235423 Cpl. Bertie Barnard British Army 1st Btn. Essex Regiment (d.14th Apr 1917) Corporal Bertie Barnard, of the 1st Battalion Essex Regiment was aged 32 when he died. I am his grandson looking for his memorial in the UK.
Editor's note: Your grandfather is commemorated on the Attleborough War Memorial. He is commemorated on the Arras Memorial. Additional Information: | In the records he is listed as Acting Corporal and was part of a contingent of soldiers transferred from the 1st Norfolk Regiment to 1st Essex in late 1916, to bolster 1st Essex after the losses on the Somme.
In the list of those transferred to 1st Essex he is right next to my great great uncle Cpl Alfred Earnest William Ali, who took the number 41650 Essex (formerly 2179, 29375 Norfolk). Alfred grew up in Heigham, Norwich.
Both Bertie and Alfred were killed on the same day, 14th April 1917, as 1st Essex and 1st Newfoundland tried to dislodge the Bavarians from Infantry Hill, a small ridge to the east of Monchy Le Preux, a village east of Arras. I have visited the battleground 3 times now, including the 100th anniversary of the battle. Rob Brown
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