| Regimental number | 13936 |
| Date of birth | |
| Religion | Roman Catholic |
| Occupation | Storeman |
| Marital status | Single |
| Age at embarkation | 34 |
| Height | 5' 5.5" |
| Weight | 126 lbs |
| Next of kin | Sister, Miss S Kirwan, East Road, Invercargill |
| Previous military service | Served for 7 years in Defence Cadets; company disbanded; not serving in any military unit at time of NZEF enlistment. |
| Enlistment date | |
| Place of enlistment | Trentham |
| Rank on embarkation | Lance Corporal |
| Unit name | New Zealand Expeditionary Force, 14th Reinforcements, Otago Infantry Battalion, D Company |
| Embarkation details | Unit embarked from Wellington on |
| The infantry component of the 14th Reinforcements left New Zealand on board two ships, 'Maunganui' and 'Tahiti'. It is not possible from the Nominal Roll to determine on which ship an individual embarked. | |
| Final rank | Private |
| Final unit | 1st Battalion, Otago Infantry Regiment |
| Fate | Killed in Action |
| Place of burial | No known grave |
| Commemoration details | Tyne Cot Memorial (New Zealand Apse, Panel 3), Tyne Cot Cemetery, Belgium |
| Miscellaneous information from cemetery records | Parents: Mr and Mrs John Kirwan, 42 East Road, Invercargill |
| Family/military connections | Brothers: 8/401 Alphonsus KIRWAN; 19150 William KIRWAN |
| Other details |
War service: Western Front Embarked Wellington, 26 June 1916; reverted to the ranks, 2 August 1916; disembarked Devonport, England, 22 August 1916, and marched into Sling Camp. Proceeded overseas to France, 26 September 1916; joined 1st Bn, Otago Infantry Regiment, in the field, 12 October 1916. Detached to Signalling School, , 13 May 1917; rejoined unit, 5 June 1917. Detached to Reinforcements Camp, 7 June 1917; rejoined unit, 11 June 1917. Killed in action, Belgium, 12 October 1917. Medals: British War Medal, Victory Medal |
| Sources | Nominal Roll Vol. 2: Roll 34, p. 13 Archives New Zealand (Wellington), Agency AABK, Series 18805, File 18057724 |