45130 7^th Suffolk Regiment & 11th Suffolk Regiment

In 1901 George Abner Burgess was living at 92 Park Road with his father George, a road foreman for Rushden Urban District Council, aged 40, and his mother Miriam E aged 36. He had 3 older sisters, Nelly M, Miriam B, and Estella M, and a brother William D aged 1. His paternal grandmother Elizabeth aged 75 was also living with the family.

Just two years later his father died, and was buried in Rushden cemetery on 24^th October 1903, Grave C637.

When he turned 18, George was called up. He went to Kettering to enlist. His attestation gave his address as 21 Co-op Row, Rushden, and he was working as a shoehand. It was signed on 10^th December 1915, and his next of kin was his mother Elizabeth.

He was examined at Rushden by Dr Greenfield : 5’2½”, weight 106 lbs with 33” chest, expansion of 3”, of good physical development, vision good, no defects, teeth good, chest clear, and he was graded as A1.

His training in England began 16 Jan 1917 to 28 Mar 17. After a home visit he returned to Folkestone, and sailed 29 March 1917 for Boulogne, France.

On 23 Sept 1917 he reported to sickbay, as 45130 Pte Burgess G, of the 7^th Suffolk Regt 15 Coy. He was admitted to hospital 25^th Sept 1917 until 20^th Oct 1917 (26 days) with Trench Fever and had been returned from Expeditionary Force or Garrison Abroad, to a hospital in Shewsbury 20 Oct 1917 until 24^th Nov 1917 (35 days).

He arrived at 24^th Nov 1917 at Bury St Edmunds with the document (below) which granted furlough from 24 Nov 1917 to 3 Dec 1917 to be spent at 21 Co-op Row.

His furlough document enclosed in his diary

George returned to France 19 Mar 1918 with 11^th Suffolk Regt. He was transferred back to England for demob 23 Jan 1919. He had been 72 days in training, and served 179 in France, 175 back home (trench fever), and returned to France to serve for another 341 days.

George Abner Burgess was released 25 Jan 1919, with an advance of £2, to report to Thetford in case of emergency.

George married Hilda Robinson in 1923.

Hilda Robinson was daughter of Charles H Robinson, a boot laster from Bozeat, and Jane, and had an 8 year old sister, Ada. In 1901 they lived at 23 Glassbrook Road.

His mother Miriam E died aged 68 on 13^th March 1934, and was buried alongside her husband.

George A died in 1986 aged 89, and his ashes were interred in the cemetery on 19^th August, in plot C280. His wife Hilda’s ashes were also interred there on 14^th February 1996.

The above information was all found in his WWI records - kindly downloaded for Hearts & Soles, and further research was carried out. Much of it done using this website. It was all triggered by the anonymous donation of a note book! The note book contained his war diary, all carefully written, suggesting he had re-written it from personal diaries which he had kept. This was against regulations!