Pte Frederick William Kirby, 18560, 54th Divisional Army Cyclist Corps, died from malaria in the 17th General Hospital at Alexandria, Egypt, on November 16th, 1918. He had been admitted dangerously ill on October 15th, appeared to be out of danger by November 3rd, but relapsed on November 9th, leading to his death a week later.

Frederick had originally joined the 3rd Volunteer Battalion Bedfordshire Regiment in 1899. He rejoined in December 1904 and was posted to the 5th Battalions Beds Regiment when the Volunteers became a Territorial Force. On April 28th, 1915, he transferred to the 1/1st East Anglian Divisional Cyclist Company which later became the 54th Divisional A.C.C. He served three and a half years in Egypt.

Frederick was born in Luton in July 1883, a son of William and Emily Kirby. On May 25th, 1901, he married Luton girl Lily Rayment at St Matthew's Church, High Town. Frederick was living with his family at 71 Burr Street at the time, and Lily with her family in Albion Road.

Following their marriage the couple lived at 79 Ridgway Road, Luton, and they had five children – Frederick Ernest (born 1903), Ronald Horace (1905), Arthur Reginald (1907), Leonard George (1911) and Violet May (1913).