WORLD WAR I
Bingham War Memorial
Service Record
| 1947 | Corporal Eustace Beryl Kirchin | Royal Guernsey Light Infantry | born 1898 |
| Service record | Attested 18/12/1916 aged 17 yrs 355 days at Newark (from
medical record: Birth date 28/11/99) Trade: Cotton winder Address: East St Bingham. Religion: C of E Signed as Eustase Beryl Kirchin Next of kin: Eustace Charles Foster Kirchin Height:5’t 9”; Girth: 37” (expansion 3”); Complexion: Fair; Hai: Fair; Eyes: Blue (medical form) Next of kin: Ruth (mother) East St. Bingham Record of postings: 19/12/16 to Army reserve Joined Depot 17/2/17 19/2/17 posted to Nth Staffs Regt Guernsey “D” 9/8/17 transferred to 17th Bn Royal Defence Corps Joined 2/R RGLI 25-26/8/17 25/9/17 appointed L/cpl Date of joining Battalion: 18/7/18 from RGLI 24/1/18 Relinquishes that for Pte posted to France in 1st Bn RGLI Took leave in Bingham from 4 to 14/9/18 from 63rd RN Divisional Command Depot Appointed Cpl 9/8/19 Reprimands (all in Guernsey): 23/9/18 (Pte) neglect of duty 27/12/18 (a/cpl) overstaying leave 3/5/19 (a/cpl) neglect of duty as an NCO Medical history: Admitted to Norfolk War Hospital (Thorpe Norwich) 29th or 30th April 1918. Discharged 12/7/18 to RND depot (4 Camp Perham Downs, a military convalescent camp near Salisbury Plain) Further medical record saying dental treatment completed July 1919 Also vaccinated 21/3/17 Symptoms: pain in loins and cough & Pyrexia (fever) Moved to Swanton House Melton Constable, Norfolk 24/5/18 to 17/6/18 then returned to Thorpe for further treatment. Spells in Hospital for: Bronchitis (July 1917) Trench fever (30/4/18 to 24/5/18) & (17/6/18 to 12/7/18 at Thorpe) & (13/7/18 to 4/9/18 at Perham) 4/9/18 left Perham & embarked to Guernsey Demobilisation: 27/9/1919 Certificate of Identity on Dispersal: a/Cpl 2 R Bat.RGLI. Theatre of War/Command: Guernsey, medical condition B2. 25/10/19 transfer to Army reserve on demobilisation The records contain a letter from his father Charles Kirchin Coal Merchant of East St. Bingham saying his son was employed by him before Aug 1914 and he will immediately employ him on his release from the army. There is a PS saying “My son is badly wanted back at business” |
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| 1914centenary.com | The Royal Guernsey Light Infantry was
one of the lesser known British units of the First World War. It was established comparatively late in the conflict, in December 1916, with its recruits training initially on Guernsey and later in Kent. Sailed for France On 26 September 1917 the regiment’s 1st Battalion, comprising 44 officers and 964 other ranks, sailed for France. A few weeks later they were in action at the Battle of Passchendaele and, in November, they were involved in the Battle of Cambrai. During that action the battalion was tasked with the defence of the village of Les Rues Vertes. Attacked by a large German force the unit lost 40 per cent of its strength in casualties. Heavy casualties For the next few months, the battalion was in quieter areas and many wounded men returned to the front line. Then, on 10 April 1918, the Guernseys were marched off to the Battle of the Lys. During a long-lasting retreat, the regiment suffered further heavy casualties. Rear echelons For the remainder of the war, the remnants of the unit were withdrawn to rear areas and, among other tasks, took on guard duties at the General Headquarters at Montreuil-sur-mer. |
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| Medal card | Awarded Victory and British medals. 26/4/1922 Medals forwarded from Guernsey Record Office | ||
| Roll of Honour AVL |
RoH: Served on Western Front AVL address: East Street |
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Family history etc
| Corporal Eustace Beryl Kirchin | |||
| 1898 | Born 28th Dec 1898 in Radcliffe on Trent | ||
| Census 1901 | Lived on Station Terrace, Radcliffe on Trent with: Father: Eustace C Kirchin, b. 1875 in Cotgrave Mother: Ruth, b.1874 in Staveley, Yorks. Brother: John A., b. 1901 Radcliffe And Boarder: Frederick A Watson, b 1884 |
Coal Merchant |
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| Census 1911 | Lived on East St., Bingham with: Father: Charles Mother: Ruth Siblings: John George, b. 1902 Radcliffe Harry, b. 1903 Radcliffe Ernest, b. 1906 Bingham Phillis, b. 1910 Bingham |
Coal Dealer |
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| 1918 AVL | East St. | ||
| 1914 | Grantham Journal 04/07/1914: Thunderstorm A severe and violent storm of thunder and lightning, accompanied by heavy rain, visited Bingham and the district on Wednesday evening. The thunder commenced about 6pm and the storm continued with slight variations until past eight o’clock. During the storm, a house occupied by Mr Kirchen and family, coal merchant, in East Street, was struck, presumably by a thunderbolt. The roof was damaged; the chimney split open, and the fireplace knocked out into the sitting room. The furniture, also, was badly damaged, and the carpet scorched. Mr Kirchen, with his wife and boys were in the kitchen, and one of the boys received a severe shock, but no-one any serious injury personally. The storm upset part of the Bingham Telephone exchange, Car Colston being cut off the line; several fields of corn were also badly ‘’laid’’; and it is feared that some of them will not get up again. |
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| 1922 | Married Annie A Bailey, Mansfield JUL – SEP qtr. Children: Eustace R 1925 Southwell Douglas G 1928 Southwell |
In 1928 Eustace was a Railway Plate Layer. Address: Mill Lane, Edwinstowe |
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| Electoral register | 1921-2 East Street: Eustace Charles Forester Kirchin 1931 East Street: Eustace Charles Forester Kirchin, with Ruth and Ernest Frederick |
Eustace Beryl not in Bingham | |
| 1939 Register | 118 Bunbury Street, Nottingham: Eustace B Kirchin b. 28 Dec 1898, married Annie A Kirchin, b. 11 Feb 1895, married One closed record Douglas G Kirchin, b. 1 March 1928 single Sydney Walker, b. 28 Dec 1907, single |
Scaffolder (Heavy work) Shop keeper Probably Eustace R School Joiner & cabinet Maker |
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| 1972 FREEBMD | Died Nottingham JAN –MAR qtr. | ||