Record Number: 31899

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'A dead man, just reported to me lying close by. Went out and found (from his identity disc) he was No. 8863, B West, Suffolk Regiment. Lying with his overcoat tied over his face alongside a ruined farm. Died possibly from wounds. Horrid job, lifting his head to get at his identity disc. I buried him at dusk, and said the Lord's Prayer over him. Couldn't read any prayers as we couldn't have any light, and as it was three bullets came so close to us, might have been aimed at us.'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

16 Dec 1914

Country:

Belgium

Time

evening

Place:

city: Loker

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Gerald Achilles Burgoyne

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Male

Date of Birth:

2 Feb 1874

Socio-Economic Group:

Professional / academic / merchant / farmer

Occupation:

Major, 4th Battalion, Royal Irish Rifles

Religion:

n/a

Country of Origin:

Ireland

Country of Experience:

Belgium

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Title:

[soldier's identity disc]

Genre:

Ephemera

Form of Text:

Manuscript: Stamped identity disc

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

read in situ

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Source Information:

Record ID:

31899

Source:

Print

Author:

n/a

Editor:

Claudia Davison

Title:

The Burgoyne Diaries

Place of Publication:

London

Date of Publication:

1985

Vol:

n/a

Page:

14

Additional Comments:

n/a

Citation:

Claudia Davison (ed.), The Burgoyne Diaries, (London, 1985), p. 14, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=31899, accessed: 28 September 2024

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Additional Comments:

None