Kirkbride, Sidney Harold
No.1303 – Gnr Sidney Harold Kirkbride – 14th Field Artillery Brigade
Sidney Harold Kirkbride was born in Fremantle WA on the 2nd March 1895 to John and Emma Kirkbride. The family lived in Congdon Street North Fremantle and Sidney was educated at Perth Public and Guildford Grammar Schools. During this period he also saw service in the 89A Cadets.
After leaving school Sid took an apprenticeship with the Western Australian Government Railways, starting on the 6th January 1911. This was of five year’s duration and he gained experience in architectural drawing and mechanical work.
He was also a volunteer in the Guildford Fire Brigade. After finishing his apprenticeship Sid was fully qualified as a Railway Carriage Builder. On the 9th July 1915 Sid went to the Swan Barrack in Perth and enlisted in the AIF, being passed as fit for service.
The medical examiner had found 20 year old Sid to be 5 feet 7 ¼ inches tall; weight of 141 lbs; chest measurement of 33-35 inches; fair complexion; blue eyes and light brown hair. His religious denomination was Church of England. After a few weeks in the training depot, Sid was assigned to “D” Company of the 32nd Battalion on the 6th August 1915. He trained with the Western Australian half of his battalion at Blackboy Hill Camp until October. They were then sent to Adelaide to join the South Australian half of the Battalion and complete their training.
They embarked from Adelaide in late November aboard the H.M.A.T “Geelong” bound for Egypt. Arriving at Suez on the 18th December 1915 the men were disembarked and sent to camp. As Gallipoli had now been evacuated the 32nd Battalion would be spared fighting in that theatre of war, but for the next few months would train hard in the Egyptian desert. They were also well utilised in the Suez Canal defence line as another attack on Egypt was expected by Turkish forces. Sid remained with the 32nd Battalion until the 15th March 1916 when he took a transfer to the 53rd Battery of the 14th Field Artillery Brigade.
Sid trained with his new unit in Egypt until the 20th June 1916 when they boarded the transport ship H.M.T. “Huntsend” in Alexandria and set sail for France. Arriving at Marseilles on the 30th June 1916, the men were disembarked and sent to board trains for the journey to the north of France. They arrived in the vicinity of Fleurbaix where they would take part in the Battle of Fromelles on July 19th 1916. They remained in this sector for some time before being sent to the Somme battlefield in October 1916. On the 21st November 1916 Sid was wounded when shrapnel hit him in the back. He was evacuated to a Casualty Clearing Station but as the wound was not severe he returned to his unit on the 7th December 1916.
Spending the French winter of 1916/17 in the Somme sector the men had to endure wet and freezing conditions. On the 10th January 1917 Sid was sent to hospital with sore feet which had been exacerbated by the cold. He remained away from his unit until the 4th February 1917. Two weeks later Sid got into trouble for drunkenness while on active service. One could hardly blame the men for having more than the standard issue of rum or partaking in vin rouge in trying to stay warm. However being drunk was against army regulations and Sid was punished with 14 days of Field Punishment No.2.
He continued to serve with the 14th Battery through the actions in front of the Hindenburg Line from March to May 1917. On the 17th July he was given leave to England, returning a week later. He returned just in time to take part in the Third Battle of Ypres as the Australian Artillery saw action I this battle from July through to November 1917 and their heavy casualties reflected the fact that the Germans held the higher ground and could overlook the Battery positions. On the 4th October 1917, the 14th FAB was supporting the Australian infantry attacking Broodseinde Ridge. Sid’s 53rd Battery was stationed at Dickebusch and had to endure German artillery and gas attacks. Sid was killed on October 4th 1917 and was buried at The Huts Cemetery in Dickebusch in plot IX.C.7, alongside three other members of the 14th FAB killed that day.
His parents chose the below epitaph for Sidney's grave
“IN LOVING MEMORY OF OUR DEAR AUSTRALIAN BOY”
In 1919 his parents laid a plaque in Honour Avenue Kings Park.
Sidney's brother Stanley also served in the Great War with the 6th Field Ambulance and fortunately returned to Western Australia in 1919