Gnr
Eric Burgess
Information about birth
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Date of birth: 25/07/1895 |
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Place of birth: Henry Hill, Victoria, Australia |
General information
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Profession: Clerk |
Army information
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Country: Australia |
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Force: Australian Imperial Force |
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Rank: Gunner |
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Service number: 1674 |
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Enlistment date: 17/5/1915 |
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Enlistment place: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia |
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Units: — Australian Field Artillery, 53rd Bty. 14th Bde. (Last known unit) |
Information about death
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Date of death: 04/10/1917 |
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Place of death: Polygoneveld, Belgium |
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Cause of death: Killed in action (K.I.A.) |
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Age: 22 |
Cemetery
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The Huts Cemetery Plot: IX Row: C Grave: 9 |
Distinctions and medals 3
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1914-15 Star Medal |
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British War Medal Medal |
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Victory Medal Medal |
Points of interest 2
| #1 | Place of birth | ||
| #2 | Enlistment place |
My story
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.
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.
Connection to other soldiers 1
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Joseph Bird Burgess
Brother |
Sources 6
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Australian War Memorial https://www.awm.gov.au/ Sources used |
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Bean C. E. W., Official History of Australia in the War of 1914-18 Vol. IV The A.I.F. in France 1917, (Sydney, Angus and Robertson Ltd., 1943), p 839. Sources used |
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First Australian Imperial Force Personnel Dossiers, 1914-1920, (National Archives of Australia, Canberra (NAA), B2455, BURGESS E). https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/SearchScreens/NameSearch.aspx. Sources used |
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Headquarters, 14th Australian Field Artillery Brigade, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 13/41/16). https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1338583 Sources used |
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Headquarters, 5th Australian Field Artillery Brigade, (Australian War Memorial, Campbell (AWM), AWM4 13/33/23). https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1338583 Sources used |
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McCarthy C., The Third Ypres Passchendaele. The Day-by-Day Account, (London, Arms & Armour Press, 1995), pg. 99. Sources used |
More information 4
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Commonwealth War Graves Commission Database https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/156033 |
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Namenlijst (In Flanders Fields Museum) https://namenlijst.org/publicsearch/#/person/_id=1a657bbf-dab8-4f4c-aabb-2133da940536 |
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Lives of the First World War (Imperial War Museum) https://livesofthefirstworldwar.iwm.org.uk/lifestory/7375430 |
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The AIF Project (UNSW Canberra) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=39141 |