Kirkbride, Stanley Oswald
18259 Private Stanley Oswald Kirkbride - 6th Field Ambulance AIF
Stanley was born in 1897 in Fremantle WA to John and Emma Kirkbride, and he had two siblings, Charles in 1887 and Sidney in 1895
The family lived in Congdon Street North Fremantle however soon moved to the Guildford area. Stanley completed his education at Guilford Grammar. During his schooling Stanley served in the 89A Cadets and then continued to serve in the 38th Battery Australian Field Artillery of the Citizens Military Forces.
After leaving school Stanley took up employment as a junior clerk.
His brother Sidney had enlisted for service in the AIF in 1915 and had served at Gallipoli and was currently in France. Stan tried to enlist in 1916 but was rejected due to insufficient chest size. However he tired again on the 8th September 1916 and was this time accepted for service. The medical examiner recorded his physical details as;
Height - 5 feet 7 inches;
Weight - 128lbs;
Chest Measurement - 29-33 inches;
Complexion - Fresh;
Eyes - Blue;
Hair - Dark Brown.
After his successful enlistment Stanley was sent to Blackboy Hill Camp where he was assigned to No.85 Training Depot. He had a week going through basic infantry training and was then sent to the Australian Army Medical Corps reinforcements.
Stanley would be working in the training camps in WA for the first seven months of 1917. On the 24th July 1917 he and his reinforcement group embarked from Albany aboard the transport ship Port Melbourne. The ship then set sail for England, reaching Liverpool on the 16th September 1917. Upon being disembarked Stan was sent to the Australian Army Medical Corps camp at Parkhouse. He would train here for the next six weeks.
On the 2nd November 1917 Stanley was sent across to France and was sent to the 2nd Australian Division Base Depot and was now assigned to be joining the 6th Field Ambulance. He joined them in Belgium in November 1917.
Sadly, there was to be no meeting up of the brothers, as just a month previously Sidney Kirkbride had been killed in action on October 4th 1917 while serving with the 14th Field Artillery Brigade near Ypres in Belgium. Though perhaps while he was in Belgium, Stanley was able to see his brothers grave at The Huts Cemetery Dickebusch.
From December 1917 to March 1918, Stan's unit was serving in Belgium, south east of Ypres, between Hollebeke and Messines. On the 19th February 1918 he had a few days in hospital ill but soon returned to his unit a few days later.
As a result of the German Spring Offensive on March 21st 1918 which broke through the British line further south, the Australian Divisions were sent south to the region around the Somme and Amiens. John's 6th' Brigade were sent to the area around Ville-sur-Ancre where they soon came into contact with the Germans. The German advance was stopped and the next few months a stalemate developed.
However Stan's health continued to deteriorate and a cold developed into bronchitis. After treatment at his own unit, Stan was sent to the 6th General Hospital at Rouen. He was only there for a day and was then shipped to England. On arrival in England, Stan was admitted to Reading War Hospital. He stayed here for the next four weeks undergoing treatment. On the 16th May 1918 he was then transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford.
Stan stayed at Dartford for a month, and then on the 20th June 1918 was transferred to No.2 Command Depot Camp at Weymouth. He had three weeks here and was then transferred to No.3 Command Depot Camp at Hurdott.
He appears to have his fitness assessed and it was found that he was no longer well enough to serve on the Western Front, but he assisted the Australian Army Medical Corps at Hurdcott for the next few months. On the 7th October 1918 Stan went to Cambridge as part of the Australian Army educational scheme.
On the 7th February 1919 Stan was assigned medical duty aboard the transport ship Lancashire. The ship set sail for Australia, reaching Fremantle on the 11th March 1919. He was discharged from the AIF on the 17th April 1919.
Stan returned home to Guildford and was married in 1920 in Swan Districts to Doris Elizabeth Austin.
Stan worked for the WA Government Railways up to 1946. During this time they lived in West Perth and Maylands.
During World War Two, Stan enlisted for service and was accepted for service within WA. He had the service number W62175 and was assigned to the Australian Army Canteen Service. He served up to 1944 and was then discharged.
Post World War Two, Stan lived in Nedlands.
He died in Perth WA in 1970 aged 72. He was cremated at Karrakatta Cemetery and his ashes placed in the family grave at plot Anglican ZA 0298.