S45980
KIRK, Royl Digby
| Service Number: | 5394 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 22 January 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Private |
| Last Unit: | 43rd Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Riverton, South Australia, Australia, February 1890 |
| Home Town: | Riverton, Clare and Gilbert Valleys, South Australia |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Farmer |
| Died: | Natural Causes, Springbank, South Australia, Australia, 28 December 1961 |
| Cemetery: |
AIF Cemetery, West Terrace Cemetery, Adelaide, South Australia |
| Memorials: | Auburn Primary School WW1 Honor Roll, Auburn Undalya School WW1 Roll of Honour, Rhynie School Roll of Honour, Richmond West Adelaide Football Club War Veterans Honour Roll, Riverton Pictorial Honour Board, Riverton Rhynie Pictorial Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 22 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 5394, 10th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 11 Apr 1916: | Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 5394, 10th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Adelaide | |
| 16 Feb 1917: | Transferred AIF WW1, 43rd Infantry Battalion | |
| 31 Jul 1917: | Wounded 5394, 43rd Infantry Battalion, France | |
| 2 Aug 1917: | Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 5394, 43rd Infantry Battalion, Knee | |
| 8 Aug 1917: | Transferred 43rd Infantry Battalion, Transferred to England for treatment on knee | |
| 27 Feb 1918: | Discharged AIF WW1, 5394, 43rd Infantry Battalion, Medically Unfit (not due to misconduct) |
Royl Digby Kirk
Name: Royl Digby Kirk
Service Number: 5394
Place of Birth: Riverton/Rhynie
Date of Birth: 26 February 1890
Place of Enlistment: Adelaide
Date of Enlistment: 22 January 1916
Age at Embarkation: 25
Marital status: Single
Next of Kin: Mother – Mrs. I. Kirk, Riverton
Occupation: Farmer
Religion: Methodist
Rank: Private 10th Battalion 17th Reinforcement.
West Adelaide Football Club involvement:
Royl played 1 game for WAFC on 7 June 1919.
Biographical details:
Royl was the son of Daniel Kirk and Indiana Baker.
He did his basic training with 9 Coy 2nd Depot at Mitcham. His unit embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT A60 Aeneas on 11 April 1916, and was stationed at the 3rd Training Battalion at Perham Downs, England, prior to being sent to Egypt on 9 August. Royl was absent without leave at Perham Downs for 3 days from 17 September and had to forfeit 4 day’s pay. He went to France with the 43rd Battalion on 23 September. Royl was treated in the field for scabies, a condition that continued to trouble him until July 1917. During action on 2 August 1917, he was shot in the leg and was admitted to the General Hospital at Dudley, England on 8 August, then the 3rd Auxiliary Hospital at Dartford on 12 September.
Battle Order No.57 issued by Lieutenant J.W. Blackett, stated that Royl was “unlikely to become an efficient soldier.” Due to his leg wound he was assessed as “medically unfit” and returned to Australia on the Persic and discharged on 27 August 1918.
Royl Digby Kirk also served in World War Two with his service number S212779, possibly in the Citizen Military Forces. He died on 28 December 1961.
Source: NAA;B2455; Kirk R D; Barcode 7373290.
Submitted 21 October 2023 by christopher collins
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