Frank Kirkland, Gordon Highlanders

Frank Kirkland. Private, “B” Coy., 1st/5th Bn., Gordon Highlanders.

1. Exact copy from Frank Kirkland’s sister Jessie’s little note book. 1 image.
2. Note about where Frank Kirkland had been captured from Charles Reid, Gordon Highlanders Museum, Aberdeen. 1 image.
3. Order of Service at Service of Remembrance held on 11th November, 2018, at Luthermuir. 1 image.
4. Cards, one of which is for Christmas 1917 from F. Kirkland to Father and Mother. 4 images.
5. Extract from “Mearns Memorials of World War I” Produced for Mearns Connections Festival August 2014 relating to Crosspoles War Memorial where Frank Kirkland is commemorated. 2 images.
6. Newspaper cutting from the Courier of Friday, November 7, 2014. It is about a handwritten poem that Janette Anderson found in a little notebook that belonged to her grandmother, Mrs Jessie Duguid. 1 image.
7. Photograph of Crosspoles War Memorial taken on the laying of a wreath marking the start of the First World War. 1 image.
8. Newspaper cutting with Photograph of Crosspoles War Memorial which was erected in memory of the men of Marykirk parish who died in the Great War. 1 image.
9. Postcard with Picture of Crosspoles War Memorial which was sent, dated 9.5.28, to Miss L. Duguid, Montrose. 2 images.
10. Order of Service for the Memorial Service (following after the Unveiling Ceremony at Crosspoles) in Marykirk Parish Church on Sunday 20th February, 1921, at 6.30 p.m. 3 images.
11. Postcard with a photograph of William Kirkland and his two sons Frank and Charles at Thistle Cottage, Luthermuir, with date of 24/1/14 on it. 2 images.
12. Postcard with a photograph of Frank Kirkland at Ripon June 1915. 2 images.
13. Postcard with a photograph of Frank Kirkland May 1914. 2 images.
14. Note and photograph of soldiers at North Camp, Ripon. 3 images.
15. Photograph of soldiers at Ripon May 1916. 2 images.
16. Character reference regarding Frank Kirkland dated Nov 4th 1913 written by Alex. Taylor, Arbuthnott Gardens. 1 image.
17. Postcard with Photograph of Gardeners at Inglismaldie Castle, 1909. Frank Kirkland is on the left. 2 images.
18. Character reference regarding Frank Kirkland dated April 20th 1912 written by Thomas Wright, Inglismaldie Castle. 1 image.
19. Postcard with picture of Arbuthnott House sent on 16 September 1912 by Frank Kirkland to his Grandfather, Mr F. Gordon at Stonehaven. 2 images.
20. Recruitment Form for Frank Kirkland 14/2/16 Aberdeen. 2 images.
21. Postcard from Peg to Frank Kirkland dated 5 April 1918. 2 images.
22. The “Kingsway” Scoring Book revised for 1916 General Musketry Course. 24 images.
23. Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh admission card for visitors Patient Frank Kirkland. Date 24/11/15. 2 images.
24. Standardised Postcard from Frank Kirkland to his mother indicating that he had been admitted to hospital sick and that he is going on well, dated 4 Dec 1916. 2 images.
25. Notification from Frank Kirkland to his father that he had just arrived at 4th General Hospital, Stobhill, Glasgow, dated 14 July 1917. 1 image.
26. Army form about railway facilities for visiting soldiers in hospital in the United Kingdom. 1 image.
27. Undated postcard from Frank Kirkland at Stobhill to a cousin. 2 images.
28. Official Army Form indicating that Pte F Kirkland had been wounded and was admitted to the 13th General Hospital Boulogne on 28th June 1917. The nature of the wound was Gunshot, Chest (Severe). 2 images.
29. Official Army Form indicating that Pte Frank Kirkland had been posted missing on 21-3-18. 2 images.
30. Letter from Aberdeen and District Prisoners of War Bureau dated 25th July 1918 that Frank Kirkland was a Prisoner of War at Friedrichsfeld, Germany. 2 images.
31. Letter dated 11 October 1918 from Infantry Record Office, Perth, to Mr W Kirkland informing him that Frank Kirkland was a Prisoner of War at Friedrichsfeld. 2 images.
32. Newspaper cutting about Prisoners-of-War, in particular Frank Kirkland and Albert Buchan. 1 image.
33. Letter from Central Prisoners of War Committee indicating that Pte. Frank Kirkland had died at Rethel E.K.VI on 1.8.18. Date of letter is November 8th. 1 image.
34. Letter from Infantry Record Office, Perth, indicating that Private Frank Kirkland died at Rethel on 1st August 1918, prisoner of war. He died from pneumonia. There is a message of sympathy from the King and Queen enclosed. 3 images.
35. Letter to Mrs Kirkland about the distribution of money to soldiers in Marykirk parish or to his mother if the soldier had died. 2 images.
36. Newspaper cutting: in memoriam notice about the death of Frank Kirkland.
37. Letter from W W Reid, Chaplain to the Forces, dated 8 April 1918, saying that Frank Kirkland is missing, probably a prisoner of war. 1 image.
38. Notice to Wives and other Dependants of Soldiers reported missing. 1 image.
39. Letter from the War Office to Mr W Kirkland about money from Army funds due to the estate of Frank Kirkland and to be given to him and to the late soldier’s brothers Charles and John and sister Jessie. 1 image.
40 Letter from the Imperial War Graves Commission dated 4th October, 1923, indicating that it had been found necessary to exhume bodies of British Soldiers in Rethel Communal Cemetery German Extension and to re-inter them in Rethel French National Cemetery. This included Frank Kirkland. 1 image.
41. Letter from Imperial War Graves Commission dated 22 May 1928 indicating that permanent headstones had been erected at Rethel French Nat. Cem.
42. Arrangements for the British Legion Pilgrimage on 4th to 9th August, 1928. 7 images.
43. Letter to his sister from Frank Kirkland dated 3 February 1916. 1 image.
44. Card dated 23 January 1917 sent by Frank Kirkland to his Mother from Randalstown, Ireland. 2 images.
45. Letter to his Father and Mother from Frank Kirkland dated 1 July 1917 from hospital in France; he says he has been wounded. 1 image.
46. Letter to his Father and Mother from Frank Kirkland dated 14 August 1917 from hospital at Stobhill, Glasgow. 2 images.
47. Letter to his Father and Mother from Frank Kirkland dated 13 October 1917. 1 image.
48. Letter to his Father and Mother from Frank Kirkland dated 17 December 1917. 3 images.
49. Christmas cards from Frank Kirkland Christmas 1917. 6 images.
50. Letter to his Father and Mother from Frank Kirkland dated 19 December 1917. 2 images.
51. Letter to his Father and Mother from Frank Kirkland dated 7 March 1918. 1 image.
52. Letter to his Father and Mother from Frank Kirkland dated 15 March 1918. 1 image.
53. Letter to his Father and Mother from Frank Kirkland dated 26 May 1918. 2 images.
54. Letter to his Father and Mother from Frank Kirkland dated 10 June 1918. 2 images.
55. Letter to his Father and Mother from Frank Kirkland dated 24 June 1918. 2 images.
56. Letter to his Father and Mother from Frank Kirkland dated 8 July 1918. 2 images.
57. Casualty Lists, Gordon Highlanders. Includes Frank Kirkland as wounded in June 1917 and dying in August 1918. 3 images.
58. Christmas card with handwritten poem on reverse. 2 images.
59. Scotland’s Heather in France (By a Scots Padre). Printed. 1 image.
60. Magazine cutting from the “Friend” about the end of 1918 and the new year of 1919. 1 image.
61. Dead Man’s Penny commemorating Frank Kirkland. 1 image.
62. Information from CWGC for Frank Kirkland. 2 images.
63. Photographs taken on visit to Rethel by family members in June 2000. 23 images.
64. Cross Poles war memorial 14-6-2000. 2 images.
65. Photographs taken on a visit to Rethel Cemetery by family members on 4th August 2018. 2 images.
66. Photographs (postcard format) of Charles Kirkland, Brother of Frank Kirkland. 8 images.
67. Commemorative certificate from CWGC for Frank Kirkland. 1 page pdf file.

Frank Gordon Kirkland was my great uncle. He was the eldest son of William Kirkland and Charlotte Kirkland/Gordon. He was born at Luthermuir on 1st January 1892.

Frank’s sister, Jessie Gordon Kirkland, married George Alexander Duguid in 1911. She kept a little notebook and in it are details of Frank’s service in the army as follows:

Frank joined 3/7th Gordons 19th April, 1916.
Sent to Ripon till July then to France in 15th Gordons.
Sick and wounded at Beauemont Hammel November 1916. Was in Glasgow hospital.
Went to France again May 1917.
Wounded again July at _______ in the chest. Was in Glasgow Hospital.
Went to France again in October, 1917.
Taken prisoner 21st March, 1918. Wrote us on 23rd April. Didn’t receive word till 22nd July. Missing 4 months, well and unwounded.
Wrote 23rd July, sick in bed. We got letter 14th September. Last letter he wrote.
Then word came from War Office 9th November, 1918. Frank died at Rethel on 1st August from pneumonia.

Information received from Charles Reid, Gordon Highlanders Museum, Aberdeen, in January, 2011, indicated that Frank was captured at Fresney-le-Petit.

He is buried at Rethel French National Cemetery, Ardennes, France.

Frank had two brothers, Charles and John; they were all at war. One brother left for New Zealand after the war. I have some photographs of Charles.

19/04/1916. 01/08/1918.

Places: Fresney-le-Petit, France. Rethel, Ardennes, France.

Janette Anderson

Mackie Academy, Stonehaven (23/02/2019)