John's Story.
EARLY LIFE
John Kirkham was baptised with his twin sister Anne on 19 August 1894 at St John the Baptist Church, Penistone, West Yorkshire, the son of Ruth and Sampson Kirkham, a farmer of School Wells, Thurlstone, near Penistone. In 1901, six-year-old John was living at School Wells, Thurlstone, with his parents and siblings Ann (6), twins Ada and Ben (4), and Ruth (2).
By 1911 the family had moved to Cut Thorn Farm, Wildboarclough. Sixteen-year-old John was living nearby at Nessitt Farm, Sutton, employed as a farm labourer. During and after the Great War, John's family lived at various locations in Wildboarclough including Dry Knowl, Eagle and Child Cottage, and Burnt Cliffe.
WW1 SERVICE
John and his brother Ben both enlisted in Macclesfield, joining the 1st Cheshire Regiment. According to John's medal entitlement, he did not serve overseas until after 1915.
The Second Army began the third phase of its offensive on 4 October 1917. The 5th Division had to capture the spur south-west of Reutel (Polderhoek) to protect the flank of the Army. The 1st Bn. Cheshire Regt. was in reserve in Sanctuary Wood, suffering an average of 12 men killed and 40 wounded daily from shell fire. The Battalion was destined to exploit the success of the 95th Brigade, but, as success was not obtained, it had to endure, as patiently as it could, the inevitable shelling of reserve positions. John died of his wounds to the head on 5 October 1917, aged 24 years, the day after his younger brother Ben was killed.
The deaths of John and Ben were commemorated by 'In Memoriam' notices published in the Macclesfield Courier on 5 October 1918:
KIRKHAM - In loving memory of Private Ben Howard Kirkham, who was killed in France October 4th 1917. Also his brother, Private John Kirkham, killed October 5th, 1917, in France; both of Dry Knowl, Wildboarclough.
Sleep on, dear brothers, we would not wake you,
Sorrow and care would darken your brow,
Peace be your sleep while angels are near you,
No earthly sorrow can come to you now,
So sad, but so true, we cannot tell why,
The best are the first that are called to die.Sadly missed by Father, Mother, Sisters and Brother, Buxton, October 1st, 1918.
KIRKHAM - With loving memory of Private John and Private Ben Howard Kirkham who were killed in France, October 4th and 5th, 1917.
Dear ones cease your weeping, Angels round us smile,
We are only parted For a little while.
We are happy now, Though 'twas hard to part,
Yet still our spirits linger Around your aching hearts.From Mr and Mrs Brassington and Family.
Hollin Hall, October 1st, 1918.
COMMEMORATION
Private John Kirkham is buried in grave ref. XX. E. 15A. of the Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery, West Vlaanderen, Belgium. His mother asked for the words "THY WILL BE DONE" to be inscribed on his headstone. Locally, John Kirkham is commemorated on the war memorial in St Saviour's Church, Wildboarclough, and also on the Macclesfield Park Green, Town Hall and St Michael's Church war memorials.
NOTES
Brother of Ben Kirkham, who served in the same battalion of the Cheshire Regiment and was killed in action the previous day, 4th October 1917.
SOURCES
GRO (England & Wales) Index: Births, Marriages, Deaths
Census (England & Wales): 1901, 1911
West Yorkshire Parish Baptism Registers (Ancestry)
British Army Medal Index Cards (Ancestry)
Soldiers Died in the Great War (Find My Past)
Commonwealth War Graves Commission website
Lives of the First World War website
Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery website
Macclesfield Courier: 5 October 1918
With thanks to John Kirkham's family for supplying the photograph.
Research by Harry Carlisle and Rosie Rowley, of Macclesfield.