ENGLISH, Bertie George

War
1st World War
Date of Birth
Date Attested
Attested at
Lucknow, Ontario
Original Unit
18th Battalion - Western Ontario
Regimental Number
651604
Rank
Private
Date of Death
Age at Death
28 years 6 months
Cemetery
Terlincthun British Cemetery - Pas de Calais - France
Cenotaph
Lucknow Cenotaph
Biographical Summary

DIVISIONAL UNIT:        2nd Canadian Infantry Division
                                             4th Infantry Brigade
                                             18th Battalion  -  Western Ontario
                                             Canadian Infantry Corps
SERVICE NO:                   651604
RESIDENCE:                    Kinloss – Ontario 
DATE OF BIRTH:            March 19, 1890
                                             County of Norfolk - England
DATE OF DEATH:           October 1, 1918                   28 years     6 months
CEMETERY:                     Terlincthun British Cemetery – Wimille –
                                             Pas de Calais - France
                                             V C 12
PARENT:                           Margaret English – Saxlingham – Norwich – England
SISTER:                              Mrs. Fanny Dade – Saxlingham – Norwich - England
Occupation:                        Farm Hand                           Religion:     Church of England
Enlistment:                         Lucknow – February 2, 1916 into 160th Bruce Battalion
Enlistment Age:                 25 years     11 months

Private English arrived in Liverpool October 28, 1916 and then transferred to the 4th Reserve Battalion at Witley Camp - Surrey in Surrey on February 23, 1918.  He then was posted to the 18th Battalion and proceeded into France and joined his unit in the field on April 12, 1918.
On August 28th the Division was located south of the Arras-Cambrai road and their objective was the Fresnes-Rouvroy line but as they advanced they met heavy enemy wire, could not advance and were effectively blocked. Very heavy enemy fire was coming from Upton Wood and Ocean Works and the advancing infantry had hardly been able to advance and they suffered very heavy casualties.
Private English was wounded in the field on August 28th and following treatment in the field he was admitted to No. 14 General Hospital based at Wimereux in France on August 30, 1918 with gunshot wounds to his chest and left leg. His wounds proved too serious and he died on October 1, 1918.  He died at 1 pm on that afternoon.
The Battalion on the morning of August 28th was located along the line at the Sensee River and zero hour for the operations of the day were set for 12:30 pm. The 18th Battalion was to be in support of the 20th Battalion and heavy casualties were taken as they advanced to the slopes of the Sensee River from enemy machine gun nests. The enemy barb-wire here was very heavy and formidable.
Under extreme fire the Battalion temporarily fell back and they took up a position in a line in the sunken road which fronted the heavy enemy wire east of the Sensee River. Relief came in the form of 50 men following the advance. Casualties numbered 10 men killed and 70 men wounded. One of the wounded men was Private English.