George James Kirkham

His service record shows he attested on 9th November 1908 in Nottingham into the 8th battalion Sherwood Foresters at this time he was 18 yrs and 2 months of age his occupation that of a hosiery hand. He is described as being five feet ,four and 3/8th inches tall,108 lbs and with a chest measurement of 34 inches ,he had a fresh complexion, blue eyes and light brown hair, had 2 moles on his upper arms and was a Wesleyan. He is shown on the 1911 census as 20 yrs residing in barracks at Crownhill Hutments, Crowhill, Buckland Devon (Plympton St Marys district) and he is a Lance Corporal of the 2nd Battalion Sherwood Foresters. He died on the Western Front and he is commemorated on his parents headstone in Calverton Cemetery where it is noted that he died whilst a prisoner of war in Germany. He was taken prisoner, along with more than 500 of his comrades, on 20th October 1914. He died of pneumonia on 9th December 1918. He is buried in Niederzwheren Cemetery, Kassel, Germany

His younger brother Pte. Charles Clayton Kirkham, 7th Battalion Norfolk Regiment, was killed in action 18th September 1918 and, having no known grave, is commemorated on the Vis-en-Artois Memorial. Death notice published 14th January 1919 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “KIRKHAM. - Died in Germany, on December 9th, 1918, after four years a prisoner of war, of pneumonia following influenza, George James Kirkham, 2nd Sherwood Foresters, aged 28, of Calverton. Shattered hopes. - From his heart-broken fiancée, Olive.” In memoriam published 9th December 1919 in the Nottingham Evening Post :- “KIRKHAM. – In loving memory of our dear son and brother, Pte. G. J. Kirkham, 2nd Sherwood Foresters, whose period of exile ended, after four years a prisoner, he was taken from sorrows of earth to life eternal is not to die. – From sorrowing mother, father, and sisters, Calverton. “KIRKHAM. – In loving memory of my dear brothers, George James Kirkham, who died in Germany December 9th, 1918; also Charlie, killed in France September 18th,1918. – Audrey and Dick.” “KIRKHAM. – In loving memory of our dear cousin, Pte. George J. Kirkham, who died in Germany December 9th, 1918, four years prisoner of war. Until the day breaks and the shadows flee away. – Florry & Joe.” Above notices are courtesy of Jim Grundy and his facebook pages Small Town Great War Hucknall 1914-1918