Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Lewis was the son of George KIRTLAND & Susan NELDER and was born in 1874 in Merton, Oxfordshire, England.
He was baptized on the 28th of June 1874.

His parents were married on the 19th of April 1860 in Merton, Oxfordshire, England.

His father was the son of William KIRTLAND & Mary Ann BROOKS and was born in 1834 in Merton, Oxfordshire, England.
His mother was the daughter of John & Hannah NELDER and was born in 1837 in Merton, Oxfordshire, England.

Lewis was the sixth child born into this family of 7 children.

His father was an agricultural labourer and the family lived in Merton, Oxfordshire, England.

The entire KIRTLAND family embarked from England on the 18th of February 1879 on board the Durham and arrived in South Australia on the 13th of May 1879.

They made their home in Chief Street, Brompton and his father gained employment as a brick maker.

Lewis was 11 years old when his mother died on the 25th of January 1886 at their home in Chief Street, Brompton and they buried her the following day in the Hindmarsh Cemetery; Section Eastern, M7.

On leaving school Lewis became a brick maker and they moved to Government Road, Ridleyton.
His father died at their home on the 24th of October 1911 and they buried him the following day in the Hindmarsh Cemetery; Section Eastern, M7 1, with their mother.

At the age of 41, Lewis enlisted into the AIF on the 1st of December 1915 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 5138 and posted to C Company, 2nd Depot Battalion.

He was then transferred to 10th Battalion, 16th Reinforcements at Morphettville Camp.

On Saturday evening, 19th of February 1916, a farewell was held at Mr Bricknell’s Café at 31 Rundle Street, Adelaide by the Master Brickmakers Association for Lewis.
Lewis was the first member of the Association to enlist and they presented him with a set of pipes, fountain pen and a writing wallet.

Lewis embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A9 Shropshire on the 25th of March 1916, disembarked in England and marched into the 3rd Training Battalion in Perham Downs.

After a further 3 months training Lewis proceeded to France and joined the 10th Battalion.
He served for more than 2 years overseas had suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his shoulder and then a broken hand and partially dislocated wrist before embarking for Australia on board HT Gaika on the 12th of May 1918.
Lewis disembarked in Melbourne on the 5th of July and entrained to Adelaide and after his medical he was diagnosed with Arteriosclerosis and was treated in the 15th Australian General Hospital at Torrens Park for 4 months.

Lewis was discharged, medically unfit, from the AIF on the 25th of November 1918.

Lewis’s had 2 nephews who also served;

*Richard John Lothian KIRTLAND enlisted on the 16th of July 1915 and served with the 2nd Division Ammunition Column (5357).

*Richard Roy KIRTLAND enlisted on the 10th of March 1916 and served with the 5th Pioneer Battalion (1894).

Lewis returned to his sister Annie, they moved to 26 Paget Street, Ridleyton North and Lewis regained his employment as a brick maker.

His sister Annie died on the 20th of September 1946 in the Adelaide Hospital and Lewis buried her in the Hindmarsh Cemetery; Section Eastern, M7 (b), with his parents.

Lewis remained in his home at 26 Paget Street, Ridleyton North.
Lewis died on the 7th of October 1955 and was buried 2 days later in the Hindmarsh Cemetery; Section Eastern, M7 2, with his parents and sister Annie.

Military

At the age of 41, Lewis enlisted into the AIF on the 1st of December 1915 in Adelaide, SA and was allotted the service number 5138 and posted to C Company, 2nd Depot Battalion.
He listed his sister, Annie KIRTLAND, of Government Road, Ridleyton, as his next of kin.

On the 1st of January 1916 he was transferred to 10th Battalion, 16th Reinforcements at Morphettville Camp.

Lewis embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A9 Shropshire on the 25th of March 1916, disembarked in England and marched into the 3rd Training Battalion in Perham Downs.

After a further 3 months training Lewis proceeded to France on the 9th of August and was taken on strength with the 10th Battalion on the 25th of August at Kenora Camp, near Poperinghe.
They remained here in training and then moved to Ottavya Camp, for further training.

Most of September was then spent in the front line at Hill 60, near Ypres before they were relieved and entrained to Branhoek for rest and training.
Most of October was spent in training and by the end of October they were camped at Bernafay Wood.
Here the constant rain had soaked the sides of the trenches until both Parapet and parados collapsed, falling into the already deep mud, making the whole thing an impassable bog.

