Francis George Kirby

A Private with the 7th Battalion, Francis died on 3rd of July 1916 at the age of 22. 

Francis was born at Kirkley on 9 December 1893, a son of Charles James and Phoebe Kirby. He was baptised at Saint Peter’s Church, Kirkley, on 6 April 1894. In 1901 his family lived at 16 Lorne Road, and this was Francis’ home for the rest of his life. In 1911 he worked as a bricklayer’s labourer.

Francis enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft and joined the Suffolk Regiment, service number 23471. He was posted to the 7th Battalion in France.

On 3 July 1916 the 7th Battalion took part in a frontal attack on the village of Ovillers, in the Somme region of France. Although initially successful the attack faulted because, when in the village, German troops were able to infiltrate the successive lines of the British attack and inflicted heavy casualties. The 7th Battalion lost 21 officers, and 458 men, killed wounded or missing, but some of those missing did return to the battalion in the following days.

Francis was among those killed in action on 3 July 1916.