Linda Gowans has submitted the following:-
In 1891 Harry's parents Isaac Burge, Gardener (born Bawdrip, Somerset), and his wife Mary Jane (born Moorlinch, Somerset) were at Knowle Hall Lodge, Bawdrip, with their sons James (born 1878 in Wexford), and Harry (born 1890 in Bawdrip).
In the 1901 census Isaac Burge, Estate Bailiff, and Mary Jane, with sons Harry and Clifford (born Bawdrip 1893), were shown as visitors to Joseph and Susan Wylan at 29 St Mark’s Road.
By 1911 Clifford, a Motor and Electric worker, was with his parents at West Lodge, Grindon Hall, Silksworth. Isaac was once more a gardener. Isaac and Mary later moved to Cleadon, and then to Whitburn. Harry was working as a Gardener at Belle Farm, Bishop Wearmouth Without.
Harry at some point was appointed as a constable with Sunderland Borough Police. He resigned to enlist.
His personal service records have not survived, but the Brigade’s War Diary is available, and gives an account of the Battalion’s progress in 1918 towards the Somme, noting that the same ground had already been fought over a year earlier. On May 6th Brigade and Battery commanders went forward to reconnoitre battery positions north of Ponavert on the Aisne which were to be taken over from the French. Relief of the French troops started two days later. All was fairly quiet until on the 26th news was received of an impending enemy attack.
On the 27th, At 1 a.m. enemy bombardment commenced. All lines went down within 15 mins. Bombardment was very heavy in all forward area & on battery positions & H.Q. S.O.S. went up about 4 a.m. No information about Allied positions could be gained: those sent out to reconnoitre invariably went missing and the first news that came through, at 4.30 am, was that in ‘A’ company all but one gun had been lost and the enemy was about 800 yards away. As the positions of the various companies were reached by the enemy, there are diary entries to the effect that very few got away. In D company remaining gunners were firing the last gun left in action. No one got away from main position of C/250.11 wagons of D/250 which went up from wagon line to take ammunition to reserve positions were fired on at close range by Machine guns; those who were not killed or wounded were captured.
Somewhere on this disastrous day, Harry Burge died of wounds on the first day of what is now known as the Third Battle of the Aisne.
Harry Burge died only seven months after his younger brother Clifford
The Sunderland Echo 29/07/1919 carries an In Memoriam entry:-
Burge; wounded and missing May 27th 1918 731555 Serg. Harry Burge 250 Brigade, R.F.A. aged 28 years now presumed dead. Sadly missed by his loving father and mother (I. and M.J. Burge, The Lodge Cleadon Meadows) sister and brother and fiance Nance.
A further item in the same edition adds "he was an old Barnes schoolboy and prior to enlisting was a member of Sunderland Police Force."
Recipient of the British War Medal and Victory Medal.
Harry Burge is remembered at South Hylton on S128.01, S128.02 and S128.03 at Sunderland on S140.009, S140.010, S140.048 part 10 ,S140.048 part 14 and S140.061
