Source: Michael Doyle Their Name Liveth For Evermore: The Great War Roll of Honour for Leicestershire and Rutland.
He was the son of George White, a solicitors clerk, born 1855 in Quorn, Leicestershire and his wife Mary Ann White (nee Kirbell, married on the 26th September 1882 in the Parish Church, Quorn, Leicestershire) born 1859 in Halstead, Leicestershire. Charles Kirbell, a schoolboy, was born in the 3rd quarter of 1885 in Quorn, and was baptised on the 6th September 1885 in the Parish Church, Quorn, his siblings were, Ethel Mary, a schoolgirl, born 1883 and baptised on the 18th November 1883 in the Parish Church, Quorn and George Cecil, born 1887 and baptised on the 8th May 1887 in the Parish Church, Quorn, both his siblings were born in Quorn, in April 1891 the family home was at Rose Cottage, Loughborough Road, Quorn. In March 1901 Charles was residing in the family home at Rose Cottage, Loughborough Road, Quorn, together with his father, a solicitors clerk and clerk to the Urban District Council, his mother and siblings, Ethel, George, Muriel Hilda, born 4th May 1893 and baptised on the 4th June 1893 in the Parish Church, Quorn and Frank Cuthbert, born 1894 and baptised on the 25th November 1894 in the Parish Church, Quorn, the latter two siblings were both born in Quorn. In April 1911 Charles was employed as a clerk to the Alliance Assurance Company Limited and was residing in the family home in Loughborough Road, Quorn, together with his father, a clerk to the Quorndon Urban District Council, his mother and siblings, Ethel, George, a bank clerk and Muriel.
Charles Army enlistment documents do not survive, all that is known of his military service is that he enlisted into the Leicestershire Regiment, being allotted the service number 25622, and was posted as Private to the 9th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment, and with this unit he first entered the theatre of war sometime after December 1915, he was commissioned into the Leicestershire Regiment on the 25th April 1917 and was posted as 2nd Lieutenant to the 8th Battalion, he was attached to the 110th Trench Mortar Battery at the time of his death on the 1st September 1918. The War Diary for the 110th Trench Mortar Battery appears to be missing and so little information is available regarding the circumstances of his death, 110th Brigade was involved in an attack West of Beaulencourt during the 1st and 2nd September 1918 and it must be assumed that Charles would have been involved in this action with the Brigade Trench Mortar Battery. Charles was awarded the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
The 8th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment was reduced in June 1918, and disbanded in July 1918. The surplus was transferred to the 7th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment and the Nucleus to the 14th Battalion Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment).