Herbert Mark Chaplings Kirk
Rank: Lance Corporal
Service Number: 2283
Date of Birth: 1872
Regiment: 5th Bn., Suffolk Regiment
Date of Death: 25 December 1920
Age at death: 48
Cemetery / Memorial: Hadleigh Cemetery
Country: UK
Grave / Reference: Plot 13 / Grave 43
Relatives: Son of the late John & Sarah Ann Kirk. Husband of Caroline Kirk. Father of Mark Kirk.
Address: 3 The Green, Hadleigh, Suffolk
Herbert Kirk was born in Dereham, Norfolk in 1872. He saw service with the army during the South African campaign. By 1911, he was living in Wells, Norfolk with his wife Caroline and young son, Mark. When war broke out in 1914, Herbert once again volunteered to serve. He joined the 5th Battalion of the Suffolk Regiment, a territorial battalion who recruited heavily from Hadleigh & Bildeston. So if he had not already moved to Hadleigh, he must have moved to Hadleigh in 1914. Hadleigh was the home town of Herbert’s wife Carolyn.
1911 Census.
The 1st/5th Suffolks completed their training and were re-equipped for service in the eastern theatre. They embarked along with the 54 Eastern Division at the end of July from Liverpool bound for Gallipoli. They arrived and went ashore at Suvla Bay on 10th August 1915 and were quickly moved forward. By midday on the 12th they were manning the forward trenches on the Anafarta Plain. At 4pm they were ordered forward as part of a 163 Brigade operation to clear the Plain of snipers in preparation for a much larger Divisional operation that was planned for the following day. The battalion was on the left of the brigade line and 'A' Company made up of Hadleigh men were in the first wave. There was at least 75 Hadleigh men involved. They were told it would be a straight forward advance to mop up the odd sniper, but in reality they faced a determined and ruthless enemy. The enemies intimate knowledge of the ground was key. They sniped the Suffolks who could not see the firing points and even if they could, they had no artillery support to combat the snipers. In addition, the Turks made best use of their own artillery which ultimately halted the brigades advance. The Suffolks fell back to a shallow river bed / ditch where they formed the new front line.
A few days later they were relieved and returned to the reserve trenches where they discovered that the attack had cost them dearly; 11 Officers and 178 Other Ranks were killed, wounded or missing. On that day 16 men from Hadleigh were killed. It is likely that Herbert was involved in this open battle which was a true baptism of fire.
The 5th Bn the Suffolk Regiment were mobilised at the outbreak of war and spent a number of months carrying out home service tasks. At that time territorial units were liable for home service only and were not required to deploy overseas. However, when it became apparent that more troops would be needed for overseas service, the men of the battalion were asked to volunteer. After giving this some serious thought, 72% of the men volunteered and the battalion was redesigned 1st/5th Suffolk Regiment. Those who opted to stay on home service duties only, became the 2nd/5th Suffolks. Herbert volunteered for overseas service.
Badge issued to those who volunteered for overseas service.
Herbert survived the opening battle and remained with the battalion until they were evacuated off the Gallipoli peninsular in December 1915. The Division spent 1916 in relative safety in Egypt until they embarked on the Palestine campaign in early 1917. However, Herbert was evacuated back to England in mid March 1916 medically unwell. It is not clear exactly what he was suffering from, but he does not return to his regiment and he is eventually medically discharged from the Army on 10 June 1919.
Excerpt from the 5th Suffolks Casualty book.
On return to England, Herbert would have been treated in hospital before returning to his home at 3 The Green, Hadleigh.
