Gerald Birks

Infobox Military Person


name=Gerald Alfred Sigourney Birks
|caption=
rank= Colonel
branch= Canadian Forces
commands=
unit= RFC
battles=
family=
nickname=
allegiance=Canada
lived= (October 30, 1894 - May 26, 1991)
placeofbirth= Montreal, Quebec
placeofdeath= Toronto, Ontario
serviceyears=
portrayedby=
laterwork=founding of Khaki University, philanthropy
awards=MC and Two Bars,

Gerald Alfred Sigourney Birks, MC and Two Bars, RFC (October 30, 1894 - May 26, 1991) was a Canadian fighter ace in World War I. He assisted in the founding of Khaki University during World War I

Education

A son of William Birks, the owner of the Canadian Jewellers (Henry Birks and Sons), he was descended from Yorkshire landed gentry. He was educated at Montreal High School and McGill University.

Military Service

He originally enlisted in the army, being wounded on the Somme in 1916.

Colonel Gerald Birks, supervisor of the YMCA Canadian Overseas, sought to offer educational courses to keep soldiers busy in their spare time with a view to stave off the evils of gambling or drinking. He asked Henry Marshall Tory to write report which recommended the formalization of educational services of Canadian forces overseas, known as Khaki University.

Transferring to the Royal Flying Corps, he served in Italy, gaining twelve victories. He is credited with bringing down the enemy fighter aces Karl Patzelt and Josef Kiss. He was awarded the Military Cross twice for his gallantry.

After the war, he became a patron of the arts, and was an active painter. He died in 1991 in Toronto.

ee also

*Khaki University

References