Tyne Cot Memorial
Tyne Cot Memorial: Pauline Priano
Pauline Priano has submitted the following:-
Although listed on Heworth St. Mary memorial plaque as C.W.S. Burn all document entries have Charles listed as Charles Henderson Burn.
He was born 1885 at Heworth, near Gateshead, County Durham. one of 11 children, of whom only 10 survived, 6 sons and 4 daughters. The third born son of coal miner Thomas Burn, native of Newcastle-upon-Tyne born 1850 and his wife Ann born 1851 at Whitby in Yorkshire. By the time he was 6 years old the family had moved from Wardley to Heworth, near Gateshead and were living at 38, Waggonway Street, his father, brother John Thomas (17) and George Robert (13) were all employed as coal miners at the colliery. When Charles was only 9 years old, in 1894, his father died, aged only 44 years, his mother continued to be supported by her elder sons who by 1901 had found employment as miners, with the exception of William and his younger brothers. In the census of 1911 George Robert is listed as head of the family, which had moved from Waggonway Street Heworth to 28, Waggonway Row, Wardley Colliery, Charles now aged 24 years was employed as a shifter.
Along with his younger brother William Storey Gibson Burn he enlisted at Wallsend-on-Tyne, assigned as Private 7994 to the 12th (Service) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers, part of Kitchener’s Third New Army formed at Newcastle-upon-Tyne, September 1914, part of the 62nd Brigade, 21st Division. The Division concentrated near Tring, Hertfordshire, training at Halton Park before moving back into billets at Tring, Aylesbury, Leighton Buzzard, High Whickham and Maidenhead for the winter. In May1915 the infantry moved to huts at Halton Park, on to Whitley Camp, August 9th and Private Burn departed as part of the British Expeditionary Force September 9th 1915. Without any nursery training in trench warfare they were marched across France, their first experience of action was during the British assault at Loos, September 26th 1915, where they suffered heavy losses. During 1916 they participated at the Battles of the Somme, including the Battle of Bazentin Ridge, July 14th-17th, the Battle of Morval, September 25th-28th, where the Division captured Geudecourt and the Battle of Transloy, October 1st-18th. In 1917 they were in action during the German retreat to the Hindenburg Line and the Arras Offensive. During August 1917 they joined forces with the 13th Battalion to form the 12th/13th (Service) Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers and were moved to the front line in Belgium to participate during at the Third Battle of Ypres which had begun July 31st 1917 on the salient and raged until November 10th 1917.
Private 7994 Charles Henderson Burn Northumberland Fusiliers at roll call October 1917 was declared missing and later presumed to have died October 4th 1917 in action on the Ypres salient, Belgium. This news would have been communicated not only to his family but also to his brother William also serving with the 12th/13th Battalion. Fate dealt another blow five weeks later when his brother Private 10948 William Storey Gibson Burn aged 31 years was killed in action, November 9th 1917 on the battlefield of the salient near Ypres, he left a widow Catherine.
The sacrifice of Private 7994 Charles Henderson Burn Northumberland Fusiliers is recorded along with that of his brother Private 10948 William Burn on panel 16-23 at Tyne Cot Cemetery, Zonnebeke, near Ypres, Belgium. The panels form the walled back drop to the cemetery and are dedicated to those who died on the salient and have no known grave. Charles was 33 years old and single.
Although his mother was alive he had chosen to nominate his eldest sister Margaret Elizabeth as his sole beneficiary, she received all monies due to him. Recipient of the 1914-15 Star. British War Medal and Victory Medal.
In God’s safe Keeping. Rest In Peace.
Charles Henderson Burn is remembered at Heworth on H92.03
