Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From Brothers who died in the Great War by Frank Mahieu

REMEMBER the brothers ERIC BURGESS, aged 21, and JOSEPH BIRD BURGESS, aged 25, who died on 4 October 1917 during 3rd Ypres last phase at Passendale (Passchendaele), whilst serving as gunners with the 53rd Battery of the 14th Australian Field Artillery Brigade Sons of Ernest Henry and Elizabeth Hulls Burgess, Geelong, Victoria, Australia. The brothers lie in adjacent graves at The Huts Cemetery, Dickebusch, Flanders.

ERIC BURGESS was born (Sept. 1895) in Herne Hill (service record says Hurn Hill), Geelong, Victoria and worked as a post office clerk before the outbreak of the First World War. He also was a senior cadet with the 69/c at Geelong and with the 64/a at Melbourne, twice for two years. He enlisted briefly in August 1914 but was discharged due to illness. Burgess was successful on his second attempt, enlisting at Melbourne in the 2nd Reinforcements of the 23rd Battalion on 17 May 1915, aged 19 years and 8 months. Description: sallow complexion, blue eyes, dark brown hair, 5ft. 7 inch. tall (1m.70).

He departed Melbourne aboard HMAT Demosthenes on 16 July 1915 and was fighting in the trenches at Gallipoli only a few months later. In November 1915, Eric Burgess was wounded and evacuated to Malta for recuperation, and after that embarked from Malta to Egypt on 11 Febr. 1916. Later he set off for the Western Front, so embarked at Alexandria on March 9th and disembarked at Marseille March 30th 1916. He took part in the battle of the Somme. On 31 July he was appointed temporary Corporal. On 15 August 1916, from Southampton he sailed to France. After several months in France with the 23rd Battalion, Eric Burgess Eric was claimed, in September 1916, from the infantry by his brother Joseph who had arrived in France in June and was serving with the 53rd Battery of the 14th Field Artillery Brigade. Eric Burgess, on his own request reverted to the rank of private on 12 Oct 1916. He joined his brother as gunner on 14th October 1916 with 53rd Bty., 14th Field Artillery Bgd. The brothers served together during the 1916 winter, and in the early months of 1917 were involved in supporting the allied advance to the Hindenburg Line. In early April Eric Burgess was detached to another gun crew and badly wounded when a shell fired from his gun exploded prematurely, sending shrapnel back through the gun shield. After surgery in France, he was evacuated to England to recover. In April 1917, Eric Burgess was wounded again, this time being removed to England to recover, and remained in hospital until August when he returned to the Battery.

Eric, on the whole, was about 7 times in hospital for sickness or wounds during his service. He also receive punishment twice for not wearing his smoke helmet and once for overstaying leave.

JOSEPH BURGESS was born in 1892 at Benalla, Victoria, Australia. He enlisted on 17 July 1915 in Melbourne, aged 23, two months after his brother. Description: fresh complexion, hazel eyes, dark brown hair, 5ft. 4 & 1/8 inch. tall (almost 1m.63) He embarked on 28 January 1916 at Melbourne for Egypt. At Cairo on 29 Febr. , from reinforcements, posted to nr. 1 section. At Tel el Kebir (camp) transferred to 54th Battery on 22 March 1916. On April 9th. Posted to 55th Battery and on 18 April posted to 14th B.A.C. (*). At Tel el Kebir posted with Artillery Details on 25th May, then with 5th. Division Base Depot Artillery Reinforcements he embarked at Alexandria on 7 June 1916, disembarking on 15 June at Marseille, France. On 25 July from 14th Field artillery brigade (F.A.B.) posted to 53rd battery, in the field. Shortly after, as mentioned already, Joseph joined his brother Eric with this unit. (*service records says B.A.C., but B? or Field Artillery Company)

As mentioned, from late 1916 and the following months in 1917, the brothers were almost constantly in action as their battery fired in support of the allied operations during the third Ypres campaign, including the successful operations to capture Menin Road and Polygon Wood. On 4 October, the Burgess brothers were at their gun firing in support of the Australian infantry attacking Broodseinde Ridge. During the day, their battery came under fire from German artillery, and a shell landed in the brothers’ gun pit, detonating the ready ammunition and killing Eric, Joseph, and their crewmates instantly.
(This was situated , in the line of the advance, between the Grote Molenstraat (L), the Lotegatstraat (up &R) and the A19 Highway (under), where a side arm of the Nonnebossenstraat runs along the A19 – sector of the 1st Australian Division - see map) He and his brother are buried at The Huts Cemetery, Belgium. (photos in this post of a 2019 commemoration we did for the Burgess brothers)

Two Cousins of Edgar and Joseph were also killed in action: : Ebenezer BURGESS (#1887) 21st Bn, killed in action, Pozieres, France, 1916 (see:) https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=39142) ; Corporal Charles Brook BURGESS (#1047) 30th Bn, killed in action, 7 April 1918 (see: https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=39119);
Another cousin of C. B. Burgess was also killed: Pte Wilson TURTON (#5424), 22nd Bn, who was killed in action, 15 June 1918. (see: https://www.aif.adfa.edu.au/showPerson?pid=306750) and Pte. Wilson’s brother in law was killed as well.

(part of info Australian War Memorial).
One of many families who paid a great cost and had to bear great sorrow. Lest We Forget.