It was into this that Lewis and his Battalion moved on the 6th of November, near Gueudecourt.

They were weighed down by the extra ammunition, bombs ands things that had to be carried into the front line In the dark, sliding on loose and slippery wet duckboards, with a fair chance of missing them at least once, they plunged into shell holes up to their necks in icy cold mud.

Finally after leaving the duckboards far behind and travelling over what was worse, mud deep and sticky, the trenches were reached. Then the rain came and the water knee and thigh deep in places.
They sank in the mud and when they struggled to release themselves, they sank deeper into the mire until they were pulled out.
Even the men who were fortunate enough to have gum boots had to leave them in the mud and wander in their socks across the mud and mire.

A week of this tried the hearts of even the strongest man.

They then went into the front line in the Flers sector in early December and it was here on 7th of December that Lewis suffered from Furunculosis (boils) and was admitted into the 5th Australian Field Ambulance.
Three days later he was transferred to the 18th General Hospital in Camiers where he spent 12 days before being discharged to No.6 Convalescent Depot in Etaples on the 22nd of December.

Lewis spent Christmas 1916 here before he was discharged to the 1st ADBD (Australian Division Base Depot) in Etaples 2 days later.
He rejoined his Battalion on the 8th of January 1917 at Hobart Camp, near Dernancourt.
Lewis and his Battalion continued training here until the 14th when they marched to Bresle to continue their training.

By the 1st of February they had moved to Albert and were engaged in fatigue duties on the Hexham Road.
On the 25th of February they attacked Switch Trench near Le Barque and during this attack Lewis suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his right shoulder and was admitted into the 45th Casualty Clearing Station at Achiet-le-Grand.
The following day he was transferred by Ambulance Train to the 1st Canadian General Hospital in Etaples.

On the 1st of March Lewis was evacuated to England on board HT Dieppe and admitted into the 3rd Australian General Hospital in Brighton.
He spent just over 3 weeks here before he was transferred to the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital in Dartford on the 27th of March.
Three days later he was discharged to 2 weeks furlo and then reported No.1 Command Depot in Perham Downs on the 14th of April and medically classified B1A (fit for light duty only).

Ten days later he was posted to the 70th Battalion in Wareham where he trained until the 19th of September and was then transferred to 10th Battalion on march out with the 69th draft.
Lewis proceeded back to France on the 9th of October and rejoined his Battalion 7 days later at Dominion Camp in specialist training.
On the 24th they moved into the reserve area near Ypres where they continued training and were engaged in improving the Canal Dugouts before moving to Halifax Camp.

Their next move was to Westhoek Ridge in the reserve area and then to ANZAC Ridge where they were engaged in constructing accommodation before moving back to Halifax Camp.

On the 11th of November they embussed to Renescure and then 2 days later they marched 20 miles to Vaudringhem.
They then marched to 6 miles to Bourthes before marching a further 6 miles to Bezinghem on the 19th of November for specialist training.
Eight days later they moved to Enquin and Desvres before relieving the 31st Battalion in the front line at Lindenhoek on the 15th of December.
They were relieved on Christmas morning and trudged wearily back into their dugouts and shelters at Wulverghem Camp.

They spent January in this area and then moved to Kemmel on the 16th of January 1918 where they were engaged in working parties.
It was here on the 19th of January that Lewis suffered fractured right Metacarpal (hand) and Subluxation to his wrist (partial dislocation) and was admitted into the 1st Australian Field Ambulance.

Two days later he was transferred to the 2nd Australian Casualty Clearing Station at Trois Arbres, near Bailleul and the following day he was transferred to the 7th Canadian General Hospital in Etaples.
Lewis was evacuated to England on the 28th of January on board HS Brighton and admitted into the Fulham Military Hospital.
He spent 3 weeks here and was then transferred to the 1st Auxiliary Australian Hospital in Harefield.
He was discharged to furlo on the 21st and then reported to No.4 Command Depot in Hurdcott on the 7th of March.

Three weeks later he was posted to No.2 Command Depot in Weymouth where he remained until the 12th of May 1918 when he embarked for Australia on board HT Gaika.
Lewis disembarked in Melbourne on the 5th of July and entrained to Adelaide and after his medical he was diagnosed with Arteriosclerosis and was treated in the 15th Australian General Hospital at Torrens Park for 4 months.

Lewis was discharged, medically unfit, from the AIF on the 25th of November 1918 and awarded the British War & Victory Medals.