Soldier Record
Purves Alexander Kirsop
Contributed by: Alexander James Murray Kirsop, on 2009-01-27
| Rank | |
|---|---|
| First Name | Purves Alexander |
| Surname | Kirsop |
| Year of Birth | 1896 |
| Year of Death | 1940 |
| Regiment | Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders |
| Place of Wartime Residence | Bearsden, Glasgow, Dunbartonshire |
Purves Alexander's Story
He was awarded a Military Cross (MC) when with the 9th A & S H.
At the second battle of Ypres, in 1917, the 9th was decimated and later disbanded. Out of 1,000 men and 30 officers going into the battle only 200 men and 8 officers returned. The men who died would all have been local to the Dunbartonshire area.
Due to high mortality rates among officers, he was promoted firstly to Temporary Captain on 27th October 1915. Then to Captain on 14th October 1916 with the 9th Argyll's.
He was seconded to the Suffolk Regiment. While with the Suffolk Regt. he was promoted to Acting Major while employed in their Head Quarters. He then was sent to the 8th Argyll's (the Argyllshire T.A. Battalion). He was returned to Captain's Rank when he left the Suffolk Regiment. He won a second M.C. with the 8th Argyll's. He was promoted again to Acting Major while he was employed as Second in Command of the 8th Argyll's. He relinquished the rank of Acting Major when he ceased to be employed as Second in Command of the 8th Argyll's. He was demobbed and returned home to the family home of 'Chesters', Bearsden.
He was involved in the Gretna Green Rail Disaster of 22nd May 1915, when he was fairly badly injured. This kept him out of the war in France for some time while he convalesced.
My father's name appears on the War Memorial at Bearsden Cross, under the dead of the Second World War.
No additional memories have been submitted