Pte
John Kimm
Information about birth
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Year of birth: 1889 |
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Place of birth: Beattock, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, United Kingdom |
General information
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Profession: Ploughman |
Army information
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Country: Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Force: British Expeditionary Force |
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Rank: Private |
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Service number: 15719 |
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Enlistment place: Dumfries, Dumfriesshire, Scotland, United Kingdom |
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Units: — Scots Guards, 2nd Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 31/07/1917 |
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Place of death: Colonel's Farm, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 28 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: 11BB |
Distinctions and medals 2
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British War Medal Medal — 04/03/1920 |
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Victory Medal Medal — 04/03/1920 |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
John Kimm was born in Cork, Ireland. He was the second son of Samuel and Annie Kimm, of Beattock, Dumfriesshire. John worked as a Ploughman before enlisting. By the summer of 1917 he served with the 2nd Battalion Scots Guards, part of the 3rd Guards Brigade, of the Guards Division.
The Guards Division participated in the opening stage of the Battle of Passchendaele. It operated on the utter northern flank of the British Army, with the French Army on their left. The 2nd Scots Guards were to capture and consolidate the third objective (Green Line). Three hours after the attack began, the 2nd Scots Guards moved through Wood 15 and went on towards the last objective. The men encountered little resistance, as the artillery barrage had crippled most German defences. Several Germans were taken prisoner near Major’s Farm and the green line was successfully consolidated with the help of around 100 Welsh Guards. The French on the left were held up by machine-gun fire coming from Colonel’s Farm, but eventually occupied the Farm, joining up with the 2nd Scot Guards.
The whole day had been a success and the 2nd Scot Guards, met little to no resistance. Notwithstanding the relative ease of the attack, shellfire caused several casualties. Ten men were killed, 53 men were wounded and 16 men of the Battalion went missing.
John Kimm was killed in action on 31 July 1917. The 28-year old has no known grave and is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.
The Guards Division participated in the opening stage of the Battle of Passchendaele. It operated on the utter northern flank of the British Army, with the French Army on their left. The 2nd Scots Guards were to capture and consolidate the third objective (Green Line). Three hours after the attack began, the 2nd Scots Guards moved through Wood 15 and went on towards the last objective. The men encountered little resistance, as the artillery barrage had crippled most German defences. Several Germans were taken prisoner near Major’s Farm and the green line was successfully consolidated with the help of around 100 Welsh Guards. The French on the left were held up by machine-gun fire coming from Colonel’s Farm, but eventually occupied the Farm, joining up with the 2nd Scot Guards.
The whole day had been a success and the 2nd Scot Guards, met little to no resistance. Notwithstanding the relative ease of the attack, shellfire caused several casualties. Ten men were killed, 53 men were wounded and 16 men of the Battalion went missing.
John Kimm was killed in action on 31 July 1917. The 28-year old has no known grave and is remembered on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial.
Sources 7
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"Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Uniform, 2018, pg. 32-35. Sources used |
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"The Scots Guards in the Great War 1914-1918", Petre F.L., Ewart W. and Lowther C., Londen, John Murray, 1925, pg. 200-205. Sources used |
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"Till the trumpet sounds again : The Scots Guards 1914-1919 in their own words", Nicol R., Solihull, Helion & Company, 2016 , pg. 201-219. Sources used |
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Ancestry https://www.ancestry.com/ Further reference |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/1617566/kimm,-john/ Sources used |
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The Long, Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/ Sources used |
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War Diary Scots Guards, 2nd Bn. http://www.nmarchive.com/ Further reference |