South Warwickshire Family History Society War Memorial Transcription Project

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The Fallen Men of South Warwickshire - World War One


Captain Thomas Campbell BURKE - 1st/1st King's Own Gurkha Rifles

Killed in action on Saturday 19th December 1914 aged 37

tc burke 

Military History
     
Theatre of War Medals Commonwealth War Grave or Memorial
France & Flanders 1914-15 Star, British War & Victory Medals Neuve-Chapelle Memorial
     
Arrived in Theatre Medal Citation (if app) SWFHS Area Memorials
30 November 1914 in Marsailles, France ~ Stratford on Avon WW1 Memorial
    Stratford Holy Trinity Church 
Action, Battle or Other Reason Died Date and Place Commissioned Stratford Cemetery Memorial 
Winter Operations 1914-15 4 Aug 1897 at Sandhurst  
     
Place of Death Previous Regiments or Units Other War Memorials
Festubert  Royal Irish Rifles  
     

Service History

  • Gentleman Cadet at Sandhurst Military College
  • 04 Aug 1897 - Commissioned as 2nd Lieutenant into Royal Irish Rifles
  • Joined the 125th Napier's Rifles in India
  • 4 Nov 1899 - Promoted to Lieutenant
  • 1900 - Served in the Boxer Rebillion with 122nd Rajputana Infantry
  • 1904 to 1907 - Assistant Inspecting Officer with the Imperial Services Troops in India
  • 4 Oct 1906 - Promoted to Captain
  • Apr 1909 to Mar 1913 - Adjutant of the Bangalore Volunteer Rifles
  • 1913 - Joined the 1st King George's Own Gurkha Rifles at Dharmsala

Circumstances of Death

Capt Burke is listed as being killed in action on 19th December 1914. The 1st/1st war diary for that day is transcribed below and deals with how Capt. Burke was killed.

Festubert - Night 18th/19th Dec 1914: "Capt. Burke and 2 Platoons No IV Coy ordered to rush portion of German fire trench. [The] attack should have taken place at 5.30am, but owing to bad state of trenches [waste deep in water] Burke and party were not ready. At 10am owing to a mistake on Burke’s part, his party under Capt. Burke and Lt Rundall delivered an attack over the parapet. Capt. Burke and Lt Rundell were killed and 24 men killed or wounded, only a remnant getting back to the trench".

Numerous sources say that the raid was conducted in waste deep water that left the men struggling to move efficiently. The following is taken from De Ruvigny's Roll of Honour:
"Thomas was killed in action at Festubert in France on 19 Dec 1914. He was ordered to lead a party against a German advanced trench, but the men were waist deep in mud, and he was only able to get 24 ready to start, and with these and his subaltern, Lieutenant Rundall (who was ordered not to go, but would not let his Captain go alone), left the trench in broad daylight. All but 5 men were killed. His body was never recovered".
 Personal & Family History

 

Birth Date/Place Baptism Date/Place
27 May 1877 in Stratford on Avon 25 Jul 1877 at Holy Trinity, Stratford on Avon
   
Parents Names Abode
Joseph Francis (deceased) and Catherine Marlow Burke 1 Mayfield Avenue, Stratford on Avon
   
Wife
Marriage Details
Ada Mary Jane Burke nee Langshaw 27 Oct 1906 in Agra, Bengal, India
   
Schools Colleges
Trinity College, Stratford  Sandhurst Military College
   
Address History Employment History
1877 - Stratford on Avon 1882 - School age
1881 - 20 Church Street, Stratford on Avon  1891
1891 - 34 Bridge Street, Stratford on Avon  1901 - Lieutenant with 122nd Rajputana Infantry
1897 - Sandhurst Military College 1911 - Captain in Bangalore Volunteer Rifles          
1901 - India 1914 - Captain with 1st/1st Gurkha Rifles
1906 - Agra, Bengal, India  
1911 - Army Barracks, India  
1914 - India  
   
  • Trinity College closed in 1908 and before doing so it became an "Army Cramming School" intended to get students into Sandhurst.

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