Name
Ronald Eric Burr
22 May 1899
Conflict
First World War
Date of Death / Age
18/02/1918
18
Rank, Service Number & Service Details
Flight Sub-Lieutenant
Royal Naval Air Service
Awards: Service Medals/Honour Awards
Searched but not found
Cemetery/Memorial: Name/Reference/Country
TROIS ARBRES CEMETERY, STEENWERCK
II. D. 32.
France
Headstone Inscription
BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD
UK & Other Memorials
Bishop's Stortford College Memorial Hall, Bishop's Stortford, Reigate Grammar School War Memorial, Surrey
Pre War
Ronald Eric Burr was born in Finchley, North London on 22 May 1899 to Herbert and Emma Burr, but moved to Redhill, Surrey soon after.
He attended Radnor House Preparatory School, Redhill before moving to Reigate Grammar School and then to Bishop's Stortford College in Hertfordshire where he specialised in mathematics and science. After that he joined the City & Guilds of London Institute at Finsbury Technical College for a course in civil and mechanical engineering and achieved a full college certificate by age 17.
On the 1911 Census he was living at home with his family at Netherglen, 85 London Road, Redhill, Surrey, where he was a schoolboy and his father was Postmaster.
Wartime Service
Ronald had tried to join the Royal Naval Air Service (which later combined with the Royal Flying Corps to form the RAF in 1918) in February 1917 and in June 1917, just after his 18th birthday, he was selected and officially commissioned on 1 July 1917.
He initially trained at Crystal Palace, then Eastbourne and finally at the RNAS training centre at Manston, Kent. Just after Christmas 1917 Ronald received his first posting (after six months of training) and was sent to Dunkirk for two weeks of acclimatisation, followed by 4 days with 12th Squadron and went fully operational with 10th Squadron on 30 January 1918 flying Sopwith Camels.
On 18th February 1918 Ronald took part in an offensive patrol with nine other planes at 8.55 am encountering the German Albatross Scouts over Menin at 9.50 am. He was shot down, crashing on the Allied side of the lines. He survived the crash but with severe injuries from which he died two days later.
His total active combat service was under 3 weeks.
Additional Information
Probate of his estate was granted to his father on 26 April 1919 with effects of £105 16s 7d. His home address was given as Elmcroft, The Common, Redhill, Surrey. His father, Mr H Burr, "Cliftonville", Salisbury Road, Worthing, ordered his headstone inscription: "BLESSED ARE THE PURE IN HEART FOR THEY SHALL SEE GOD".
Acknowledgments
Brenda Palmer
Reigate Grammar School
