C.S.M 16585 John Kirkwood

• Age: 26
• From: Liverpool
• Regiment: The King's (Liverpool Regiment) 18th Btn
• K.I.A Saturday 8th July 1916
• Commemorated at: Thiepval Memorial
  Panel Ref: P&F1D8B &8 C.

John Kirkwood was born 05th March 1890 in Bootle, Liverpool the son of Michael Joseph and his wife Margaret Anne (née Ranworth) who were married on 13th September 1875 at St Mary’s Church, Bootle. Joseph was an engine fitter of Bootle, father Henry a book-binder, whilst Margaret Anne was also of Bootle, father Jacob a stevedore. He was baptised on the 19th March 1890 at St Paul’s Church, Kirkdale, his father a labourer of 15 Bedford Rd.   

His father was born on the 10th February 1854 in Dublin, the son of Henry and Mary(née Doyle) of 20 Camden St. He was baptised on the 17th February at St Nicholas', Francis St. 

The 1891 Census shows the family living at 15 Bedford Road, Bootle.

John is aged 1 and lives with his parents and seven siblings. His father Joseph, who is aged 37, was born in Ireland in 1854 and is a dock labourer, whilst his mother, Margaret Anne, is aged 34, she was born 1857 in Liverpool and has no occupation listed. His seven siblings are listed as follows;  Mary aged 15, is at school, Samuel aged 11, Henry aged 9,  Emily aged 7, Edward aged 5, are all at school and were born in Liverpool and Alfred aged 3. Also listed is Margaret's mother Charlotte Ranworth aged 64, born 1827 and her brother Samuel Ranworth aged 38, born 1853 a timber labourer and both were born in Liverpool.   

Samuel who was listed in the 1891 Census as born in 1880 died on 15th February 1892 aged 12.

His grandmother Charlotte Ranworth died on 09th March 1900, aged 72.

The 1901 Census shows the family still living at 15, Bedford Road, Bootle.

John is 11 years old and is living with his parents and seven siblings. His father Joseph now aged 47, is a dock labourer and showing as born in Dublin, Ireland. His wife Margaret Anne is aged 44, and has no occupation listed. Mary E. is aged 25 and is a teacher in an elementary school, Frances aged 23 has no occupation listed, Henry aged 19, is a hat finisher in a dye works, Emily aged 17, is a dressmaker, Edward aged 15 is a commercial junior clerk, Alfred aged 13 and Samuel aged 8, who was born in 1893 in Bootle. Samuel Ranworth now aged 48 and still employed as a timber labourer is still living at the address.

The 1911 Census shows the family still living at 15, Bedford Road, Bootle. 

 John aged 21 is a shipping clerk, he lives with his widowed mother and four siblings.  His mother Margaret Anne is now aged 54, and has no occupation listed. His siblings are listed as follows: Mary E. aged 35, is a teacher in an elementary school with Liverpool Council, Edward aged 25 is a clerk with Liverpool Saving's Bank, Alfred aged 23 is a clerk at a timber brokers and Samuel aged 18, is an apprentice joiner. Samuel Ranworth is still living with the family he is aged 58 and still employed as a timber labourer. 

John enlisted at St George's Hall in Liverpool on the 31^st August 1914 joining the 18th Battalion of The King's Liverpool Regiment as Private 16585. He was accompanied by his elder brother Alfred, who also enlisted in the 18th Battalion with the number 16584. John gave his age as 24 years and 150 days, and his occupation as a clerk. He was six foot two and half inches tall, weighed 147lbs, 37” chest, had a fresh complexion, blue eyes, light brown hair and gave his religion as Church of England. He gave his mother Margaret Ann, 15 Bedford Rd, Bootle as his next of kin.

From the 23^rd September 1914 he was billeted at Hooton Park Race Course and remained there until 03^rd December 1914 when they moved into the hutted accommodation at Lord Derby’s estate at Knowsley Hall. On 30th April 1915 the 18th Battalion alongside the other three Pals battalions left Liverpool via Prescot Station for further training at Belton Park, Grantham. They remained here until September 1915 when they reached Larkhill Camp on Salisbury Plain.

His service records show:

07.9.14: Promoted to Sergeant.

07.11.15: Embarked for France with his battalion.

23.4.16: Attached to 4th Army Infantry School.

02.7.16: Promoted W.O.II C.S.M.

John's brother Alf was killed in action during the attack at Montauban on 01st July 1916. 

A report in the Bootle Times in July 1916 concerning the death of Alf Kirkwood and Arthur Seanor, contained in a remarkable letter from John Kirkwood, Alf's brother and Arthur's friend:

Sergt J. Kirkwood whose brother Alfred was killed in the same action, has written to the Vicar of St. Paul’s Kirkdale, announcing the death of the two young soldiers who were fellow choristers at the church.

He say’s of Pte Seanor:

“As you are probably aware, he has been in my platoon since the commencement of the war, and I can safely say I could never hope to have a better soldier. Cheerful at all times, he was perfectly happy when I shook hands with him about three minutes before we passed on the top of the parapet, and he had not gone more than 200 yards (about the same distance as my brother Alf) when he was fatally wounded. I saw his body on the field the following day, and he, like Alf, lay with his face to the foe….

Liverpool has every reason to be proud of this battalion. They went forward as on the parade ground, not hesitating in the face of a hail of lead, and although our losses were heavy our object was attained to scheduled time. Both Alf and Arthur fell on the 1^st instant. We had partaken of Holy Communion on the previous Sunday.

I remain absolutely unscathed although in the front line, where our losses were heavy”.     

John was killed in action, just a week after his brother, on the 08^th July 1916, aged 24.

An extract from 18th Battalion King's Liverpool Regiment War Diary explains how John was killed alongside his Lt Colonel and other officers:

Oxford Copse/Train Alley/Briqueterie/Trones Wood

7.7.16: Moved to assembly trenches between Oxford and Cambridge Copse and bivouacked there. Battalion, about 350 strong, detailed as carrying parties for Brigade.

8.7.16: In the afternoon the Battalion was moved up to Train Alley Brigade HQ - Lt Col EH Trotter with the Adjutant and two orderlies moved up in advance and reported to Brigade HQ. The Colonel while seeing his Battalion up to their positions was to the great sorrow of all killed by a shell at about 5:30pm in Train Alley. Officer Casualties Killed Lt-Col EH Trotter DSO (Major Grenadier Guards), 2nd Lt NAS Barnard. Wounded 2nd Lt DM Griffin. 

The loss of two sons was reported in the Liverpool Echo 17th July 1916:

BOOTLE MOTHER'S DOUBLE LOSS

Mrs Kirkwood of 15 Bedford Road, Bootle has sustained a double loss by the death in France of a son, Sergeant A. Kirkwood, and of another son Co. Sergeant Major J. Kirkwood, King's Liverpool Regiment, who was killed in action on July 9th (sic).

John was also reported killed in the Liverpool Daily Post on 07th September 1916.

He, like his brother Alfred, also has no known grave and is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme. 

The Thiepval Memorial, the Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, bears the names of more than 72,000 officers and men of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in the Somme sector before 20 March 1918 and have no known grave. Over 90% of those commemorated died between July and November 1916.

On 01st August 1932 the Prince of Wales and the President of France inaugurated the Thiepval Memorial in Picardy. The inscription reads: “Here are recorded the names of officers and men of the British Armies who fell on the Somme battlefields between July 1915 and March 1918 but to whom the fortune of war denied the known and honoured burial given to their comrades in death.”

Both brothers are commemorated in the Hall of Remembrance at Liverpool Town Hall, Panel 67.

They are also remembered on the family headstone at St Mary's Churchyard, Bootle. The church was destroyed in the Blitz on Bootle during WWII. The inscription on the headstone reads: 

Also in proud and loving memory of 
SGT ALFRED KIRKWOOD KILLED IN ACTION IN FRANCE 1ST JULY 1916, AGED 28 YEARS. 
AND C.S.M. JOHN KIRKWOOD KILLED IN ACTION IN FRANCE 8TH JULY 1916, AGED 26 YEARS.
BOTH OF THE 18TH SERVICE BATT. K.L.R.(2ND PALS)
"IN THEIR DEATH THEY WERE NOT DIVIDED"   

The headstone also remembers Charlotte aged 72 and Samuel aged 68 with the incorrect surnames “Rauworth” (see Alfred Kirkwood’s biography on this site) 

John was posthumously Mentioned in Dispatches for Gallantry and Devotion to Duty in the London Gazette on 04th January 1917.  

Kirkwood. No.18/16585, Co. Serj.-Maj. J. (killed) 

His army pay of £15 13s 4d was divided equally to his mother Margaret Anne and brothers Henry, Edward and Samuel, sisters Mary E, Frances Eccles, Emily Horner. War Gratuity of £15 10s and Pension awarded to his mother Margaret Anne. 

Liverpool Evening Express 2nd July 1926 

KIRKWOOD - In loving memory of Sergt. ALFRED KIRKWOOD and C.S.M. JOHN KIRKWOOD, both of the 18th King’s Liverpool (2nd Pals), killed in action at the Somme, July 1916. Always remembered by mother and family. 

His mother died aged 78 on the 5th November 1935. 

Liverpool Daily Post - Thursday 07 November 1935 

KIRKWOOD— November 5, at 15 Bedford Road, Bootle, aged 78 years, MARGARET A. KIRKWOOD. Interment at Bootle Cemetery, tomorrow (Friday), at 2 p.m. (No flowers by request.) 

Nearly ninety years after their deaths, Alfred and John were remembered in an In Memoriam notice in The Daily Telegraph on 01st July 2005, under the heading, “THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE”:  “KIRKWOOD - Sgt. ALFRED KIA Somme 1916 and his brother CSM JOHN KIRKWOOD KIA on 6th July, both with the Liverpool Pals KLR. Remembered by their nephew John Kirkwood.”

We currently have no further information on John Kirkwood, If you have or know someone who may be able to add to the history of this soldier, please contact us.