BORN HULL 25/12/1894. SON OF WILLIAM LYELL KIRBY & FANNY ELSTON, SELBY. EDUCATED AT SEDBERGH SCHOOL. EMPLOYED AT THIS FATHER’S MILLS IN SELBY. GAZETTED TO 2ND LIEUTENANT IN THE ROYAL GARRISON ARTILLERY, IN NOVEMBER 1915. PROMOTED TO FULL LIEUTENANT, IN OCTOBER 1917. THEN CAPTAIN IN DECEMBER 1917. SERVED WITHTHE 63RD SIEGE BATTERY IN FRANCE, FROM MAY 1916. TRANSFERRED TO THE 5TH CORPS, HEAVY ARTILLERY, AND AFTERWARDS TO THE 2ND ANZAC GROUP. WAS APPOINTED AFTERWARDS, TO 22ND HEAD QUARTERS STAFF. HE WAS ACCIDENTALLY KILLED AT LEDERZEELE, ON THE 1ST JUNE 1918, AGED 24, AND IS BURIED THERE. UNMARRIED. HIS COMMANDING OFFICER, WROTE, “HE WAS THE BACKBONE OF MY STAFF; SUCH A QUICK BRAIN AND SUCH A HARD WORKER, AND ALWAYS FRESH AND SMILING, EVEN DURING THE MOST STRENOOUS TIMES….HE WAS ALWAYS STRAIGHT AND A CLEAN LIVER, AND SO DEPENDABLE. AND HE WAS LOVED AND RESPECTED BY ALL OFFICERS AND MEN, FROM THE GENERAL DOWN TO THE JUNIOR GUNNER.”
HIS FAMILY & SERVICE DETAILS ARE RECORDED WITH HIS PHOTOGRAPH, IN THE DE RUVIGNAY ROLL OF HONOUR, VOLUME 4. *
