Photograph of Leonard Kirk in uniform || My grandfather Leonard Kirk was born in Leeds as one of nine sons, of whom two died in Flanders. Leonard himself died from pneumonia on his way home to his family in May 1919. His brother Joe did make it home but was badly wounded and shell shocked and never worked again. When the First World War broke out, Leonard was visiting England from Chicago with his wife Ethel (they had emigrated in 1910) awaiting the birth of their second child, my father George. Leonard wanted to do his bit and joined up. He went through the war uninjured, but then died on 4th May 1919 at the age of 38. He died in Italy and is buried at Faenza. Leonard was a gunner with 20th Small Arms Ammunition Column Royal Field Artillery. Because Leonard did not die in action or from wounds, Ethel was not classed as a war widow and therefore received a widow's pension of £2.4s.9d. Leonard was the son of Samuel and Alice Mary Kirk of Bramley, Leeds.

Find attached two transcripts relating to Philip Ebenezer Palmer, a Canadian from New Brunswick who at the end of his life secretly recorded, in great detail, his War experiences chronicling 1914 onward. His surprised family discovered the tapes in the 1970s after his passing, and preserved them for their children.Contributed via Age Exchange (http://www.age-exchange.org.uk) as part of the Children of the Great War project (http://www.childrenofthegreatwar.org.uk) at a collection day at Age Exchange, UK. To see all material contributed by Age Exchange, or to see more contributions from this collection day, follow the links at http://www.childrenofthegreatwar.org.uk/archive.html - For further information email: greatwar@age-exchange.org.uk || || Philip Ebenezer Palmer || Photograph || Photograph of P.E. Palmer in uniform || || Photograph || Photograph of P.E. Palmer || || Interview || Kathleen Murrell talks about her relationship with her grandfather || Interview with Kathleen Murrell || Philip Ebenezer Palmer || || A transcript of Philip E. Palmer, relaying his wartime experiences, from a 1971 recording || Canada || 56.130366,-106.34677099999999 || Memoirs of Philip Ebenezer Palmer

Reginald Haine was 20 years old, and a Second Lieutenant in the 1st Battalion, Honourable Artillery Company, British Army during the First World War when the following deed took place for which he was awarded the VC. His citation reads: On 28/29 April 1917 near Gavrelle, France, when British troops were holding a salient which was being repeatedly counter-attacked by German forces, Second Lieutenant Haine organised and led six bombing attacks against a German strong point and captured the position, together with 50 prisoners and two machine-guns. The enemy at once counter-attacked and regained the lost ground, but Second Lieutenant Haine formed a lock in his trench and for the whole of the following night maintained his position. Next morning he again attacked and recaptured the position. His splendid example inspired his men during more than 30 hours of continuous fighting. The attached account of his actions was written by James Price Lloyd of the Welsh Regiment, who served with Military Intelligence. After the war, the government to destroyed all the archives relating to this propaganda (section MI 7b (1)). They were regarded as being too sensitive to risk being made public. Remarkably these documents have survived in the personal records of Captain Lloyd. Many of these papers are officially stamped, and one can trace the development of many individual articles from the notes based on an idea, to the pencil draft which is then followed by the hand-written submission and the typescript. The archive Tales of the VC comprises 94 individual accounts of the heroism that earned the highest award for valour, the Victoria Cross. These are recounted deferentially and economically, yet they still manage to move the reader. Date stamp: 19 December 1917. || Article with annotations.