Collection related to the service of 704 Ernest Charles Barnes

Accession Number C00453
Collection type Photograph
Object type Black & white - Glass original half plate negative
Maker Barnes, Ernest Charles
Place made Belgium: Flanders, West-Vlaanderen, Reninghelst
Date made July 1917
Conflict First World War, 1914-1918
Copyright

Item copyright: Copyright expired - public domain

Public Domain Mark This item is in the Public Domain

Description

The grave of Major (Maj) William Duncan Kirkland MC of the Australian Army Medical Corps. Born in Bathurst, NSW, Maj Kirkland enlisted on 19 May 1916, joined the 2nd Australian Field Ambulance on 21 December and served as Medical Officer with the 2nd Field Artillery Brigade in the Somme and Ypres sectors from 1 February 1917. He was killed in action near Ypres on 22 July 1917 and is buried in the Reninghelst New Military Cemetery, Poperinge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium. Maj Kirkland's brother Captain Hugh Edward Kirkland was also a doctor who served in France and was awarded the MC. He initially served at 2 Australian General Hospital, Wimereux, and then as Regimental Medical Officer (RMO), 54th Battalion from 30 April 1916 to 1 January 1917. He returned to Australia, then reembarked on 10 May 1917; he joined the 3rd Australian Field Ambulance on 16 August and was RMO, 2nd Artillery Brigade from 10 September at Ypres, Messines Ridge, Hazebrouck and the Somme. He was killed in action near Peronne on 3 October 1918, and is buried in Roisel Communal Cemetery Extension, Somme, France. (From the collection of 704 Driver Ernest Charles Barnes who served with the 1st Field Artillery Brigade, 21st Howitzer Brigade and 2nd Field Artillery Brigade.)