WW1 Miltiary Cross privately named on back LIEUT F A KIRKLAND AUG 1917, British War & Victory Medals named LIEUT F A KIRKLAND.
Francis Alfred Kirkland born 1st Jun 1896 in Hackney, London the Son of Alfred James Kirkland, a print reader from Liverpool. He joined the army getting a commission in the 9th Lincolnshire Regiment as a Temporary 2nd Lt. Transferred to the 16th Battalion 48th Co Machine Gun Corps on 27th Mar 1916 and then sent to France on 9th Sep 1916. Made a Temporary Lt on 1st Feb 1917 and awarded a Military Cross in Aug 1917 - LG 7th Mar 1918 - For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty in getting his guns into action during very heavy shelling. When the officer on his left was wounded he took command of both section, which involved moving about between them under intense fire.
He was captured on the 21st Mar 1918 at East of Lamprire, Somme. He was in charge of four Vickers Guns in the trenches in B Coy. The Germans attacked first with artillery barrage with one of the guns destroyed by the barrage. There was a heavy mist which helped hide the Germans attacking till they broke through. His guns engaged the enemy until completely over ran his positions and he was captured and became a prisoner of war. He survived the war and relinquishes his commission on 20th May 1920 as a Major.
He is next mentioned as being appointed an Assistant Inspector of Taxes LG 5th Oct 1920. He was now living in Ireland as he married on 8th Sep 1920 in Enniskillen, Northern Ireland. He died in Northern Ireland on 17th Jul 1955.
