[Illustration: =Arthur P. D. Birchall.=]
=BIRD, CUTHBERT=, Private, No. 588, 13th Battn. Australian Imperial Force; volunteered on the outbreak of war; killed in action at the Dardanelles, 1 May, 1915.
=BIRD, EDWARD=, Private, No. 11984, 1st Battn. Coldstream Guards, _s._ of William Bird, of 14, Albert Terrace, Stafford; served with the Expeditionary Force in France and Flanders; was reported missing 25 Jan., 1915, and is now assumed to have been killed in action that day.
=BIRD, EDWARD=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., Ch. B. 9529). S.S. 106902, H.M.S. Cressy; lost in action in the North Sea, 22 Sept. 1914.
=BIRD, FRANCIS CLIFFORD=, 2nd Lieut. 3rd Battn. King’s Shropshire L.I., elder _s._ of Francis Bird of Cotswold, Winchcombe, co. Gloucester, by his wife, Mary, dau. of the late Joseph Tibbits, of Warwick; _b._ Cotswold, Winchcombe, 21 June 1895; educ. King William’s College, Isle of Man, and Cheltenham College, where he was a member of the O.T.C. On the outbreak of war he volunteered, was gazetted 2nd Lieut., 15 Aug. 1914, went to the Front in Jan. and was killed in action near St. Eloi, 2 March, 1915. He was buried at Voorezelle; _unm._
=BIRD, FRANK EDWARD=, Corpl., No. 476, C Squadron Essex Yeomanry, eldest _s._ of Frederick Bird, of Thorley, Herts, by his wife, Fanny Alberta, dau. of George, Fowler; _b._ Thorley, 25 March, 1893; educ. Hockerill Boys’ Practising Schools; joined Essex Yeomanry as a Trumpeter in Nov. 1909, and having completed his four years’ service, rejoined for a further period. He was killed in action, near Ypres, 13 May, 1915; _unm._ He was mentioned in Despatches for bravery and coolness under fire, and Capt. R. G. Proby, commanding the Stortford Troop, writing to his father, said: “He took part with the rest of the Stortford Troop in a very gallant attack on the German lines. The attack succeeded, but unfortunately our losses were heavy--he is among the number. I need hardly say how sorry I am to have to tell you this news. His death will be very greatly felt by the whole squadron, and especially by his friends in the Stortford Troop, with whom he was very popular. It will be some consolation to you to know how bravely he fell.”
[Illustration: =Frank Edward Bird.=]
=BIRD, STEPHEN CARMEN=, Private, No. 67193, B Coy., 25th Battn., 2nd Division, Canadian Expeditionary Force, _s._ of the late Stephen Bird, Lieut. 93rd Battn. (died 9 Dec. 1895), by his wife, Augusta (Amherst, Nova Scotia), dau. of William Bird; _b._ Mapleton, Nova Scotia, posthumous, 24 April, 1896; educ. Amherst High School; was employed in the Offices of Canada Car Co., Amherst; volunteered on the outbreak of war and joined the Canadian Expeditionary Force, 9 Nov. 1914; came over with the 2nd Contingent, 29 May, 1915; went to France, 15 Sept. and was killed in action there, 8 Oct. 1915, by the explosion of a mine; _unm._ A comrade wrote: “He was a friend at all times and under all circumstances, no one need wish a better friend, we all loved him and we all mourn his loss.” And another: “He had splendid courage, and when urged to fall back a little further a few minutes before the explosion occurred his reply was ‘I am staying right here.’” Private Bird was a keen athlete and a base-ball player.
[Illustration: =Stephen Carmen Bird.=]
=BIRD, WILFRED STANLEY=, M.A. Oxon, Lieut., 6th (Reserve), attached 2nd, Battn. King’s Royal Rifle Corps, _s._ of the Rev. Henry George Bird, M.A., Rector of Newdigate, co. Surrey, by his wife, Henrietta Maria, dau. of William Greenham, of Hendford House, near Yeovil, J.P.; _b._ Yiewsley Vicarage, co. Middlesex, 28 Sept. 1883. He commenced his education at the Grange (Preparatory) School, Eastbourne, where he captained the cricket and football teams, and was an immense favourite with the masters and boys alike. He later proceeded to Malvern and entered the College at the time Canon Sidney James came to be Headmaster. There he represented his College in cricket, fives and football. His company also won the College Cup for military drill. In 1902 he was entered at New College, Oxford, and his early promise of being a leading sportsman was fully realised. He represented Oxford in cricket on three successive seasons, and was Captain of the Oxford side in 1906. He was a member of the Middlesex Team, though circumstances prevented him from playing in more than two or three matches during the season. He played for the Gentlemen against the Players, and was asked to represent England in South Africa and Australia. He was an extremely careful and good batsman, but specially excelled as a wicket keeper, and one of the best known captains in England said: “He is the best wicket keeper I ever saw.” After leaving Oxford, where he won for himself many friends, he became a master at Ludgrove. It was here that he spent the last eight years of his life. His record there is a fulfilment of the promise of his early days at Eastbourne and Malvern, and his keenness on everything to do with Ludgrove, and his willingness to put himself out for others, endeared him to masters and boys alike. He was immensely happy there and it was a terrific struggle to answer the call, but he never failed to recognise his duty. A member of the O.T.C., he was gazetted Lieut. to the 6th Battn. of the King’s Royal Rifle Corps, 29 Dec. 1914, and was afterwards attached to the 2nd Battn. at the Front. He was killed, 9 May, 1915, while gallantly leading his platoon near Richebourg St. Vaast; unm. His Major wrote of him: “Bird was gallantly leading his men when he was shot, and died instantly.” He adds: “Bird was a splendid fellow, and a very promising officer and very popular with officers and men alike. I am more than sorry to lose him.”
