Patrick Burns

Killed in Action on the 16/08/1917 at the Battle of Langemarck (part of the Third Battles of Ypres 1917)

The Battalion arrived in France in February 1915 and were part of the 49th Brigade, 16th (Irish) Division. Patrick arrived on the 25/05/1915. He died on the opening day of the Battle of Langemarck (16 - 18 August 1917). This was a phase of the Battles of Ypres (Third Ypres) 31st July - 10th of November 1917 : The British finally got what they had wanted since 1914 : the opportunity to attack at Ypres and breakout of the confines of the salient of trenches around it. Often known as the Third Battle of Ypres or Passchendaele, the offensive began with encouraging gains but terrible summer weather soon bogged it down. By August the offensive was clearly failing in its objectives and had descended into attritional fighting. New techniques by both sides led to agonisingly slow forward movement for the British, at enormous cost in casualties to both sides. Bad weather in October led to the battlefield becoming an impossible quagmire. Patrick returned home to Londonderry to enlist in 1915 and fought in the Dardanelles and Egypt in his 28 months active service before falling in Belgium on the opening day of the Battle of Langemarck, 16th - 18th August 1917. SEE PHOTOS x 8 FOR THE BATTALION WAR DIARY AUGUST 1917. The War Diary states : Strength of the Battalion at beginning of month - 29 Officer, 810 Other Ranks. Strength on the 23rd August 1917 - 15 Officers, 431 Other Ranks. Patrick is also remembered in the St. Augustine's Parish (book) Roll of Honour. See photos for Patrick's Medal Index Card, his listing in the Ireland Casualties of WW1, his Army Register of Soldiers Effects, his Service Medal and Award Rolls, his name on the Tyne Cot Memorial Panel List, his name on the Tyne Cot Memorial x 2, his CWGC Grave Registration, the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers Cap Badge, Patrick's Pension Records x 2 and finally an aerial view of Tyne Cot Cemetery and Memorial. Finally, see photos for Newspaper clippings x 1 (Coatbridge Express x 1 and Coatbridge Leader x 1), a map of the gradual eastwards advance from Ypres, PHOTOS x 15 FROM THE IRELAND'S UNKNOWN SOLDIERS BOOK (Terence Denham book on the 16th (Irish) Division in the Great War), the 16th (Irish) Division Order of Battle x 14 (the Division he was with when he died) and another Newspaper clipping from the Glasgow Observer and Catholic Herald 12/01/1918.