Name
Bertram Albert Rutland
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/08/1918
20
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Private
31768
Bedfordshire Regiment
4th Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Not Yet Researched
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
A.I.F. BURIAL GROUND, FLERS
X. E. 3.
France
Headstone Inscription
Not Researched
UK & Other Memorials
Hitchin Town Memorial,
St Mary's Church Roll of Honour (Book), Hitchin
Pre War
His home was in Pierson's Yard, Park St. Hitchin and he was the eldest son of Mr and Mrs Albert Rutland.
Before joining up he was employed as an assistant to Mr Sullivan with the BP Oil Company's travelling van and later by Mr G. Day the basket maker of Hitchin.
Wartime Service
He joined the army in November 1916 and was posted to France in May 1917. He had been born in Gravenhurst but he enlisted and was resident in Hitchin. He was given Regimental Number 31768 and posted to the 4th Battalion. He was killed in action in France.
The Battalion objective that day was to attack Thiloy and Ligny Thiloy in the area of the River Ancre. A creeping barrage commenced at 11.00am advancing 100 yards every three minutes. The Battalion encountered heavy machine-gun fire and the attack was held up, but after another barrage the attack continued at 6.00pm. They eventually returned to their starting point after sustaining very heavy casualties.
He was buried in Plot X, Row E, Grave 3 in the A.I.F. Burial Ground in the Somme sector of France.
Acknowledgments
Adrian Dunne, David C Baines, Jonty Wild
