The following narrative was provided by Jim Busby:

My search turned up a photo of this man.  The problem is that there are two men in the photo, but neither is ID’d.  I asked the Ancestry source for a better ID, but to date she has not responded.

He was born on July 07, 1898 at Ford, Northumberland, son of John and Mary Ann (Boswell) Kirkup.  He came to Canada alone in 1913, at the tender age of only 15.  According to the ship’s passenger manifest, he was bound for Owen Sound, Ontario.  He enlisted (underage) with the 37th Battalion in September, 1914, claiming to have been born in 1896.  His attestation documents are dated the following May at Niagara Camp.  I suspect that his original service file might have gone partly missing prior to May, 1915.  By coincidence, ten years ago I researched the soldier with the regimental number one earlier than Kirkup’s, (Edward Johnston, 47874).  The same documents that Kirkup’s file is missing, (eg pay card and MFW 54 form) are also missing from Johnston’s file.  The enlistment information on both attestations is the same, suggesting these are replacement documents.  As an aside, Johnston served at the front from July 1915 through to the Armistice and was never a casualty.

AAB Kirkup sailed for England with the 1st Reinforcing Draft of the 37th Battalion in June 1915.  On arrival, he was posted to the 17th Reserve Battalion at Shorncliffe.  Barely three weeks later, though, he was posted to the 15th Battalion in France.  The 15th was still rebuilding after being nearly destroyed at St Julian six weeks earlier.  Kirkup’s path to the 15th did not include the usual stay at the base depot at Havre.  His reinforcing draft, (which included Johnston), joined the 15th only four days after landing in France.  According to the 15th Battalion War diary, the 15th went into the front line trenches near Ploegsteert on the evening of July 29.  His file doesn’t say when he reported sick, but I think it likely occurred either on the evening of August 01, or the morning of August 02.  On August 02, the 15th moved from the front lines into divisional reserve.  At some point during the day, he was sent to the 8th CCS at Bailleul.  From there, he was diagnosed with spinal meningitis and sent to the 10th Stationary Hospital at St Omer, 42 kms away.  From what I’ve read about spinal meningitis, death can occur within 24 hours of symptoms manifesting, although it may take ten to fourteen days from original infection to symptoms.  On arrival there, he was described as unresponsive.  He died at 10th SH at 11:20 pm on August 02, 1915.  He was buried at Longuenesse Souvenir Cemetery at St Omer.

Commemorated:   First World War Book of Remembrance at pg 23

Presbyterian Church RoH, Crookham Village Hall

Crookham Council School RoH, Crookham Village Hall

NOK: Son of John and Mary Agnes (Boswell) Kirkup, of Longridge Lodge, Berwick-on-Tweed, England