Informationen zu Geburt

Geburtsdatum:
25/07/1895
Geburtsort:
Henry Hill, Victoria, Australia

Allgemeine Informationen

Beruf:
Clerk

Informationen zum Armeedienst

Land:
Australia
Truppe:
Australian Imperial Force
Rang:
Gunner
Dienstnummer:
1674
Einberufung datum:
17/5/1915
Einberufung ort:
Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
Einheiten:
 —  Australian Field Artillery, 53rd Bty. 14th Bde.  (Letzte bekannte Einheit)

Informationen zu Tod

Sterbedatum:
04/10/1917
Sterbeort:
Polygoneveld, Belgien
Todesursache:
Im Kampf gefallen
Alter:
22

Begräbnisplatz

The Huts Cemetery
Grabstelle: IX
Reihe: C
Grab: 9

Auszeichnungen und Orden 3

1914-15 Star
Medaille
British War Medal
Medaille
Victory Medal
Medaille

Punkte von Interesse 2

#1 Geburtsort
#2 Einberufung ort

Meine Geschichte

Gunner Eric Burgess served in the 53rd Battery, part of the 14th Field Artillery Brigade of the 5th Australian Division. He previously served in the 23rd Bn. Australian Infantry in Gallipoli. He was wounded in 1915 and again in 1916 in Pozières, France. After his second evacuation Eric was transferred to the 14th Australian Field Artillery Brigade. Eric was "claimed" by his brother, Joseph Bird Burgess, and transferred to the 53rd Battery of the 14th Field Artillery Brigade. Joseph probably wanted his little brother by his side.

On October 4 1917, the 14th Field Artillery Brigade took part in the Battle of Broodseinde, a phase of the Third Battle of Ypres. His artillery Brigade, along with the 13th, set up their guns between the hamlets of Polygoneveld and Westhoek. Both brothers, served at the same gun. They had to provide artillery support for the 2nd Australian Infantry Division. The attack started in the early morning with a heavy artillery barrage on the German positions.

At about 7 am, both the 13th and 14th artillery brigades were targeted by the German artillery. A German shell hit the ammunition stack of the gun of Eric and Joseph Burgess. The explosion killed the entire crew of four soldiers, together with a soldier and an officer of another battery close by. Joseph and his brother died side-by-side and were buried next to each other at The Huts Cemetery.

Verwandte, die auch Soldat waren 1

Dateien 1

Quellen 9

"Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-18 Vol. IV The A.I.F. in France 1917", C. E. W. Bean, Angus and Robertson Ltd., 1943, 839.
Verwendete Quellen
"The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account", McCarthy C., London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995, pg. 99.
Verwendete Quellen
Australian War Memorial
https://www.awm.gov.au/
Verwendete Quellen
CWGC
https://www.cwgc.org/
Verwendete Quellen
National Archives of Australia
http://naa.gov.au/
Verwendete Quellen
The AIF Project
https://aif.adfa.edu.au/aif/
Verwendete Quellen
The Long, Long Trail
http://www.longlongtrail.co.uk/army/
Verwendete Quellen
War Diary A.I.F. Headquarters, 14th Australian Field Artillery Brigade
https://www.awm.gov.au/
Verwendete Quellen
War Diary A.I.F. HQ, 5th Australian Artillery Brigade
https://www.awm.gov.au/
Verwendete Quellen