Lance Corporal Joseph (Jos) Kirkland

 P/10447,  Royal Welch Fusiliers, Cheshire Regt & Military Foot Police

Born 1881 Matterdale. Died March 1959 aged 78 in Penrith

Son of William and Emma (nee Woof) Kirkland, of Matterdale, Hartsop, Deepdale Bridge and Penrith

Husband of Ellen (nee Kilgour) Father of  John, Clara, James, Allan & Frederick

Joseph Kirkland was born in Matterdale around 1881. His parents William and Emma had met when they were both servants at Matterdale End in the 1870s. William was an agricultural labourer and the family moved from Matterdale to Hartsop in the 1880s. Joseph was  in the middle of 8 children, including Frederick Kirkland, and Albert. In September 1896 his father died and was buried in Patterdale, and by 1901 his mother and family were living at Deepdale Bridge. Joseph had left home by this time and on 5th June 1900 had married Ellen Kilgour. By 1901 they were living in Watermillock and Joseph was working as a gardener. By the time war broke out they had had at least 5 children, including John (born 1901) Clara (born 17/8/1902), James William (30/4/05), Allan (12/5/1907), Frederick (19/4/14).

Alongside many in the Dale with families Joseph signed up to the army reserve as part of the Derby Scheme in December 1915.  He was mobilised on 9th June 1916, initially joining the 3rd (Garrison) Battalion of Royal Welch Fusiliers. On 26/6/16  he transferred to 4th Cheshire Regiment and was posted to the posted to 23rd Battalion of Cheshire Regiment at the start of 1917. This was formed as a “home service only” battalion and this is possibly why, in May 1917 Joseph transferred to the Military Policy Corps, moving to the Military Foot Police. He embarked from Southampton on 2 November 1917 and arrived in Le Havre the next day, being posted to the Provost Marshal of the 3rd Army in Rouen on the 12th November.  We are not sure exactly what Joseph was involved with but we do know the 3rd Army was central to the Battle of Cambrai in Nov 1917. We know he continued to serve with IV Corps, 3rd Army until March 1918 - when he was admitted to hospital in Rouen with a bout of Trench Fever  (also known as "Five day fever", a moderately serious disease transmitted by body lice). He was discharged on the 21st March and assigned to the Assistant Provost Marshal at the notorious training camp at Etaples in Northern France. Etaples was a base camp for those on their way to the front, known for its atrocious conditions and harsh training regime. Again we do not know of his exact duties, but the timing of his service there means that he would have been present during the infamous Etaples Mutiny in September 1917 when the shooting dead of a long-serving British soldier by a Military Policeman for trying to leave camp against orders, was said to be the cause of the mutiny.

He continued to serve at Etaples throughout 1918, and was there when he would have received word that his brother Frederick had died of his wounds in Flanders on 31st March 1918.  On the 10th October his transferred to the 2nd Army, and a month later joined the 5th Army - where he stayed (except for a brief 2 week leave to the UK at the end of 1918) until his demobilisation in September 1919, by which time he had served a total of 3 years and 273 days in the colours.

We are unsure what became of Joseph after the war or his family, so if you have any information please let us know.

Joseph and Alberts Brother Frederick Kirkland, Field Ambulance Royal Army Service Corps who died in March 1918 in Flanders

Joseph and Alberts Medal Cards

A photo of the children at Patterdale School in 1889, kindly given to us by the family of Dawson Bowman, which almost certainly includes Joseph. We have tried to identify as many of them as possible on our Patterdale School Then and Now page.

Driver Albert Kirkland

 M/205835 Royal Army Service Corps - 303 Motor Transport (MT)

Born 1888 Beckstones. Died Sept 1951 aged 63 in Birkenhead

Son of William and Emma (nee Woof) Kirkland, of Matterdale, Hartsop, Deepdale Bridge and Penrith

Husband of Ethel White Edwards & Father of 3 children

Albert Kirkland was born in 1888 and baptised at Patterdale Church on the 22nd April that year. At the time his parents William and Emma had were living at Beckstones Farm. In September 1896 his father died and was buried in Patterdale, and by 1901 his mother and family were living at Deepdale Bridge. Albert would have attended Patterdale School with his brothers, including Frederick Kirkland. At some point Albert left the Dale and by 1911 was working as a Chauffeur in Bebington, Cheshire. It was whilst here that he met and married married Ethel White Edwards, the daughter of John Edwards, on 1st November 1911. We know that they had at least 3 sons, the eldest, Alfred, was born in 1912 but sadly died in 1914.  The other two were born in September 1913, and  September 1915. By this time the family was living at 70 The Woodlands, Birkenhead.

Like his brother Joseph, Albert enlisted as part of the Derby Scheme in December 1915, when his profession was listed as being a “motor mechanic”. He had enlisted in the Army Service Corps, and was mobilised on 9th December 1916. 9 days later his passed his Learners Test to qualify as a Military Transport Driver. We believe he was posted to Egypt in February 1917, and from  the start of March 1917 to the 20th April he was assigned to 303 Motor Transport (MT) Coy ASC driving lorries and his work was assessed as "Good". From then until the end of May he was in 347 MT Coy, but all we know of his time there is a handwritten note on his service record stating “Never did a stroke of work"! From there he moved to the Base MT depot and once again got a “good” commendation for his work. The Motor Transport Companies of the Army Service Corps were responsible amongst other things for transporting ammunition as well as serving as Field Ambulances, which is what his brother Fred was doing in France.  It was whilst serving in Egypt that he would have received word that his brother Frederick had died of his wounds in Flanders on 31st March 1918. By the time of his discharge on 30th August 1919 Albert was serving in the 5th Light Armoured Motor Battalion. At some point towards the end of his time in Egypt he has contracted malaria because at the time of his discharge he qualified for a “diasablement” Class 5 pension as a result of the malaria.

We are unsure what became of Albert and his family after the war or his family, only knowing that they stayed on in the Birkenhead area, so if you have any information please let us know.