Errol Wharton Kirke

Rank: Captain

Unit: 18th Battalion (Infantry)

Service: Australian Army

Date of death: 4 August 1916

Cemetery or memorial details: Villers-Bretonneux Memorial, France

War Grave Register notes:

KIRKE, Capt. Errol Wharton. 18th Bn. Mentioned in Despatches. 4th Aug., 1916. Age 28. Son of Samuel Wharton Kirke and Ellie Kirke; husband of Mr Gwyneth L. Kirke, of 44, Cliff St., Manly, New South Wales. Born at Dubbo, New South Wales.

Source: AWM145 Roll of Honour cards, 1914-1918 War, Army

Captain Kirke was born on 28 October 1887. He was one of four brothers to serve in WWI. He was a member of Manly Rugby Union FC. He lived at Darley Road, Manly.

He enlisted on 14 August 1914, and obtained a commission, having been a major in the cadets. Prior to enlisting he was a managing clerk.

He served as a Second Lieutenant with the Australian Naval and Military Expeditionary Force at Rabaul, New Guinea in 1914. He was gazetted Captain on 15 May 1915 and served at Gallipoli, covering the final retreat.

He was Mentioned in Despatches following a raid on enemy trenches on 25/26 June 1916. He was killed in action at Pozieres on 3 August 1916.

He is also commemorated on Manly Public School’s Roll of Honour, and on a memorial plaque in St Mary’s Church. The St Mary’s plaque states incorrectly that he was killed at Pozieres in 1914. Captain Wharton-Kirke’s mother also gifted three stained glass windows to St Mary’s Church.