Lieutenant
Wilfred Joseph Bunbury |
Lt Wilfred
Joseph Bunbury was the second son
of Col.
Charles Thomas Bunbury (formerly of the Rifle
Brigade) and Lady Harriot Bunbury, of Cotswold
House, Winchester. He was born on the 21st
February, 1882. He was educated at Beaumont
and St George's College, Weybridge, where
he matriculated at the London University
Examination; he was afterwards at Ushaw College,
Durham. Before the war he was in the firm
of Wise, Speke & Co, Stockbrokers, Newcastle
on Tyne. On the 4th August, 1914, he joined
the 4th Battalion Northumberland Fusiliers,
volunteering for foreign service and was
promoted Lieutenant on the 27th December
of the same year. He proceeded overseas to
France with his Battalion on the 20th April,
1915, and was with his Battalion on the 20th
April 1915 and was wounded at the Second
battle of Ypres, 24th May, 1915. After
some months of hospital treatment he was
able to rejoin and attended a course of physical
training and bayonet exercise at Aldershot
and was appointed Physical Training Officer
first to his battalion, then to his Brigade,
and subsequently to a Command Depot in Ireland.
During the time he was Physical Training
Officer he arranged most successful sports
at Redcar in the summer of 1916, when he
was complimented by the General, and when
at Ballyvonare Camp, Buttevant, County Cork,
to which post he was appointed in September,
1916,he started games for the men, cross country
runs, and boxing matches, all of which were greatly
appreciated by the convalescent soldiers in his
charge. He held this appointment until he got orders
to return to France. He left England on the 8th
March and was attached to the -th Batt Northumberland
Fusiliers. He was killed in action on the 15th
April, 1917, leading his men to attack an enemy
post. His Colonel writes:
"He
was leading an attack in a conspicuously gallant
manner and was the first man into the enemy trench
when he was hit in the face and died painlessly.
we recovered his body and buried it at night. His
death was a great grief to me as we were great
friends when he was in my Company, where he always
earned our admiration for the thorough way in which
he carried out any work entrusted to him."
Lieut.
W.J Bunbury married on the 24th September, 1908,
Dorothy Beresford, second daughter of Maj.A.J.Preston,
B.A., J.P. (late of the 33rd Duke of Wellington
Regiment), of Swainston, Kilmessan, Co. Meath,
who with two little daughters survive him.Lieut.
Bunbury was a well-known member of the St George's
Hockey Club, for whom he played frequently; he
also played several times for Northumberland County,
his place being centre half-back. He was likewise
a very keen cricketer, was a member of the Northumberland
County Club, the Yorkshire Gentlemen and the Borderers,
for all of which he used to play. He belonged to
the Portland Park Tennis Club, at Newcastle, where
he played most days during the season when he was
residing there. (St
Georges Gazette - 31st May 1917)
Note:
Lt Bunbury was attached to the 6th Bn NF at the
time he was killed. |
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