Name
William James Burness
19 January 1879
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
27/07/1916
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Rifleman
R/10604
King's Royal Rifle Corps
1st Bn.
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
1914 /15 Star, British War and Victory medals
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
THIEPVAL MEMORIAL
Pier and Face 13 A and 13 B.
France
Headstone Inscription
N/A
UK & Other Memorials
Not on the Apsley End memorials
Pre War
William James Burness was born on 19 January 1879 in Bethnal Green, Shoreditch, Middlesex, the son and eldest child of William and Sarah Burness and one of six children, although two died in infancy, sister Minnie at age 27 and sister Louisa at age 32.
On the 1881 Census the family were living at 46 Boston Street, St Leonard, Haggerston, Middlesex, when his father was working as a Wood Chopper. They had moved to 32 Duncan Street, South Hackney by 1891 and his father was a Mason's Labourer.
William married Clara Ann Burrows in Shoreditch in 1901 and on the 1901 Census they were living at 23 York Row, Shoreditch St Leonards. William was then working as a French Polisher and Clara was a Wood Tier. They had a son William Ernest born 1906 who sadly died in 1908. Their second child Richard was born in 1909 and on the 1911 Census the family were living at 34 Lefevre Road, Poplar, Bow. William was then working as a Crosscut Sawyer in a Moulding Mill.
(His widow later lived at 94 Armagh Road, Old Ford, London E3)
Wartime Service
William enlisted in Stratford, Essex and joined the 1st Battalion, Kings Royal Rifle Corps as a Rifleman. He arrived in France on 16 June 1915 and would have fought in the Battle of Loos in September 1915.
He was killed in action on 27 July 1916 during the Battle of the Somme. He has no known grave and his name is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France.
Additional Information
His widow received a war gratuity of £6 and pay owing of £2 7s 11d. She also received a pension of 18s 9d a week for herself and her son Richard from 30 April 1917, which rose to £1 9s 4d a week on 10 January 1919.
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Jonty Wild
