World War 1
Search the known records to date of those lost from the wider Alnwick area in World War 1
Generally showing where they are commemorated, when they died and some basic facts about each person. There are gaps, however, so if you can fill in any missing details do please contact us.
Edgar William Burn
Forename(s):
Edgar William
Surname:
Burn
Initial(s):
E W
Service Number:
8551
Rank:
Private
Regiment:
Machine Gun Corps, 59th Company
Died:
04/09/1916
Aged:
22
Buried:
Thiepval Memorial
Service History:
Enlisted at Newcastle upon Tyne, Northumberland.
Formerly 1392, Northumberland Fusiliers.
After joining the Fusiliers, trained at Rothbury, Northumberland & other places before transferring to the Machine Gun Corps at Grantham. Went to France in February 1916.
His officer, 2nd Lieutenant Cornish, was reported in the 7 October 1916 edition of the 'Alnwick & County Gazette' to have written a sympathetic letter to the deceased's mother, in which he said:
'It is my sad & painful duty to inform you that your son Private Burn, of the Machine Gun Corps, late Northumberland Fusiliers, was killed in action on 3 September. I am sorry I have been so long in writing to you, but his section officer was killed the same day, so we were unable to trace the address of any of his relatives. We all very keenly feel his loss, & especially myself, because he & I both came from the Northumberland's. All join in offering our deepest sympathy to you in your great loss.'
(Source: fusilier.co.uk/north_east_northumberland_ww1_great_war_casualties/)
Background:
Born about 1894, at Eglingham, Northumberland, the son of Georgina Burn & the late Roger Burn, of Dodd's Lane, Alnwick, Northumberland, whose own death was reported in the 'Alnwick & County Gazette' only the week before his son's,
Dodds served an Apprenticeship with Mr T.W. Willcox, Watchmaker & Jeweller, Market Place, Alnwick.
Nephew of Mr W. Burn, of the Queen's Head Hotel, Alnwick.
Resided at Newcastle.
Local Memorial:
Alnwick War Memorial