Birkwood George Willie Boon

A Private with 3rd Battalion, Birkwood died on 21st of March 1918 at the age of 20. 

Birkwood was born at Corton on 16 December 1897, a son of George William and Alice Margaret Boon. He was baptised at Saint Bartholomew’s Church, Corton, on 6 February 1898. In 1901 his family lived at Church Lane, Corton, and by 1911 they were living at Sandpit Cottage, Corton.

Birkwood enlisted in the Army at Lowestoft. He joined the Rifle Brigade, service number S/29495 and was posted to the 3rd Battalion in France, joining VII Platoon in B Company. 

On 12 March 1918 the 3rd Battalion moved to the Vadencourt Sector. Orders were received on 20 March that they should prepare for an enemy attack the next day. At 4.40 a.m. on 21 March the enemy bombardment began along the British front line and Vadencourt was heavily shelled. The men wore gas masks for several hours. All telephone lines were destroyed in the bombardment and communication between the battalion headquarters and the front line positions was lost and could not be re-established. A thick white mist hampered visibility, and, at headquarters, all documents were destroyed as it appeared that the headquarters would be captured. The enemy took Dragoon Post and all of the front line except Cookers Quarry which was held by C Company who made a splendid fight and held on until almost surrounded. The battalion, fighting against great odds, fell back gradually to Small Foot Wood where they remained for the night.

The battalion’s casualties from 21 March to 5 April 1918 were:
Officers: seven killed; four missing; one wounded and missing; eleven wounded
Other ranks: 34 killed, 116 missing; 14 wounded and missing; 246 wounded   

Birkwood was reported missing on 21 March. Red Cross records show that by 10 April he had died was buried on that date, by German infantry, somewhere between Caulaincourt and Pontru. It took many months for this information to be made known to the British authorities and official confirmation of his death was not published until January 1919.