Category Archives: Countries

Caleb James Burton

Australian, Registered War Grave

Caleb James Burton
Corporal 2078
4th Australian Pioneers

 War Plot
Division 71 and 72

Caleb Burton has no headstone but his name is commemorated upon the screen wall.

screen wall

Caleb James Burton  had  born in Wigan, Lancashire. It has not been possible to find out about his life before he emigrated to Australia. However the archives of his military career are available. Caleb James Burton was aged 37 years 9 months when he enlisted in Brisbane on 2 February 1916. Both his parents were dead and his next of kin was given as a half-brother William Arnold Roberts of Kangaroo Point, Brisbane. On 1 May 1916 Caleb left Brisbane for Egypt aboard the S.S. “Clan Macgillivray”. He arrived in England on 21 August 1916 having travelled via Alexandria and Marseilles.

He travelled to Reading and was encamped at Coley Recreation Ground when he was taken ill little more than a month since his arrival.   The following is a transcript from the Reading Standard 14 October 1916. Caleb James Burton died on 3 October 1916.  

 “Rarely has so imposing a military funeral taken place in Reading as that on Saturday, when the body of Corporal Burton of the Australian Imperial Force, was  laid to rest in Reading Cemetery.

Previously in camp at the Australian Headquarters, Tadworth, Corporal Burton had been in the Pioneer School of Instruction, encamped in Coley Recreation Ground, only for about four weeks.  Here he was taken ill and died from bronchial pneumonia in Number 5 War Hospital on Tuesday, Oct. 3rd.  Three days after admission.  Later the body was conveyed to No. 1 Hospital, where  the first part of the service was held.

 The funeral was attended by the whole school of instruction, consisting of members of various regiments, numbering 40 officers and 206 non-commissioned officers and men in the following formation:- A firing party of Australians, a band of the Royal Berks. Depot, who played the funeral march en route, the Australian officers, the bearers composed of Australian units, the Scottish Highlanders, various units of Irish, Scotch and Welsh regiments.  The body was drawn on a gun carriage covered with the Union Jack, Lieut. Spencer of the 11th Dragoons, was in charge of the procession.

 The committal service at the graveside (at which the Commandant of the Pioneers was present) was conducted by the Rev. R.W. Morley, curate of St. John’s and three volleys being fired over the grave,  a bugler from The Royal Berks. Depot sounded “Last Post”.  Through the permission of the Commandant all field work was suspended for the day as a mark of respect to the dead soldiers  memory.”

 

Norman Bradby Bloomfield

Canadian, Commemorated name/s, Reading University College, Ypres

Norman Bradby Bloomfield
Private 440296
5th Battalion Saskatchewan Regt.
Canadian Expeditionary Force.

Division 29

Bloomfield NB photo CIMG2103

 Norman Bradby Bloomfield  was the youngest son of Charles Joseph Fulcher Bloomfield and Lucy Mary Bloomfield of “The Brambles,” Tilehurst.  He was killed in action on June 6th 1916, and is commemorated on the Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing, Panels 18-26-28.  

The Standard of 24th June 1916 reports that Norman Bradby Bloomfield “had been in Canada for some years and enlisted after the outbreak of war, coming to Europe with the Canadians a year ago. (1915)  He had been in the France* a few months and was in action in which the overseas contingent lost heavily, a shell causing instant death.”  

The Battle for Mount Sorrel took place in June 1916 beginning on the 2nd June 1916, with two German attacks.  The second attack penetrated British lines for 300 yards along a 3000 yard front, towards Zillebeke.  The Canadians were badly damaged in the area around Mount Sorrel and Hill 62.   The advance was checked at Maple Copse.  There was a failed Canadian counter attack which was followed up by a massive artillery bombardment of German positions.  Then on the afternoon of the 6th June the German’s exploded four mines at Hooge and gained some ground.  Fierce fighting continued and it was not until the 13th June that the Canadians retook the positions lost on the 2nd June.  The Canadians suffered just under 8,500 casualties; of those 1,000 men were killed and another 1,900 were missing.  Norman Bradby Bloomfield’s unit was engaged in this action although the exact details have not been researched.  There is a Canadian Memorial at Hill 62, Sanctuary Wood, Zillebeke, Belgium.

  * For France read Belgium. 

Fred Bird

Alfred Sutton School War Memorial, Army, Australian, Dardanelles, Somme

Fred Bird
Lance Corporal 102
24th Battalion Australian Imperial Force. 

 Bird Fred photo Bird Fred name

Fred Bird has no known grave, his name is commemorated on the Australian National War Memorial at Villers Bretonneux.  The small town had been well behind British lines until April 1918 and the German Spring Offensive.  The town was taken by the Germans on April 24th 1918 but recaptured the same evening by the Australians.  Twelve hundred Australians lost their lives in the battle.  The war memorial bears the names of all the Australians missing on the Somme battlefields. 

 From the top of the memorial  tower the Cathedral spire at Amiens, away to the west,  can be seen on a clear day and during spring and autumn months the trenches of the battlefield are outlined in the chalky soil.  It is not known what action Fred was involved in when he was killed.

 Fred Bird had enlisted at the age of sixteen. A comment under the photograph published in “Berkshire and The War” states that he had been in the Scouts for several years and was a “piper” in the YMCA  He was also a native of Newtown.  Fred had reached the rank of Lance Corporal and had fought in the Dardanelles and France.  He was reported missing in November 1916 this was later confirmed as killed in action, he was in his 19th year. 

  “In Memoriam” The Standard 24th November 1917 gives the following details,  the youngest son of the late George Bird of Reading and Mrs. Bird of Mentone, Melbourne, and brother of Mrs. Wilkinson, Recreation Rd. Tilehurst.  In addition is a poem

 He heard the call of his country,
Far o’er the sea he came,
On Britain’s Roll of Honour
You’ll find the brave boy’s name.
The path of duty is the way to glory.

The 1911 census indicates that Fred and his family lived at 15 School Terrace, Newtown. His sister Ivy, then 15, was two years older than Fred. Fred’s father, George, was aged 72 and his occupation was given as Army Pensioner and Biscuit Factory Labourer. Fred’s mother, Kate was aged 56. Fred and George had been married for sixteen years.