Private Roy Burke

Private, 26th Battalion, Infantry (Army).

Private Roy Burke, 26th Battalion (New Brunswick), was killed near Mt Sorrell in Belgium on 16 June 1916 . Roy was born on 26 January 1892 somewhere in the sate of Iowa, USA. He enlisted in the CEF on 31 August 1915 at Sussex (55th Bn) at which time he declared his trade as that of a “lumberman”; his next of kin as being his wife Ethel Burke of Upper Blackville; and his religon as that of a Baptist.

The Batalion History notes that the bn was in the line near Hill 60 and had been seriuosly shelled on 15 June. The morning of 16 June was cal, but all hell broke out in the after noon. At 1650 very heavy shell started and was counter by Cdn artillery...the 26th was in a cauldron. SOS flares were sent up as the 26th expected to be over run....at 2330 the sheling ceased and resumed at 0325 (17 June)....the history notes "The 26th Bn had never seem such an alvalanche of of shells"....Roy was killed during the shelling as were 30 other soldiers of the 26th.