William Henry Langdon Burgess (1887-1916)
From Lanchester, served with 1st Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles), killed in action on the Somme.
William Burgess was born in Lanchester in 1887, the only son of Henry Langdon Burgess, who was headmaster of Burnhope Colliery School, and Anna Maria Burgess.
After leaving school, William studied mining at Armstrong College in Newcastle upon Tyne (part of the University of Durham) and was awarded a Bachelor of Science degree in 1912. He then worked as an ordnance engineer and lived at Cowdray House, Shincliffe Colliery, County Durham.
Just a few days after the First World War began, William Burgess was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the 3rd Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles). On 21 December 1914, he joined the 1st Battalion Cameronians in France and was Mentioned in Despatches in January 1915.
Captain Burgess was killed in action on 20 July 1916 at High Wood during the Battle of the Somme. He was 29 years old.
William Burgess is remembered on the Somme in Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval, and in Glasgow, Hamilton and Burnhope War Memorial Garden.
For more information:
Commonwealth War Graves Commission
https://www.cwgc.org/search-for-war-dead/casualty/552720/BURGESS,%20WILLIAM%20HENRY%20LANGDON
North East War Memorials Project
http://www.newmp.org.uk/article.php?categoryid=99&articleid=1109&displayorder=4
Civil Parish: Lanchester
Birth date: 1887
Death date: 20-Jul-1916
Armed force/civilian: Army
Residence: Cowdray House, Shincliffe Colliery, County Durham.
Education: Armstrong College, Newcastle upon Tyne, B.Sc 1912.
Employment: Ordnance Engineer
Family: Parents: Henry Langdon Burgess and Anna Maria Burgess.
Military service:
Commissioned 15 August 1914 as Second Lieutenant, 3rd Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).
Killed in action as Captain, 1st Battalion Cameronians (Scottish Rifles).
Medal(s): 1914-15 Star, British War Medal, Victory Medal.
Mentioned in Despatches, London Gazette 26 January 1915.
Memorial(s): Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval, Somme, France.
Burnhope Memorial Garden.
Church of St. John the Evangelist, Burnhope.
Gender: Male
Contributed by Burnhope War Memorial Research Group. | With additional research by Durham County Record Office.
