Rifleman. 9th Battalion, Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) Regimental No. 3524703.
Early life:
Frederick was born on the 12th of April 1923 at Keighley and his birth was registered here in the second quarter of the year.
His parents were Fredrick William Burgess and Sarah Ann Burgess née Coulton. They had been married in Keighley in 1922 when Frederick was living at 19, Byrl Street and Sarah was living at 307, South Street. Frederick was their eldest child. More children came along in the next few years, beginning with Edith who was born in the second quarter of 1924. Nellie was born in the second quarter of 1929 and Eva was born on the 19th of February 1933.
According to the electoral rolls, Frederick and Sarah had been living at 307, South Street (Sarah’s parental home before marriage) until 1938 when they moved to 15, Broomhill Grove.
In the 1939 register the family were all living at 15, Broomhill Grove in Keighley. Their father Frederick was aged 39 and a wool machinist (textiles); Sarah was 37, on ‘domestic duties’ and unpaid. Frederick was aged sixteen and an apprentice cloth designer working for Robert Clough (Keighley) Ltd in their designing department.
Two names are redacted from this record but the last entry for this household is Eva M. Burgess (later, Miller) and she would have been aged six at this time.
The two redacted names must be Edith and Nellie who would have been fifteen and ten respectively.
Another daughter, Ann was born in the third quarter of 1941 and her birth was registered at Keighley.
War service:
Frederick would have been aged about 19 when he enlisted. He was serving with the 9th Battalion, Cameronians Scottish Rifles) when he was killed in action on the 29th of June 1944 in Normandy.
With regard to the war situation at the time, this was about three weeks after D-Day. His death was reported in the Keighley News and he died at or near Grainville-sur-Odon which is about 20 miles due South of Arromanches, where they had landed a week earlier.
After the war his grave along with several others, was moved about three miles to the North of Grainville-sur-Odon, to St. Manvieu British (War) Cemetery. This cemetery is located about seven miles to the West of Caen.
The 9th Battalion of The Cameronians (Scottish Rifles) was raised in 1939. They carried out their training in the UK, becoming part of the UK defensive force.
In this they were serving in the North East Essex and Suffolk areas along with the 10th battalion. On the 28th of December 1942, they joined the 46th (Highland) Infantry Brigade and began training and preparations for D-Day.
War diary summary:
Normandy Landings.
The 9th Battalion set sail for Normandy in France on 17 June 1944, but due to their motor transport being delayed due to a heavy storm which lasted for several days, they did not disembark until 23 June. They finally landed at the British Mulberries at Arromanches. Their first objective was the village of Haut Du Bosq, which was captured on the 26th of June and they were relieved by the Duke of Cornwall’s Light Infantry. The 9th Battalion’s next objective was the town of Grainville-sur-Odon and it was during this battle that Frederick was killed in action.
The Keighley News 22nd July 1944:
LOCAL ROLL OF HONOUR. ACTIVE SERVICE CASUALTIES.
Official information has been received by Mr. F. W. Burgess, of 15, Broomhill Grove, Keighley, that his son, Rifleman Fred Burgess, of the Cameronians, has been killed in Normandy. Mr. Burgess has had a letter from an officer in his son’s battalion in which he says:
“Continually in the midst of fire, he did his duty unflinchingly, and much more than his duty, too: he was at all times an inspiration to the other men by his cheerfulness and disregard of personal danger. Last Friday we were defending a small village from an enemy counter attack when your son was killed. His death was instantaneous, and he can have suffered no pain. He and the other members of the platoon were largely responsible that the enemy attack failed. His body has been buried in the village where he fell.”
“I have been asked by the padre to tell you something of his conduct on the previous evening. At that time the enemy were holding this same village, and at great risk he volunteered to help the padre recover some of our wounded under cover of darkness. In this way he was directly responsible for saving the lives of ten of his comrades, who would otherwise have died or been taken prisoner. This noble work won him the admiration of all his friends. He gave his life willingly for a fine cause and, God willing, we will ensure that it was not given in vain.”
Rifleman Burgess enlisted in February, 1942, and before that was employed by Robert Clough (Keighley), Ltd., in the designing department. He was 21, and was educated at the Art School.
Remembrance and Post war:
Frederick is remembered at his grave in France. His family supplied the inscription for his headstone which reads: HE PAID A SOLDIER’S DEBT AND LIKE A MAN HE DIED. “WHY, THEN, GOD’S SOLDIER BE HE!”
Locally, Frederick is named on the Second World War panel of the Ingrow War Memorial, and on Keighley’s Second World War panel which is mounted on the wall of the foyer area in Keighley Library.
His father, Frederick William Burgess died aged 67 in 1967 and his death was registered in the Worth Valley in the last quarter of the year. His mother Sarah Ann died aged 76 in the third quarter of 1978, registered at Keighley.
Information sources:
West Yorkshire, England, Church of England Marriages and Banns, 1813-1935.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Marriage Index, 1916-2005.
1921 Census of England and Wales.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007.
1939 Register of England and Wales.
Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
15th Scottish Division War Diaries website.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Birth Index, 1916-2007.
England & Wales, Civil Registration Death Index, 1916-2007.
