Horace Burden
- Family History
- Military History
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Horace Burden was born on 11th February 1886 at Brailes, Warwickshire, he was baptised on 28th March 1886 at the parish church at Brailes, he was the son of George Burden a jobbing gardener and Emma Burden née Morris He had two sisters Edith Emma born 1881 and Selina Mary born 1889 at Brailes. His father was born in 1862 at Brailes and Emma Morris was born in 1859 at Luddington, Warwickshire, they were married on 22nd January 1881 at Brailes. In 1891 they were all living at Sibford Gower in Oxfordshire. By 1901 the family had moved to Egham in Surrey where George was a Steward at the Court Club, and Horace was a billiard marker. Emma was living at Staines in 1911 but Horace had left home. His mother Emma was notified of his death, she was living at 71 Mountfields, Colwick Vale at the time.
Horace joined the Royal Navy on 2nd October 1913. Was serving on board HMS Princess Irene when he died and is commemorated on the Chatham Naval Memorial. He was eligible for the Star, Victory and British medals. The HMS Princess Irene was an ocean liner that had been requisitioned by the Royal Navy and converted to a minelayer. On the 27th May 1915 the ship was moored in the Medway being loaded with mines in preparation for a mission. Two large explosions disintegrated the ship and two barges lying alongside and over 350 people were killed including all but one of the crew, several dockyard workers and also civilians as debris was thrown up to 20 miles away by the force of the blast. An enquiry found that arming of the mines was being carried out in a hurry and by untrained personnel.
additional research and information Peter Gillings
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