenant all Second Lieutenants →
- Unit
- 10th Battalion. (attachd 2nd Battalion) Manchester Regiment all Manchester Regiment VCs →
- Date of action
- 4 November 1918 on this day → all of 1918 →
- Conflict / campaign
- First World War
- London Gazette
- 6th January, 1919 on this day → all of 1919 →
- Born
- 27th January, 1897 at 'Willow Bank' Adswood, Cheadle Hulme,
- Died
- in action on 4th November 1918 at Ors, France
- Award
- Posthumous all posthumous VCs →
- Memorial / grave
- Ors Communal Cemetery, France
Digest of citation
On 4th November 1918 the Battalion was attempting to bridge the Oise Canal, north of Ors, France. To cover this activity, Second Lieutenant Kirk took a Lewis gun, and went, under intense fire, paddling, on a raft, across the canal. At a range of only 10 yards, he expended all his ammunition. More ammunition was paddled across to him and he continued to maintain covering fire, for the bridging party, from a most exposed position. He maintained this post until he was killed
From Alf Askin's research notes
Reproduced as Alf wrote it, c. 2000–2005. Spelling and abbreviations are his own.
KIRK, James. (reg No. 699).
Second Lieutenant. 10th Battalion. (attachd 2nd Battalion) Manchester Regiment.
London Gazetted on 6th January, 1919.
Born on 27th January, 1897 at 'Willow Bank' Adswood, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire.
Killed in action on 4th November 1918 at Ors, France.
Memorial at Ors Communal Cemetery, France.
Digest of Citation reads: On 4th November 1918 the Battalion was attempting to bridge the Oise Canal, north of Ors, France. To cover this activity, Second Lieutenant Kirk took a Lewis gun, and went, under intense fire, paddling, on a raft, across the canal. At a range of only 10 yards, he expended all his ammunition. More ammunition was paddled across to him and he continued to maintain covering fire, for the bridging party, from a most exposed position. He maintained this post until he was killed.
Additional information:. James Kirk was born at 'Willow Bank', Adswood, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire. He was the son of James and Rachel Kirk. He was educated at Miss Chadwick's, of Cheadle Hulme and at Brentnall Street, Stockport. He played football for the Seymour's Old Boys Association and was also a member of the Edge Lane Cricket Club. On 10th October 1914, at the age of 17, he joined the 6th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment as a Private. He left for the Dardanelles in July 1915 and was present at the storming of Achi Baba in September 1915. The following November he was invalided from Gallipoli to Egypt, suffering from frostbite, where he spent six weeks in hospital in Cairo. On his release he joined the 1st Camel Corps being promoted to Quartermaster-Sergeant on the 5th January 1916. Whilst on a trek, across the desert, he came across his old outfit, the Manchester Regiment, which he rejoined in January 1917 and they were sent to France. In December 1917 he left France with a recommendation for a commission and in June 1918 was London Gazetted Second Lieutenant. He returned to France in October 1918 and was killed just one week before the end of the war. More to add.
Additional information
James Kirk was born at 'Willow Bank', Adswood, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire. He was the son of James and Rachel Kirk. He was educated at Miss Chadwick's, of Cheadle Hulme and at Brentnall Street, Stockport. He played football for the Seymour's Old Boys Association and was also a member of the Edge Lane Cricket Club. On 10th October 1914, at the age of 17, he joined the 6th Battalion of the Manchester Regiment as a Private. He left for the Dardanelles in July 1915 and was present at the storming of Achi Baba in September 1915. The following November he was invalided from Gallipoli to Egypt, suffering from frostbite, where he spent six weeks in hospital in Cairo. On his release he joined the 1st Camel Corps being promoted to Quartermaster-Sergeant on the 5th January 1916. Whilst on a trek, across the desert, he came across his old outfit, the Manchester Regiment, which he rejoined in January 1917 and they were sent to France. In December 1917 he left France with a recommendation for a commission and in June 1918 was London Gazetted Second Lieutenant. He returned to France in October 1918 and was killed just one week before the end of the war. More to add.
Cheshire.
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Alf recorded the memorial as: Ors Communal Cemetery, France
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