Capt
Rudolph Norman Clive Kirsch
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 17/08/1893 |
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Place of birth: Hawthorn, Victoria, Australia |
General information
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Profession: Clerk |
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Religion: Roman Catholic |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Captain |
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Service number: 737 |
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Enlistment date: 17/08/1914 |
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Enlistment place: Surrey Hills, Victoria, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Infantry, 8th Bn. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 04/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Remus Wood, Zonnebeke, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 24 |
Memorial
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Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial Panel: Bay 7 stone S |
Distinctions and medals 3
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1914-15 Star Medal |
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 3
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place | ||
| #3 | Place of death (approximate) |
My story
Captain Rudolph Norman Clive was born on 17th August 1893 as oldest son of Simon and Julia Annie Kirsch in Hawthorn, Victoria in Australia. His father Simon Kirsch was born in 1860 in Deining, Bavaria, Germany and moved to Australia when he was only 13 years old. When war broke out in 1914 he was Lieutenant in the Citizen Forces in Camberwell but worked as clerck.
He was one of the first Australians to enlist during August 1914. He was made a Colour Sergeant in H Company of the original 8th Australian Infantry Battalion, part of the 2nd Australian Brigade, 1st Division AIF and left Australia with the first contingent of Australians in October 1914.
Rudolp Kirsch took part in the Landing at Anzac Cove, Gallipoli, on the 25th April 1915, and after heavy casualties were suffered amongst officers and men, he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant only three days later. Lieutenant Kirsch went to Cape Helles with the 8th Battalion and again survived the gallant but futile attacks that occurred during the Battle of Krithia. He returned to Anzac in May 1915 before being promoted to Lieutenant on the 4th August 1915.
By October 1915, still only 21 years of age, he was a (tempory) Captain, and commanding a Company of men in the 8th Battalion AIF. After Gallipoli he was promoted permanently to Captain and was then wounded in action during the fighting at Pozieres in 1916, shrapnel causing serious muscle and tissue damage to both his thighs. He recovered to rejoin the 8th Battalion at the front on the 1st March 1917.
On the 4th of October at 6 a.m. his battalion advanced, when the Allied barrage came crashing down. The German Infantry in front of them left their positions almost at the same time. However while the Australians broke free from the German barrage on their frontline, the Allied barrage caught the German Infantrymen in no man’s land. The results were devastating. Many Germans were killed by the barrage. Those who survived were disorientated and didn’t put up much of a fight. The advance continued. Both Romulus and Remus Wood proved difficult to advance through. The terrain was marshy and the woods were heavily wired. The attack was diverted round the flanks. When the men of the 5th Prussian Guards (Grenadiers) had recovered from the initial surprise, they took up positions in various pill-boxes and fortified shell holes. But whenever the 8th Battalion encountered opposition from such strongholds, these were outflanked and then charged.
The 8th Battalion AIF reached the first objective a.k.a. the Red Line, just east of Romulus and Remus Wood at 6.30 a.m. While consolidating the line the 8th Bn. came under fire from 77 mm guns on the Broodseinde - Beselare Road, just east of the Red Line. These were eventually captured by a platoon of the battalion. After the Red Line had been consolidated by 7.30 a.m. the attack was taken over by the 6th and 7th Battalions AIF. They eventually captured the second objective aka the Blue Line at Celtic Wood.
His service record mentioned that whilst at an assembly point waiting for the barrage to start during the opening of the Battle of Broodseinde, Captain R.N.C. Kirsch 8th Battalion was killed by a shell. He was 23 years of age, and was buried on the spot (D.28.c.8.3.) on the battlefield about 1000 yards south east of Zonnebeke.
Rudolph died on the same day as his brother Roy, some two thousand yards north, in the same battle but serving with the 8th Bn AIF. After the war their bodies could not be recovered and both men are remembered on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial, Bay 25 stone E.
He was one of the first Australians to enlist during August 1914. He was made a Colour Sergeant in H Company of the original 8th Australian Infantry Battalion, part of the 2nd Australian Brigade, 1st Division AIF and left Australia with the first contingent of Australians in October 1914.
Rudolp Kirsch took part in the Landing at Anzac Cove, Gallipoli, on the 25th April 1915, and after heavy casualties were suffered amongst officers and men, he was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant only three days later. Lieutenant Kirsch went to Cape Helles with the 8th Battalion and again survived the gallant but futile attacks that occurred during the Battle of Krithia. He returned to Anzac in May 1915 before being promoted to Lieutenant on the 4th August 1915.
By October 1915, still only 21 years of age, he was a (tempory) Captain, and commanding a Company of men in the 8th Battalion AIF. After Gallipoli he was promoted permanently to Captain and was then wounded in action during the fighting at Pozieres in 1916, shrapnel causing serious muscle and tissue damage to both his thighs. He recovered to rejoin the 8th Battalion at the front on the 1st March 1917.
On the 4th of October at 6 a.m. his battalion advanced, when the Allied barrage came crashing down. The German Infantry in front of them left their positions almost at the same time. However while the Australians broke free from the German barrage on their frontline, the Allied barrage caught the German Infantrymen in no man’s land. The results were devastating. Many Germans were killed by the barrage. Those who survived were disorientated and didn’t put up much of a fight. The advance continued. Both Romulus and Remus Wood proved difficult to advance through. The terrain was marshy and the woods were heavily wired. The attack was diverted round the flanks. When the men of the 5th Prussian Guards (Grenadiers) had recovered from the initial surprise, they took up positions in various pill-boxes and fortified shell holes. But whenever the 8th Battalion encountered opposition from such strongholds, these were outflanked and then charged.
The 8th Battalion AIF reached the first objective a.k.a. the Red Line, just east of Romulus and Remus Wood at 6.30 a.m. While consolidating the line the 8th Bn. came under fire from 77 mm guns on the Broodseinde - Beselare Road, just east of the Red Line. These were eventually captured by a platoon of the battalion. After the Red Line had been consolidated by 7.30 a.m. the attack was taken over by the 6th and 7th Battalions AIF. They eventually captured the second objective aka the Blue Line at Celtic Wood.
His service record mentioned that whilst at an assembly point waiting for the barrage to start during the opening of the Battle of Broodseinde, Captain R.N.C. Kirsch 8th Battalion was killed by a shell. He was 23 years of age, and was buried on the spot (D.28.c.8.3.) on the battlefield about 1000 yards south east of Zonnebeke.
Rudolph died on the same day as his brother Roy, some two thousand yards north, in the same battle but serving with the 8th Bn AIF. After the war their bodies could not be recovered and both men are remembered on the Ypres Menin Gate Memorial, Bay 25 stone E.
Connection to other soldiers 1
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Roy Vivian Kirsch
Brother |
Sources 8
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"Passchendaele, The Day-by-Day Account",McCarthy C., Arms&ArmourPress, London, 1995, page 98-99" Sources used |
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AIF Project https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=166744 Sources used |
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CWGC https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/924727/rudolph-norman-clive-kirsch/ Sources used |
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Image https://trove.nla.gov.au/search/category/images?keyword=Captain%20Rudolph%20Norman%20Clive%20Kirsch Sources used |
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Service Records https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=7372855 Sources used |
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The Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1834952 Sources used |
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The Long Long Trail http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/order-of-battle-of-divisions/1st-australian-division/ Sources used |
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War Diary https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1343736 Sources used |