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224141
Capt. William Henry Langdon Burgess MID.
British Army 3rd Btn. Cameronions Scottish Rifles
from:Shincliffe, Durham
(d.20th Jul 1916)
Capt William Henry Langdon Burgess was the only son of school teacher Henry Langdon Burgess and Anna Maria Burgess (Nee Alderson). He was born in Shincliffe, County Durham and attended Durham University. He was killed in action on July 20th 1916 at the Somme. Bombardment commenced at 02.55 on a cloudy overcast morning as his battalion 1st Cameronians attacked Wood Lane, south east of High Wood, where a German trench was located.
They crept as close as they could as the artillery bombardment raged, with little success. German machine guns placed within the woods caused many casualties and losses, fighting continued and by dawn the British held half of High Wood, it is recorded that 'every officer who took part in the attack was a casualty'.
William Burgess died aged 29 and is commemorated on a special memorial in Caterpillar Valley Cemetery, Longueval, France.