Sgt Burnard Turner Hirtzel 2 King Edward Horse

[Will O'Brien]

As per CWGC

Name: HIRTZEL, BURNARD TURNER

Initials: B T

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Serjeant

Regiment: 2nd King Edward's Horse

Age: 35

Date of Death: 29/07/1915

Service No: 462

Additional information: Son of the late George and Ellen Mary Hirtzel, of Exmouth. Served in the South African Campaign.

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 1.

Cemetery: PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL

[Will O'Brien]

& the memorial info

Cemetery: PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL

Country: Belgium

Locality: Comines-Warneton, Hainaut

Location Information: The Ploegsteert Memorial stands in Berks Cemetery Extension, which is located 12.5 kilometres south of Ieper town centre, on the N365 leading from Ieper to Mesen (Messines), Ploegsteert and on to Armentieres. From Ieper town centre the Rijselsestraat runs from the market square, through the Lille Gate (Rijselpoort) and directly over the crossroads with the Ieper ring road. The road name then changes to the Rijselseweg (N336). 3.5 kilometres along the N336 lies a fork junction with the N365. The N365, which forms the right hand fork, leads to the town of Mesen. The Cemetery lies 3 kilometres beyond Mesen on the right hand side of the N365, and opposite Hyde Park Corner Royal Berks Cemetery. The sounding of the Last Post takes place at the Ploegsteert Memorial on the first Friday of every month at 7 p.m.

Historical Information: The PLOEGSTEERT MEMORIAL commemorates more than 11,000 servicemen of the United Kingdom and South African forces who died in this sector during the First World War and have no known grave. The memorial serves the area from the line Caestre-Dranoutre-Warneton to the north, to Haverskerque-Estaires-Fournes to the south, including the towns of Hazebrouck, Merville, Bailleul and Armentieres, the Forest of Nieppe, and Ploegsteert Wood. The original intention had been to erect the memorial in Lille. Those commemorated by the memorial did not die in major offensives, such as those which took place around Ypres to the north, or Loos to the south. Most were killed in the course of the day-to-day trench warfare which characterised this part of the line, or in small scale set engagements, usually carried out in support of the major attacks taking place elsewhere. BERKS CEMETERY EXTENSION, in which the memorial stands, was begun in June 1916 and used continuously until September 1917. At the Armistice, the extension comprised Plot I only, but Plots II and III were added in 1930 when graves were brought in from Rosenberg Chateau Military Cemetery and Extension, about 1 kilometre to the north-west, when it was established that these sites could not be acquired in perpetuity. Rosenberg Chateau Military Cemetery was used by fighting units from November 1914 to August 1916. The extension was begun in May 1916 and used until March 1918. Together, the Rosenberg Chateau cemetery and extension were sometimes referred to as 'Red Lodge'. Berks Cemetery Extension now contains 876 First World War burials. HYDE PARK CORNER (ROYAL BERKS) CEMETERY is separated from Berks Cemetery Extension by a road. It was begun in April 1915 by the 1st/4th Royal Berkshire Regiment and was used at intervals until November 1917. Hyde Park Corner was a road junction to the north of Ploegsteert Wood. Hill 63 was to the north-west and nearby were the 'Catacombs', deep shelters capable of holding two battalions, which were used from November 1916 onwards. The cemetery contains 83 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and four German war graves The cemetery, cemetery extension and memorial were designed by H Chalton Bradshaw, with sculpture by Gilbert Ledward.

No. of Identified Casualties: 11367

[Will O'Brien]

Burnard's online MIC index entry can be seen here

[Will O'Brien]

Couldn't find Burnard on the 1901 census............but as his CWGC info states he served in South African Campaign it's not surprising.........Did find his parents George & Ellen though.........both still alive in 1901 & living in Dawlish. George was aged 68 & Ellen 69. George was a retired Solicitors clerk.

[Will O'Brien]

Thought Burnard's parents were a bit old being in their late forties when he was born..............Also got a bit suspcious when I also saw where was a sister living at home also called Ellen & aged 38 in 1901.............this would have made her 18 when Burnard was born............a secret child with Ellen senior & George really being Grandparents..............checked FreeBMD to try to verify when Burnard was born.................my secret love child theory is now leaking like a sieve............FreeBMD has Burnard born in the December quarter of 1871............making him exactly 10 years older than his age stated by the CWGC...............this fits better with the demographics of the rest of the family & perhaps points to a typo by the CWGC..................Have emailed them to check

[Will O'Brien]

FreeBMD has Burnard born in the December quarter of 1871............making him exactly 10 years older than his age stated by the CWGC...............this fits better with the demographics of the rest of the family & perhaps points to a typo by the CWGC..................Have emailed them to check

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The CWGC has just got back in touch re this issue.......................they have advised that their records are based on information provided to the Commission after the war by the relevant Service Authorities.................as such no typo & the position of the CWGC is that the age is correct just so long as the info they were provided was correct................the only way to verify this beyond doubt would be to see if Burnards service records still exist & check what they state