BURGHALL E

BURGHALL, Edgar

Regiment: 1st/5th Bn. South Lancashire Regiment

Rank: Rifleman

Number: 265036

Died: 20 September 1918

Aged: 23

Buried/ Memorial: Loos Memorial, France

Address: 8 Sumpter Pathway, Hoole

Chester Chronicle 19 October 1918

PTE. E. BURGHALL

“Pte. E. Burghall, South Lancs. Reg., whose home is at 8, Sumpter Pathway, Hoole, was killed in action on September 20th.”

Summary of Army Service Records

Edgar’s military service seems somewhat complicated and not all records have survived. Indeed, there seemed to be some confusion at the time as there is correspondence between the Infantry Record Office and his wife, Eva, during 1919-20.

However, it seems that he saw service first with 5 Bn Cheshire Regiment enlisting on 10 September 1914 and arriving in France on 14 February 2015.

He was discharged and then re-enlisted with the 10 (Scottish) Bn King’s (Liverpool) Regiment on 25 November 1915. He was posted to a Provisional Battalion and promoted to Lance Corporal but reverted to rank of Private on 29 May 1916 at his own request.

He was eventually posted to the 14 Bn South Lancashire Regiment and arrived in France again, this time on 2 November 1917.

He quickly moved from 8 Bn South Lancs to the 2/5 South Lancs on 7 November 1917. Finally, he moved to 1/5 Bn South Lancs on 1 February 1918.

On 9 April 1918 he was wounded in the neck necessitating a month at various bases in France before re-joining 1/5 South Lancs on 10 May 1918 until 20 September 1918.

The 1911 Census shows Edgar as a 15-year-old bookseller’s assistant living with his family, father Edgar, mother Eliza, brothers Henry and Robert and sister Gertrude along with three boarders at 22 Charles Street.

The Commonwealth War Graves Records show his parents at 1 Derby Place Hoole and his wife Eva in Great Yarmouth in the 1920’s.