corisande Posted 5 August , 2013 Share Posted 5 August , 2013 Can anyone with appropriate reference books on the Nyasaland Rising tell me anything more about this man who served with Nyasaland Field Force, then went to UK and served in RAOC. I have no idea what he was doing in Nyasaland prior to enlisting in NFF, nor do I have any idea how many British Officers served in it Joseph William Kirk born circa 1878 1916 Jan 13. The undermentioned, to be temp. Lts. whilst serving with the Forces in E. Africa: — Joseph William Kirk. 1918 Aug 23. RAOC. The undermentioned to be temp. 2nd Lts. (on prob.): — Temp. Lt. J. W. Kirk, from Gen. List (Nyasaland Field Force). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmania Posted 5 August , 2013 Share Posted 5 August , 2013 From The Nyasaland Times of 2 March 1916: We congratulate Mr J W Kirk on his promotion to the rank of Lieutenant. Mr Kirk is one of the oldest volunteers in the Protectorate and in civil life has held his share of public offices, being ex-Mayor of Blantyre, Past Master of the Lodge Nyasa, etc. I'll see if I can find further references. Aled Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 5 August , 2013 Author Share Posted 5 August , 2013 Thanks Aled, always amazes me how you find this sort of stuff That certainly gives me a bit more to work on. I suspect that he was born and bred in Nyasaland, rather than in UK. The options for UK birth, I can pretty much rule out. African births are always difficult to find. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carmania Posted 5 August , 2013 Share Posted 5 August , 2013 Thanks Corisande The only other reference I came across was to him attending an "At Home" with other officers of the NFF at the Savoy Hotel, Beira in the first week of February 1918. There was a J W Kirk who owned an estate named Esperanza in Mlanje, which he disposed of in February 1915. Can't make out if it's the same or a different person. Aled Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 5 August , 2013 Author Share Posted 5 August , 2013 Aled Thanks once more. Certainly the Kirk family are ensconced in the area. 1896/1900 There is a British Consular death in Malawi (Nyasaland) registered of a Joseph Kirk. Whilst obviously not him, it could be related. They could well be related to Sir John Kirk, British Consul in Zanzibar, etc. [added] Having found Sir John's obits in the Times, I don't think he could have been a son of Sir John Kirk [/added] Keep me quiet for a while trying to decode what was going on. Nyasaland seems to be a part of Africa that has very little information available. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bushfighter Posted 7 August , 2013 Share Posted 7 August , 2013 Corisande - still on the trail of interesting colonial characters I see! Peter Charlton's excellent book CINDERELLA'S SOLDIERS: THE NYASALAND VOLUNTEER RESERVE lists him. J.W. Kirk qualified for the Africa General Service Medal with bar NYASALAND 1915 for the Chilembwe Uprising, although his role in it was on garrison duty at Mlanje. He also qualified for the 1914-15 Star, War Medal and Victory Medal. He was Manager of Kubola Stores and appeared in the 1910 NYASALAND DIRECTORY. He was mentioned in R.C.F. Maugham's book: NYASALAND IN THE NINETIES on pages 109-110. He enlisted in the Volunteers three times, 6.11.1901, 28.02.1910 and 6.05.1914. The first two times were at Blantyre and the last time at Mlanje. He resigned once on 31.12.1912 (the other two times he left must have been ends of engagements. He was commissioned as a Temporary Lieutenant on 13.01.1916. There was a Mrs. Kirk. Harry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 7 August , 2013 Author Share Posted 7 August , 2013 Thanks Harry. Not so much that I seek the interesting characters out, they seek me. The common factor is that they all joined the Black & Tans in Ireland after WW1. Their service as you know, has led me to parts of WW1 that I never knew existed! I assume J W Kirk went back to Africa as I cannot get a death for him in UK Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
madtaffy Posted 22 August , 2013 Share Posted 22 August , 2013 Hi all I have is that his ww1 pair was issued in Feb 1921 Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 22 August , 2013 Author Share Posted 22 August , 2013 Thanks Ian, I have him falling off the records after he leaves the Auxiliaries 1922 Jan 19. Discharged on demobilisation of ADRIC The nada. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
corisande Posted 20 May , 2016 Author Share Posted 20 May , 2016 Funny how you pick up odd bits from new records I have him in 1939 Register in FmP 1939 Register . He is there as Retired RAOC (his MIC shows him in RAOC after the NFF). Living at 27A St Annes Road , Eastbourne . It gives his d.o.b. as 12 Dec 1878 Does not really help me other than confirm a dob and that he was alive in 1939 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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