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Dvr. Joseph Michael Kurtin
British Army Royal Field Artillery
from:Planet St, Stepney, London
Joseph Kurtinaitis (Kurtin) joined up in 1915 with his friend Antanas Baukis from the next street. They lived in Stepney, near Whitechapel, London. They were both second generation Lithuanians whose parents had all come from Russia in the early 1890s. He spoke Lithuanian, English, Polish and some Yiddish as well as some French learned at school at St Ignatious College in Stamford Hill. These names can be a problem in records as they were in the process of being Anglicised by the second generation but Kurtin was the name on his Will. Anthony (Antanas) went to another unit and was later killed in action.
He became a driver in the Royal Field Artillery carrying ammunition up to the guns somewhere in Northern France. He mentioned Flanders on the rare occasions he spoke to anyone about it. He mentioned a few horrific things to his grandson back in the 50s. He died in 1963 at the relatively young age of 66 from Parkinson's which we think was brought on by a blow to the head on the Western front.
He was responsible for two black horses, named 'Cherry Blossom, and 'Boot Polish'. He used to walk between these two horses for protection so I imagine he was carrying a small amount of shells each time over rough ground up to the guns. He had some narrow escapes including a bullet which passed through the ear of one of the horses (making a hole). I get the impression that he also drove a wagon. So little information - I wish I had asked him more questions. I would dearly love to know absolutely everything about his war record - where he was exactly, where he joined up, where he did his training etc. Is there any more information out there?
