Richard William Kirby was born on 6 November 1916, a son of George Alfred Kirby and Eliza Mary Ann Kirby née King. His birth was registered in the 4th quarter of 1916 in the Holborn registration district and his father was a carman.
The 1939 England and Wales register shows him living at 144 Shepherdess Walk, Shoreditch with his mother and siblings. His occupation was recorded as a general labourer. In 1940 he married Rosina H. Higgins (1920-1944) in the Shoreditch registration district and their son, Brian Lawrence Kirby was born in 1942.
He died, aged 27 years, on 3 August 1944 at his home at 28 Coleman Fields, London, N1, together with both his wife, their son and his mother-in-law, Lillian Elizabeth Higgins née Wyatt (1886-1944) as a result of German enemy action. He was buried with both his wife and son on 11 August 1944 in Square 129, Grave 264, in Manor Park Cemetery, Serbert Road, London, E7 0NP. Administration of his estate was granted on 5 January 1946 to his brother-in-law, Henry John William Higgins (1909-1970) who was an assistant turncock and his effects totalled £381-0s-8d.
Both he and his three relatives are commemorated in the Civilian War Dead Roll of Honour that is located near the St George's Chapel at the west end of Westminster Abbey.
He is also commemorated in the Islington Book of Remembrance that states that his body was found under debris. Their Incident Folder shows that a V1 flying bomb hit the roadway opposite.26 Coleman Fields causing a crater approximately 10 feet in diameter and 3 feet deep and that nine lives were lost in Nos. 21, 25, 28 and 30 Coleman Fields.
Credit for this entry to: Andrew Behan.
