Sidney Quantrill Burgess

A Private with 1st Battalion, Sidney died on 22nd of July 1916 at the age of 24. 

Sidney was born at Lowestoft on 21 September 1894, a son of John and Susannah Burgess. He was baptised at Saint Margaret’s Church, Lowestoft, on 23 October 1891 and his family lived at Gordon House, Princess Road. Sidney was a pupil at Clapham Road School and, on 1 February 1898, became a pupil at Saint Margaret’s School. In 1911 their address was 11 Princes Road, and Sidney worked as a bottle washer at a ‘licensed premises’. 

Sidney enlisted in the Army at Bury St. Edmunds. He joined the Bedfordshire Regiment, service number 26399, and, in 1916, went to France to join the 1st Battalion. 

On 19 July 1916 the 1st Battalion moved into positions east of Mametz and remained there until 23 July. The battalion war diary gives no indication as to the circumstances of Sidney’s death, but official records state that he was killed in action.