Edgar William Burn was killed in action on this day in 1916

Edgar William Burn was born on 3 June 1894 in Eglingham, Northumberland, the son of Roger (a tailor) and Georgina Burn née Pattison. He had two younger brothers, Herbert Thomas and John Pattison.

In 1901, they lived with a relative, Catherine Burn, at the Tankerville Arms Hotel in Alnwick.

By 1911, the family had moved to Centre Terrace, Alnwick. Aged 16, Edgar was a watchmaker and apprentice dealer with T.M. Wilcox of Market Place, Alnwick. His brother, Herbert, was a draper's assistant.

By the time war was declared in 1914, they were living on Dodds Lane.

Edgar enlisted in Newcastle on Tyne. He joined the Northumberland Fusiliers, and was trained at Rothbury and other places. He was later transferred to the Machine Gun Corps (formed in October 1915) and trained in Grantham. 

The 59th Brigade Machine Gun Company left Grantham on 23 February 1916. It disembarked at Le Havre on 25 February 1916 and joined the 20th (Light) Division on 3 March 1916. 

It took part in the Battle of Mount Sorrel (2 to 13 June), the Battle of Delville Wood (21 August to 3 September) and the Battle of Guillemont (3 to 5 September).   

Edgar was killed on 4 September 1916. He was 22.

Second Lieutenant Cornish wrote to Edgar's mother after his death saying:

'It is my sad and painful duty to inform you that your son Private Burn, of the Machine Gun Corps, late Northumberland Fusiliers, was killed in action on 3 September. I am sorry I have been so long in writing to you, but his section officer was killed the same day, so we were unable to trace the address of any of his relatives. We all very keenly feel his loss, and especially myself, because he and I both came from the Northumberlands. All join in offering our deepest sympathy to you in your great loss.'

Edgar Burn's body was never found. He is commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial.

Edgar's brother Herbert enlisted in Bradford in April 1915 but was discharged 8 days later 'having been irregularly enlisted'. Later that year, in November he enlisted in the Royal Flying Corps and was discharged again 6 days later.

8551 Private Edgar Burn, 59th Company, Machine Gun Corps