TALES FROM BRISTOL'S GRAVES - WAR HERO STORIES
Many brave war heroes lie at rest in Arnos Vale. Here are the stories of just a few. Lieutenant colonel Daniel Burges, a Londoner, was commanding the 7th Battalion of the South Wales Borderers in September 1918, at Jumeaux in the Balkans, when, while on a reconnaissance mission on the front line, the battalion came under heavy machine gun fire Although wounded, Burges continued to lead his men 'with skill and courage' until he was hit again, twice, and fell unconscious. He was then taken prisoner by the Bulgars but was abandoned in a dug-out with one of his legs shattered.
Burges, who later came to live in Bristol, also held the DSO, Croix de Guerre avec Palme, and the Greek Military Cross. He died in October 1946, aged 73, and is buried in Arnos Vale. Another VC hero, Harry Blanshard Wood, who was born in Yorkshire but died here, is also buried in Arnos Vale. In October, 1918, at St Python, France, with their advance desperately opposed, Corporal Wood's platoon sergeant was killed and the 37-year-old Scots guard took command. The River Selle had to be crossed and the ruined bridge gained, but snipers were everywhere. Wood carried a very large brick into the open space, lay down behind it and, firing continuously on the snipers, covered his men while they worked their way across. Later in the day he repeatedly drove off enemy counter attacks. Wood, who also held the Military Medal, died aged just 42, after his wife was involved in a car accident.
After becoming neglected, his grave was re- dedicated a few years ago in the presence of relatives and members of his old regiment. On September 8, 1855, at Sebastopol, in the Crimea, captain Gronow Davis, who was 27 and from Clifton, commanded a spiking party at the attack on the Redan with 'great coolness and gallantry'. He later saved the life of a wounded lieutenant by jumping out of a trench and going some distance under murderous enemy fire to help carry the man to safety. He did the same with several other wounded soldiers. Later a major general, he died in October 1891, aged 63, and is also buried in Arnos Vale.
Arnos Vale is very much more than a beautiful open space tumbling down between the Wells and Bath roads near the centre of Bristol. Around 150,000 people are buried here and every grave, no matter how grand or how humble, is a testament to the life or lives of those who lie beneath..
Please feel free to add your own comments to the Guestbook or Forum
Memories of Bristol over the past 100 years including 3000 photographs on-line
This non commercial 'hobby' site, has been evolving and expanding on line since 2001 and is intended for educational and entertainment purposes only.
