CHARLES BURNARD
Born: 27th June 1899, at the Union Workhouse, Lanteglos, Cornwall. His mother, Eliza Blanch Burnard, was a domestic servant at St. Teath.
Died: 10:15 p.m., Wednesday, 9th August 1916; age: 18; died from a state of epilepticus, a condition of cyanosis produced by cerebral disturbance, at the Ranelagh Road Military Hospital, Ipswich. Served for two weeks.
Residence: High Lane, Delabole, Cornwall.
Occupation: Farm Labourer.
Enlistment Location: Bodmin, Cornwall.
Rank: Private; Service Number: 2321.
Regiment: Devonshire Regiment, 1st/7th Battalion (Cyclist).
Grave Reference:
S.47.61.
Ipswich.
Cornish and Devon Post – Saturday, 28th October 1916 – DELABOLE – An artificial wreath has been sent from the Medrose Church Sunday School to be placed on the grave of Charles Burnard, an old scholar, who died after only a few weeks’ service.
Relatives Notified & Address: Son of Mrs. Eliza Blanche Ching, of Higher Medrose, Delabole, Cornwall.
CENSUS
1911 Delabole, Cornwall.
Charles was 11 years old and living with his mother, stepfather & stepsister.
Alfred Ching, 32, a Slate Quarry Labourer – Delabole Slate Quarries, born Stratton, Cornwall.
Eliza Blanche Ching (nee Burnard), 29, born St. Teath, Cornwall.
Florrie Ching, 3, born St. Teath, Cornwall.
Charles’ stepbrother, James Ching, died in October 1905, Medrose, Delabole, aged 1 month.
Charles’ stepbrother, Edwin Francis Ching, died on the 4th March 1911, Medrose, Delabole, aged 11 months.
Charles attended the Medrose Church Sunday School.
Soldiers’ Effects to Eliza Ching – mother.
Charles is also remembered on the war memorial at the village of Delabole, Cornwall.
Cornish and Devon Post – Saturday, 19th August 1916 – A DELABOLE SOLDIER’S DEATH – QUESTIONS ABOUT A SPARRING MATCH – The coroner of an East Coast town held an inquest on Friday morning on the body of Charles Burnard, a Delabole lad, who enlisted about a fortnight since, a private in a Devon battalion now stationed in the district, who died in the institution on Wednesday evening. Mrs. Eliza Blanche Ching, wife of Alfred Ching, of Medrose, Cornwall, a quarryman, now a soldier in the Cornwall Pioneers, identified the body as that of her son, Charles Burnard, who was a farm labourer before joining the Army. He was eighteen years of age. Eliza Ching had last seen Charles at home a fortnight ago, next Monday. He was perfectly well and always enjoyed good health. She received a letter from him on Wednesday morning last, and in that letter he said he was all right; he had had a slight faint on Monday whilst on drill.
Ethel Andrews, staff nurse at the Ranelagh Road Hospital, said she was on duty when Charles was brought to the institution on Tuesday night about 10.30; he was in a semi-conscious state. He was put to bed, and his temperature taken; it was 100.8. He was seen by the medical officer soon after his arrival. Death ensued the following night. He never regained consciousness.
Corporal William Clifford Charlish, of the R.A.M.C., Ranelagh Road Hospital, said he first saw the deceased about one o’clock on Wednesday morning. He was not conscious. Witness had never seen him before. He was present when death occurred about 10.15 on Wednesday evening.
MEDICAL EVIDENCE
Lieut.-Col. William Hotson Cadge, of the Indian Medical Service, in charge of the Military Hospital, Ranelagh Road, deposed to seeing the deceased about 2.30 in the morning of Wednesday, 9th August. He was in the observation ward of the Hospital. He was in a semi-conscious condition and could not be made to speak at all or to protrude his tongue. The muscles of his face and upper extremities were constantly twitching. There was a slight retraction of the head and neck, and some rigidity of the muscles of the extremities. Witness was informed that there had been vomiting. At that time, the symptoms indicated cerebrospinal fever, and the witness reported that effect. The symptoms described continued until about midday. He then had a fit, in all respects resembling epilepsy. He became deeply cyanosed, and it was found that air was not entering the left lung. Twenty minutes after the first fit, he had another, which lasted about twenty minutes. He never recovered from the cyanosed state. Before his death, his muscles became rigid, his temperature rose to 103, and then to 107 a few minutes before death. All the symptoms pointed to cerebral disturbance. Acting under the Coroner’s warrant, he made a post-mortem the day following death. Decomposition had just set in. There were three other medical men present at the post-mortem. The left lung was found to be in an unhealthy condition and firmly adhering to the wall of the chest. All the organs of the body were healthy. The surface of the brain was congested, and there were two or three small patches of lymph on the upper surface. There were no signs of injury anywhere. Witness had been informed officially that the deceased had taken part in a sparring match on the 4th August. There was a mark on the lower jaw, but it was not of recent date.
Witness had most carefully examined the body without finding any trace of injury. The cause of death was a state of epilepticus, a condition of cyanosis produced by cerebral disturbance. The sparring match had no effect on his death.
