53rd and 52nd Bn West Yorks Regt

[Sasha]

I’m looking for a bit of help, please?

My Grandad Sydney Kirk signed up to the 53rd (Young Soldier) Battalion on the 14th May 1918, enlisted 27th May and was transferred to the 52nd (Grad) Battalion on the 18th June that year.

His WWI service records are online, where he’s indexed as Sidney Kirk, and he left the army in November 1919.

I’ve got a couple of questions, if anyone could help.  Firstly, (as my Dad wasn’t even aware of this), would anyone know where he would have served/been posted, and if he saw any action?

Secondly, there was a family legend that he signed up before he was 18, and possibly even managed to get as far as France before he was found out and shipped home.  I have no idea if there is any truth in that.  When he signed up in May 1918 he was three days past his 18th birthday, and he’s stated on his forms that he had never been in the armed service before.  I can see him trying to join up when he was underage, but would it have been likely that he’d have managed to, and would there be any records that might verify/disprove this?  It seems odd to me that there is this story of him signing up underage, but nobody knew that he’d served 18 months in the army.

I've got my Dad wanting to know more about this now, and don't know where I am with researching military history, so any help at all would be much appreciated.

Jo. 

[mmm45]

I think he went overseas in 1919 and was used for battlefield clearance work??

Have you found a Medal Index Card for him....i think he served with 1/6th West Yorks overseas...if he went after Armistice he may have not been entitled to British War and Victory Medals.
The 1/6th WYR didnt go into Germany as Army Of Occupation they were 49th West Riding Div and stayed in France till Demob.


Ady

[Sasha]

Hi Ady,

Thanks for the reply.

I can't see a Medal Index Card for him, under either spelling of Sydney - there's a couple for East Yorks Regt's, but not West Yorks.

Am I right in thinking that 'battlefield clearance work' would involve finding/identifying the remains of soldiers killed?

Jo.

[mmm45]

Hi Sasha
Maybe but that realm was more Graves Registration Units however ive no doubt guys clearing barb wire,ammunition and other salvage were involved in finding fallen soldiers.
There maybe more info about what they got up to in 1919 within the history of 6th Batt West Yorkshires by Tempest.

Ady