Harry Burtenshaw - London 1/25th Regt

Harry Burtenshaw was born in Streatham, Wandsworth, County of Surrey on 29th March 1879, one of 10 siblings. He was the son of David Burtenshaw, born in 1857 in Dorking, Surrey and Elizabeth Esther Robins, born in 1854 in Cape Town, South Africa. As the daughter of a Sergeant Major in the 74th Highlanders, she would have understood well the military life.

His followed his father's profession of bricklayer. On 1 October 1899 he married Rose Elizabeth Turpin at St Marks Church, Bow. They had four children, Henry Augustus, born in November 1900, Daisy Winifred, born in 1903, May Gertrude, born in 1905, and Maud Madeleine, born in 1911, who died of whooping cough aged 18 months.

In May 1911 he left for Valparaiso, Chile. His date of return is unknown, but he then joined the London Regiment (Cyclists) 1/25th Battalion as Private 740940 and was killed in service at Ispana Raghza on the North West Frontier on 21 July 1917.

Medal card

[Courtesy of The National Archives]

No. 5 Platoon lost a willing worker and big hearted comrade when Private H. E. Burtenshaw was killed at Ispana, Rhagza, on the same day as Capt. Paget was wounded. Burtenshaw, who came to the 2nd Battalion with a draft from the 3rd in August 1915, soon became very popular in the old " H " Coy. and made a lot of friends in the 1st when the big transfer took place at Chiseldon. He leaves a widow and three children, and we feel sure that the sympathy of the whole Battalion goes out to them in their sad loss which is ours as well.
[The Londoner - Vol.2, No. 2 page 36.]

Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-19

Burtenshaw, Henry Edward, resident Poplar, enlisted Fulham, 740940, Cyc., killed in action India, 21 Jun 1917.

['Soldiers Died in the Great War 1914-19', Vol. 10, Part 76, Page 206, 25th (County of London) Battalion (Cyclists), pub. 1921 by His Majesty's Stationary Office]

In Memory of
Private HENRY E. BURTENSHAW

740940, 25th Bn., London Regiment (Cyclists)
who died
on 21 June 1917

Remembered with honour
Delhi Memorial (India Gate) Face 23.

Of the Commonwealth servicemen commemorated by name on the memorial, just over 1,000 lie in cemeteries to the west of the River Indus, where maintenance was not possible. The remainder died in fighting on or beyond the North West Frontier and during the Third Afghan War, and have no known grave.

[Courtesy of Commonwealth War Graves Commission]

Delhi Memorial (India Gate) - [courtesy of the CWGC.]

The Delhi Memorial (India Gate) stands at the eastern end of the Rajpath, or Kingsway.


Plaque in Church in Jullundur		Jullundur Church

The above biography and the Jullundur photos were provided by Valerie Cliff, his great granddaughter. Valerie can be contacted :-