Dates:
War Service:
Private L/10077 ALBERT EDWARD BURSTOW of ‘A’ Company, 1st battalion Queen's Own (Royal West Kent Regiment) was killed in action on 23 August 1914, aged 20. He joined the army in January 1913.
The battalion landed at Le Havre on 15 August and 23rd August saw them in action for the first time at Mons.
About 5.30am ‘A’ company had been deployed on the far side of the Mons-Condé canal near the village of Tertre, well forward of the main BEF position. At about 8am they came under attack from two battalions of German infantry and during the course of the morning were forced back towards the canal inflicting heavy casualties as they went. However ‘A’ company also sustained considerable losses, with nearly half the company killed or missing. The Official History of the Great War says the company..” had made a magnificent fight and inflicted far heavier losses than it received.”
Private Burstow is buried in Hautrage Military Cemetery, near Mons.
Location of Memorial:
He is remembered on the war memorial at the church of St Luke, Deptford and on the memorial at the village of Tertre in Belgium to the 20 soldiers of the Royal West Kent regiment who fell there, the scene of the first engagement with the enemy.
Details:
He was the son of Mr. and Mrs. E. R. Burstow, of 3, Hanlon St., Grove St., Deptford. Before enlisting he had worked as a rivet carrier.
Source:
The Queens Own Royal West Kent Regiment - 1914 to 1919 by C T Atkinson
Contributed By: Andy Pepper
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