Commemorated: | |||
| 1. Grave: | Knightsbridge Cemetery, Mesnil-Martinsart | B.7 | |
| 2. Book: | The (1921) Masonic Roll of Honour 1914-1918 | Pg.129 | |
| 3. Memorial: | The (1940) Scroll - WW1 Roll of Honour | 8B GQS | |
Awards & Titles: | 1914-15 Star British War Medal Victory Medal | ||
Early Life :
Born at Stoke Newington 1886 to scottish parents John and Isabella Colts MacKirdy. Aged 14 he shows resident, with family, at 6 Westcombe Park Road, Greenwich.Service Life:
Campaigns:
- The First World War 1914-1918, World-wide.
| Unit / Ship / Est.: 4th Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment |
4th (Extra Reserve) Battalion August 1914 : in Bedford. A training unit, it moved within a few days of declaration of war to Felixstowe, for duty with the Harwich Garrison. 25 July 1916 having been converted for war service it landed at Le Havre and was attached to 190th Brigade, 63rd (Royal Naval) Division. |
| Action : Operations on the Ancre |
11 January - 13 March 1917. Operations on the Ancre concerned the gradual advance in the area around Miramont during which the Germans retired towards the Hindenburg Line defences.
Detail :
Embarked November 1915 and appears to have disembarked at Cameroon (medal card), which is at odds with the rest of the battalion. There is reference to "Nigeria" on the medal card. Killed in action 11th February 1917 in France, whilst with the Battalion at Miramount. He is commemorated at his grave with this date, but other records including probate show 12th February.
Probate shows his rank as Second Lieutenant, but his grave shows that he was Captain. Masonic record shows 2nd Lieut.(acting Captain). His estate, amounting to £169 12s. 1d, was given to his widowed mother.
Masonic :
| Type | Lodge Name and No. | Province/District : |
|---|---|---|
| Mother : | Lodge of Peace and Harmony No. 359 E.C. | Hampshire & IOW |
Initiated | Passed | Raised |
20th January 1913 | 17th February 1913 | 17th March 1913 |
The book, the Masonic Roll of Honour shows his name as "McKirdy", but most sources shows it as MacKirdy.
Source :
The project globally acknowledges the following as sources of information for research across the whole database:
- The Commonwealth War Graves Commission
- The (UK) National Archives
- Ancestry.co.uk - Genealogy, Family Trees & Family History online
- ugle.org.uk - The records of the United Grand Lodge of England including the Library and Museum of Freemasonry
Additional Source:
- Founder Researchers : Paul Masters & Mike McCarthy
- Researcher : Bruce Littley