Twenty-three members of The Regiment have been awarded the Victoria Cross. They are representative of all ranks and battalions, from Private soldier to Lieutenant Colonel – Regular, Territorial and Wartime.

KIRK, JAMES
 

Second Lieutenant. 10th Battalion. (attached 2nd Battalion) Manchester Regiment.
 

London Gazetted on 6th January, 1919.
 

Born on 27th January, 1897 at 'Willow Bank' Adswood, Cheadle Hulme, Cheshire.
 

Killed in action on 4th November 1918 at Ors, France.
 

Memorial at Ors Military Cemetery, France.

 

Digest of Citation reads:
 

On 4th November 1918 the Battalion was attempting to bridge the Oise Canal, north of Ors, France. To cover this activity, Second Lieutenant Kirk took a Lewis gun, and went, under intense fire, paddling, on a raft, across the canal.   At a range of only 10 yards, he expended all his ammunition.   More ammunition was paddled across to him and he continued to maintain covering fire, for the bridging party, from a most exposed position. He maintained this post until he was killed.