004 – Clarence Evandale Burr

Private Clarence Evendale Burr Died of wounds 10 October 1917

One of the worst jobs that ministers of religion had during the First World War was to inform families when one of their loved ones had died. The Reverend G. Rowe of Devonport had the sad duty to have to tell Wesley and Martha Burr that their son Clarence had died of his wounds.

Clarence enlisted in mid-February 1916 and on being accepted was allotted to ‘A’ Company, 40^th Battalion. This was not his first attempt at enlisting. In October 1914 he enlisted and on being accepted was transferred to Z Company until 1 January 1915. It must be assumed that at this point he was discharged. I September 1916 he was transferred to the 51^st Battalion and then in December to the 12^th Battalion. The battalion was in action on Broodseinde Ridge in early October 1917 when Private Clarence Burr was wounded sustaining a fractured right femur. He was conveyed to the 3^rd Canadian Casualty Station where he died of his wounds on 10 October 1917. The following day he was given a Christian burial at Lijssenthoek Military Cemetery near Poperinge, Belgium. His belongings were later returned to his family at Wesley Cottage, Fenton Street, Devonport.