James Alfred Kirk - Lest We Forget

James Alfred Kirk was born September 22, 1893 at Queensborough, Ontario.  The Kirk family was living in Arrowhead by 1902. James gave his occupation as waiter which would indicate that he may have worked at the Lakeview Hotel.  James was the son of Henry Kirk, born 1854 in Scotland and Jenny Kirk, born 1853 in Ontario. Henry Kirk worked as an accountant for a lumber firm. Jenny Kirk died June 1916 at Arrowhead. Henry Kirk died in 1921 at Revelstoke.  James had three brothers, Fred, Harry and Clarence, and three sisters, two of whom were living in Arrowhead in 1919 at the time of Harry’s death.  hey were Mrs. Trotter and Mrs. Armstrong. Harry and Clarence also served overseas.  Harry died after the war in March of 1919, from the effects of his war service and is buried in the Arrowhead cemetery.

James Kirk signed his enlistment papers on June 7, 1915 at Vernon. His regimental number was 442109. He was one of about 100 men from the Revelstoke area to join the 54th Battalion in the spring and summer of 1915. It was mentioned in the local newspaper that in the summer of 1915 there was only one unmarried male of military age living in Arrowhead. All the rest had joined up.  James was 21 years old, single, 5’ 10” tall with light brown hair and blue eyes. His religious affiliation was Presbyterian. James Kirk left for England on November 22, 1915, and by December of 1915 was serving in France. In October of 1916 the local newspaper noted that he had been wounded in battle. His service record indicated that he was suffering from shell shock.

James Kirk died April 11, 1917 during the battle of Vimy Ridge. He was 23 years old. At the time of his death he was a Private with the 7th Battalion, Canadian Infantry (British Columbia) Regiment. He is buried at the Aubigny Communal Cemetery Extension, France.

Of the three Kirk brothers who served, James died at Vimy, Harry died after the war in Revelstoke from the effects of his experiences at the front, and Clarence returned home.

The name of James Kirk is inscribed on the Courthouse and Cenotaph plaques under the Arrowhead listing.