Person

In December 1915 Joseph travelled from Stockton-on-Tees to the training camp of the Friends Ambulance Unit, know as “Jordans”, in Buckinghamshire. In February 1916 he sailed to France where he became a mechanic at the Hotel Kursaal, one of the bases of the unit in Dunkirk. From then until October 1917 he worked as a mechanic in Dunkirk, Croxyde (Koksidje) and Steenvoorde. He then left the unit. His index card notes that he intended to join the army or to work in munitions so perhaps being on the periphery of the battle of the Somme had not been enough for the young man from Stockton. There does not seem to be a medal card, army pension or service records for Joseph but he must have been back in England in the autumn of 1918 when he got married.

http://fau.quaker.org.uk/search-view?forename=&surname=burn

Civil Parish: Stockton on Tees

Birth date: 1894-Aug-24

Death date: 1966

Residence: 8 Frederick Street, Stockton-on-Tees (1911 census and first address on Friends Ambulance Unit index card)
3 Garibaldi Street, Stockton-on-Tees (second address on FAU index card)

Religion: Society of Friends – attended Darlington Meeting

Organisation membership: Friends Ambulance Unit, 1 Jul 1915 – 23 Oct 1917

Employment: Turner and Fitter (Friends Ambulance Unit index card)

Family: Parents: Joseph Burn, Lizzie Howard Burn
Siblings: Emily Jessie Burn, Arthur Norman Stanley Burn, George Ernest Burn, Rebecca Beatrice Burn, Oliver Walton Burn (1911 census)
Wife: Gwendoline Chapman (September Quarter 1918)

Gender: Male

Contributed by Durham Record Office | Cyril Pearce