[Illustration: =Wilfred S. Bird, M.A.=]
=BIRRELL, GEORGE HENRY GORDON=, 2nd Lieut., 9th (Dumbartonshire) Battn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders (T.F.), eldest _s._ of Col. John Birrell, of Allander House, Milngavie, co. Dumbarton, late 9th Battn. Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders and Army Service Corps (Highland Division), by his wife, Grace Marguerite, dau. of George William Masson Buish, of Salto, B.O.; _b._ Milngavie afsd., 2 Feb. 1893; educ. Loretto, gazetted to his father’s old regt., 3 Nov. 1914, and joined at the Front in Feb. 1915. On 10 May, 1915, during the second Battle of Ypres, the Battn., which formed part of the .. Brigade, received orders to take and hold a line of trenches near Hooge; this they did, but at considerable loss. Lieut. Birrell was killed during the advance, while gallantly leading his platoon under heavy shell fire. He was _unm._, and was buried in Zouave Wood, near Hooge.
[Illustration: =George Henry Gordon Birrell.=]
=BIRRELL, KENNETH=, Private, No. 11106, 2nd Battn. The Royal Scots (Lothian Regt.), only _s._ of W. Birrell, by his wife, Alsie (10, Merchant Street, Edinburgh), dau. of (--) Reid; _b._ Stockbridge, Edinburgh, 15 Jan. 1895; educ. Glen Street Roman Catholic School there; enlisted 2 April, 1912, and was killed in action during the retreat from Mons, 26 Aug. 1914; _unm._
=BISHOP, ALBERT EDWARD=, Signal Boy, J. 24353, H.M.S. Hawke; lost in action in the North Sea, 15 Oct. 1914.
=BISHOP, CHARLES HENRY=, Stoker, 1st Class (R.F.R., B. 3816), 187061, H.M.S. Good Hope; lost in the action off Coronel, on the coast of Chili, 1 Nov. 1914.
=BISHOP, EDWIN MAURICE=, Lieut., 3rd Battn. Dorsetshire Regt., attached King’s Own Yorkshire L.I., elder _s._ of Edwin Bishop, of Gosport and Swanwick, Sugar Merchant, by his wife, Janette (The Lawns, Swanwick, near Southampton), dau. of the late Knowles Richardson, of Littlehampton and Portsmouth; _b._ Gosport, 19 June, 1891; educ. Bradfield College; gazetted 2nd Lieut. 3rd Battn. Dorsetshire Regt., 21 June, 1912, and promoted Lieut. 1 May, 1913. On the outbreak of the European War, he left for the Front, 8 Sept. 1914, being attached to King’s Own Yorkshire L.I., and was killed in action at Illies, France, 18 Oct. 1914; _unm._ His Capt. wrote: “We started attacking yesterday morning at 6.20 a.m., and your son was leading his platoon with the firing line. I heard about mid-day that he had been killed; he was found by one of the other subalterns, and there is no doubt that he was killed instantaneously. We had all got very fond of him in D. Coy. We all feel his loss very deeply. Poor fellow! this was his ‘Baptism of Fire’; he was leading his platoon most gallantly when he was shot”; and Sergt. Beeching: “We started the attack and advanced under a very heavy fire from the enemy till we gained a ridge where we all laid down. Mr. Bishop then rose up on his hands and knees and was in the act of passing a message along the line when he was hit; the bullet had entered his forehead and had come out at the base of his skull”; and Sergt. Spooner spoke of him as: “One who during his short stay with us had won the greatest admiration and respect from his men.” His yr. brother, Private G. S. Bishop, A.S.C., died on active service, 10 April, 1915 (see his notice).
[Illustration: =Edwin Maurice Bishop.=]