Lionel Bernstein (1896-1917)
Sunderland born man remembered on plaque at Moor Street Synagogue
Lionel was born on 1 October 1896, the oldest son of six children born to Samuel and Bertha Bernstein. Samuel was born in Warsaw in Poland and became a naturalised British Citizen on 21 November 1904. Bertha and all their six children were born in Sunderland. At the time of the 1901 census the Bernstein family were living at 17 Upper Sans Street, Sunderland. By 1911 they had moved to 15 Churchill Street, also in Sunderland. Lionel’s father is listed as a general dealer in furniture.
Lionel attended Hudson Road Infants’ School in Sunderland from 1901 before moving to Hudson Road Boys’ School in 1905. Following this he began studying at Bede’s School where he is remembered on a memorial to old students who died in the First World War.
Lionel enlisted in Sunderland and joined the Royal Army Medical Corps where he served with the 22nd Field Ambulance as a private with the service number 59168. He first entered the theatre of war in France on 3 October 1915. Lionel died at the 47th Casualty Clearing Station on 5 March 1917. It is recorded in the Sunderland Daily Echo and Shipping Gazette on the 9 March 1917 that his parents had received a letter from a chaplain in HM Forces reporting he had died from wounds in the head and thigh.
There is a photo of Lionel, as well as an article written in memory of Lionel at the following link: https://www.jewsfww.london/lionel-bernstein-2442.php
Lionel is buried at the Varennes Military Cemetery in France and is remembered locally on several memorials in his home town of Sunderland. One of these memorials is a brass plaque now housed at the Jewish Military Museum in London. This plaque was originally unveiled by the Mayor of Sunderland at Moor Street Synagogue, Sunderland in 1922. It was moved to Ryhope Road Synagogue, upon the closure of which it was transferred to London. The inscription on the plaque reads: “In honoured memory of the undermentioned members of the Sunderland Jewish Community who made the Supreme Sacrifice in the Great War 1914-1918.”
Civil Parish: Sunderland
Birth date: 01-Oct-1896
Death date: 5-Mar-1917
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: 17 Upper Sans Street, Sunderland (1901 census)
15 Churchill Street (1911 census)
12 Mowbray Road, Sunderland (Family address at time of death)
Education: Hudson Road Infant’s School, Sunderland
Hudson Road Boy’s School, Sunderland
Bede School, Sunderland
Religion: Jewish
Family: Parents: Samuel Bernstein, Bertha Bernstein
Siblings: Rachel Bernstein, Michael Bernstein, Hannah Bernstein, Rose Bernstein, Iris Bernstein
Military service:
Royal Army Medical Corps
22nd Field Ambulance
Private
Service Number 59168
Medal(s): 1914-15 Star
British War Medal
Victory Medal
Memorial(s): Varennes Military Cemetery, France
Book of Remembrance, Holy Trinity Church, Sunderland
Plaque 1914-18 Synagogue, originally Moor Street, Sunderland
Bede Collegiate School, Sunderland
Gender: Male
Contributed by Fiona Johnson - Durham
