Eric Lawrence Arthur Hart BURGES

2nd LIEUTENANT ERIC LAURENCE ARTHUR HART BURGES, 3rd (attd. 2nd) BATTN. THE DUKE OF EDINBURGH'S (WILTSHIRE REGT.) was the younger son of the late Rev. J Hart Burges D.D., Rector of Devizes, and of Mrs. Burges, 81. Humber Road, Blackheath, and grandson of the Rev. W. C. Burges M.A., first cousin and Domestic Chaplain to the Earl of Rosse.

He was born at Devizes and educated at St. Edmund's School, Canterbury, and at St. John's College, Oxford, where he graduated B.A. in 1913, with Third Class Honours in Modern History. In August, 1914, he had just completed his studies at the University, taking with distinction the Diploma in Economics and Political Science, and the Certificate in Social Training. He was also a keen member of the Oxford University Officers' Training Corps, holding the rank of Corporal and having qualified for Certificate "B". When war was declared he at once applied for a commission, and was gazetted to the 3^rd Wilts. Later he was transferred to the 2nd Battalion, and sailed for Belgium on the 4th October. His battalion was attached to the "Immortal" VIIth Division, and took part in its magnificent stand near Ypres against overwhelming numbers. He was killed by shell fire near the village of Reutel on the morning of the 23rd October, 1914 — his 23rd birthday — the day before the 1st Army Corps came to their relief.

The above is copied from an entry on p59 of "The bond of sacrifice; a biographical record of all British officers who fell in the Great War"