In answer to a juror, the witness said that when the deceased was passed into the Army, the condition of the lung was not easily discoverable. Lance-Sergt. W. H. Thomas, of the R.A.M.C., deposed to knowing Charles Burnard since Saturday last, when he arrived at the camp. As far as the witness could say, he appeared to be all right. Witness saw him again on Monday morning. He was all right then, but previous to the witness seeing him, he had fainted at the seven o’clock roll call. Witness next saw him on Tuesday afternoon at four o’clock. He was in his tent. He was hot and flustered and seemed a little excited. He asked Charles what the matter with him was, and he said he did not feel very well, and also that he felt very weak. He had had no dinner, and in reply to the witness’s question why not, he said he did not feel like eating anything, and also added that he had not eaten that day. He was thirsty, and the witness gave him some milk, which he drank about a tablespoonful. His pulse was going rather fast. Witness took his temperature, which was 101.4. His condition was reported to the doctor, who examined the man and ordered his removal to the hospital.
In his summing up, the Coroner said that there had been a suggestion that death was due to injuries sustained in the sparring match. The medical evidence, upon which he felt he must congratulate the medical witness, had entirely disproved such a theory, but even had there been any evidence to ascribe death to that cause, the Jury must bear in mind that sparring matches when conducted according to certain rules and regulations laid down, were entirely legal, and no onus rested upon anyone so long as these rules has been observed. The Jury returned a verdict in accordance with medical evidence.
One Comment
More information about Charles Burnard
East Anglian Daily Times – 10th August 1916 – Page 2
SOLDIER’S DEATH IN IPSWICH – QUESTIONS ABOUT A SPARRING MATCH.
The Ipswich Borough Coroner held an inquest on Friday morning at the Ranelagh Road Hospital, on the body of Charles Burnard, a private in a Devon battalion now stationed in the district, who died in the institution on Wednesday evening.
Mrs. Eliza Blanche Ching, wife of Alfred Ching, Medrose, Cornwall, quarryman, now a soldier in the Cornwall Pioneers, identified the body as that of her son, Charles Burnard, who was a farm labourer before joining the Army. He was 18 years of age.
Witness last saw deceased at home a fortnight ago next Monday. He was perfectly well, and always enjoyed good health. She received a letter from him on Wednesday morning last, and in that letter he said he was all right; he had had a slight faint on Monday whilst on drill. Ethel Andrews, staff nurse at the Ranelagh Road Hospital, said she was on duty when deceased was brought to the institution on Tuesday night about 10.30. He was in a semi-conscious state. He was put to bed, and his temperature taken; it was 100.8. He was seen by the medical officer soon after his arrival. Death ensued the following night. He never regained consciousness.
In answer to a juror, witness added that she observed no scar on the back of the head. William Clifford Charlish, corporal in the R.A.M.C., Ranelagh Road Hospital, said he first saw deceased about one o’clock on Wednesday morning. He was not conscious, but sensible to touch. Witness had never seen him before. He was present when death occurred about 10.15 on Wednesday evening. Lieut.-Col. William Hotson Cadge, of the Indian Medical Service, in charge of the Military Hospital, Ranelagh Road, deposed to seeing deceased about 2.30 in the morning of Wednesday, August 9th. He was in the observation ward of the Hospital. He was in a semi-conscious condition, and could not be made to speak at all or to protrude his tongue. The muscles of his face and upper extremities were constantly twitching. There was slight retraction of the head and neck, and some rigidity of the muscles of the extremities. Witness was informed that there had been vomiting. At that time the symptoms indicated cerebrospinal fever, and witness reported to that effect. The symptoms described continued until about mid-day. He then had a fit, in all respects resembling epilepsy. He became deeply cyanosed, and it was found that air was not entering the left lung. Twenty minutes after the first fit he had another, which lasted about twenty minutes. He never recovered from the cyanosed state. Before his death his muscles became rigid, his temperature rose to 103, and then to 107 a few minutes before death. All the symptoms pointed to cerebral disturbance. Acting under the Coroner’s warrant, he made a post-mortem the day following death. Decomposition had just set in. There were three other medical men present at the post-mortem. The left lung was found to be in an unhealthy condition, and firmly adhering to the wall of the chest. All the organs of the body were healthy. The surface of the brain was congested, and there were two or three small patches of lymph on the upper surface. There were no signs of injury anywhere. Witness had been informed officially that deceased had taken part in a sparring match on August 4th. There was a mark on the lower jaw, but it was not of recent date.
Witness had most carefully examined the body without finding any trace of injury. The cause of death was a state of epilepticus, a condition of cyanosis produced by cerebral disturbance. The sparring match had no effect on his death.
In answer to a juror, the witness said that when deceased was passed into the Army the condition of the lung was not easily discoverable. Lance-Sergt. W. H. Thomas, of the R.A.M.C., deposed to knowing deceased since Saturday last, when he arrived at the camp. As far as witness could say, he appeared to be all right. Witness saw him again on the Monday morning. He was all right then, but previous to witness seeing him, he had fainted at the seven o’clock roll call. Witness next saw him on Tuesday afternoon at four o’clock. He was in his tent. He was hot and flustered, and seemed a little excited. He asked deceased what was the matter with him, and he said he did not feel very well, and also that he felt very weak. He had had no dinner, and in reply to witness’s question why not, he said he did not feel like eating anything, and also added that he had not eaten that day. He was thirsty, and witness gave him some milk, of which he drank about a tablespoonful. His pulse was going rather fast. Witness took his temperature, which was 101.4. His condition was reported to the doctor, who examined the man and ordered his removal to hospital.
In his summing up, the Coroner said that there had been a suggestion that death was due to injuries sustained in the sparring match. The medical evidence, upon which he felt he must congratulate the medical witness, had entirely disproved such a theory, but even had there been any evidence to ascribe death to that cause, the Jury must bear in mind that sparring matches when conducted according to certain rules and regulations laid down, were entirely legal, and no onus rested upon anyone so long as these rules has been observed. The Jury returned a verdict in accordance with medical evidence.