BORN HULL 1894. YOUNGEST SON OF WILLIAM ALEXANDER BIRRELL AND MARTHA ELLEN BIRRELL, OF 44 PARK STREET, HULL.(CWGC ADDRESS). AN APPRENTICE ENGINEER AT THE HELLYERS STEAM FISHING COMPANY. HE WAS AN ATHLETE OF CONSIDERABLE REPUTE, HAVING HELD BOTH SWIMMING AND BOXING CHAMPIONSHIPS. HIS ARMY MEDICAL RECORDS, DESCRIBED HIS AS 5 FOOT, 7 INCHES TALL, 37 INCH CHEST SIZE, GOOD VISION AND GOOD PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT.
HE ENLISTED IN TO THE TERRITORIALS, AT HULL, ON 30/05/1911, AGED 17 AND 2 MONTHS. APPOINTED AS SAPPER, 479087, IN THE EAST RIDING (FORTRESS) ROYAL ENGINEERS. HE TRAINED AT TYNEMOUTH, PAULL, AND PLYMOUTH. APPOINTED LANCE CORPORAL, ON 05/08/1914, CORPORAL, ON 01/10/1914, AND FULL CORPORAL, ON 27/03/1915. SERVED ON THE HUMBER DEFENCES, UNTIL 03/11/1917. DISCHARGED AS ACTING SERGEANT, AFTER 6 YEARS SERVICE, ON 22/02/1918. APPOINTED FOR A COMMISSION TO THE ROYAL FLYING CORPS AND POSTED TO FRANCE. TRANSFERRED TO THE 13TH SQUADRON, ROYAL AIR FORCE. HE WAS AN OUTSTANDING PILOT. ON ONE MILITARY COURSE, HE PASSED WITH DISTINCTION AND PLACED FIRST IN THE WHOLE OF THE BRITISH ISLES, IN ANOTHER COURSE HE WAS PLACED SECOND IN THE BRITISH ISLES. HIS SQUADRON COMMANDER DESCIBED HIM AS A MAN OF GREAT PROMISE. HE WAS KILLED IN AFLYING ACCIDENT, ON 18/09/1918, AGED 24.
HIS DEATH WAS REPORTED IN THE HULL DAILY MAIL, ON 01/10/1918. HE HAD SERVED IN THE FORCES FOR SIX YEARS AND 269 DAYS. HE IS BURIED AT AUBIGNY COMMUNAL CEMETERY EXTENSION. HE IS COMMEMORATED ON THE HULL TECHNICAL COLLEGE WW1 MEMORIAL.
HE LEFT £240 IN HIS WILL TO HIS FATHER, WILLIAM, A RETIRED ENGINEER.
HIS BROTHER, SECOND LIEUTENANT, EDWARD BIRRELL, SERVED IN THE ROYAL ENGINEERS. DIED AT SOUTHAMPTON, ON 01/01/1919, AGED 25.
ANOTHER BROTHER, WILLIAM ALEXANDER BIRRELL, SERVED AS A SERGEANT, IN THE 1ST LINCOLNSHIRE REGIEMENT AND WAS KILLED AT YPRES, ON 02/01/1915, AGED 28. HE IS COMMEMORATED ON THE MENIN GATE MEMORIAL.
