Henry Edward Burstall

Sir Henry Edward Burstall
Portrait of Sir Henry Edward Burstall, three-quarter-length, slightly turned to the left, seated with his hand on his leg and holding his hat with the other, dressed in military uniform with an armband, a Sam Browne about his waist and across his chest, a ribbon bar pinned to his breast, a photomechanical print after William Orpen, early 20th century
Portrait by William Orpen
Born(1870-08-26)26 August 1870
Sillery, Quebec City, Canada
Died8 February 1945(1945-02-08) (aged 74)
Headbourne Worthy, Hampshire, England[1]
Buried
St Swithun Churchyard, Headbourne Worthy, Hampshire
AllegianceCanada
Service / branchCanadian Army
RankLieutenant-General[1]
Commands2nd Canadian Division
Royal Canadian Horse Artillery
Battles / warsSecond Boer War
First World War
Awards
[2][3]
Relations

Lieutenant General Sir Henry Edward Burstall, KCB, KCMG (26 August 1870 – 8 February 1945) was a Canadian general.[1]

Early life

Born at Domaine Cataraqui, Sillery, Quebec, the son of the wealthy merchant John B. Burstall (1832–1896) and Fanny Bell Forsyth, daughter of James Bell Forsyth, the builder of Domaine Cataraqui, in 1831.[2] Burstall was educated at Bishop's College School and the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario (1887–89)(#246).[2][4]

Military service

Major-General Henry Burstall, GOC 2nd Canadian Division, inspecting the horse transport of a Canadian battalion at Pernes, December 1916.

Burstall was commissioned in the Royal Canadian Artillery in 1889. In 1898 he served with the Yukon Field Force.[5] He went to South Africa with the 1st Canadian Contingent during the Second Boer War. From 1901 to 1902, he served with the South African Constabulary in the Transvaal. He was promoted to lieutenant-colonel in 1908 and commanded the Royal Canadian Horse Artillery in 1911.[6]

Field Marshal Sir Douglas Haig, C-in-C of the BEF, with Lieutenant General Arthur Currie, GOC of the Canadian Corps, and Currie's senior commanders in Germany, December 1918. Major General Burstall, GOC 2nd Canadian Division, is stood behind Haig.

During the First World War, Burstall was promoted to the temporary rank of brigadier general in September 1914[7] and became brigadier general, Royal Artillery, 1st Canadian Division from 1914 to 1915. He was promoted to major general in December 1916[8] and was General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Royal Canadian Artillery from 1915 to 1916. From 1916 to 1918, he was GOC 2nd Canadian Division.

After the war, he was Quartermaster-General at Department of National Defence from 1919 to 1920. From 1920 to 1925. he was the Inspector-General. He retired in 1925, settling in England.

He died in 1945 in Headbourne Worthy, Hampshire, England.[6] He is buried in the churchyard of St Swithun's Headbourne Worthy.

Honours

Burstall was created a Companion of the Order of the Bath in 1915, a Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1917, Knight Commander of the Order of the Bath in 1918,[9] and Knight Commander of the Order of St Michael and St George in 1919.[6] On 15 February 1917, Burstall was awarded the Order of Saint Stanislas, 2nd Class (with swords) by Nicholas II of Russia, and on 21 August 1919, he was the recipient of the French Croix de guerre.[3]

The town of Burstall, Saskatchewan, incorporated as a village in 1921, is named in his honour.[10] Mount Burstall (2760m), which is part of the Spray Range, Kananaskis Park, Alberta, was named in 1918 in his honour.[11]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c Written at London. "GEN. BURSTALL, 74, WAR HERO, IS DEAD; Leader of Canadian Second Division in 1916–18 Famed for 'Harrying the Hun'". The New York Times. New York, NY (published 11 February 1945). Associated Press. 10 February 1945. p. 40. Retrieved 21 May 2019.
  2. ^ a b c Library and Archives Canada (24 February 2015). Sir Henry Edward Burstall. Retrieved 21 May 2019. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  3. ^ a b Library and Archives Canada (29 May 2013). Search Results: Military Medals, Honours and Awards, 1812–1969. Retrieved 21 May 2019. {{cite book}}: |work= ignored (help)
  4. ^ McGill University (1887). Annual Calendar of McGill College and University, Montreal: Session 1887-8. Montreal: John Lovell & Son. p. 198. hdl:2027/njp.32101065980565. ISBN 978-0-2431-5438-8. OCLC 986064696. Retrieved 21 May 2019. JUNIOR CERTIFICATES. 45. Henry E. Burstall (Bishop's College School, Lennoxville)...
  5. ^ "Lieutenant-General Sir Henry Burstall KCB, KCMG (1870–1945)". The Royal Regiment of Canadian Artillery. Retrieved 24 November 2020.
  6. ^ a b c "Sir Henry Edward Burstall". National Gallery of Canada. Archived from the original on 2016-03-03. Retrieved 2007-12-17.
  7. ^ "No. 29086". The London Gazette. 2 March 1915. p. 2096.
  8. ^ "No. 29903". The London Gazette (Supplement). 12 January 1917. p. 574.
  9. ^ "No. 30716". The London Gazette (Supplement). 31 May 1918. p. 6451.
  10. ^ "Town of Burstall".
  11. ^ "Mount Burstall". cdnrockiesdatabases.ca. Retrieved 2023-08-06.

Books

  • 4237 Dr. Adrian Preston & Peter Dennis (Edited) "Swords and Covenants" Rowman And Littlefield, London. Croom Helm. 1976.
  • H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "To Serve Canada: A History of the Royal Military College of Canada" 1997 Toronto, University of Toronto Press, 1969.
  • H16511 Dr. Richard Arthur Preston "Canada's RMC – A History of Royal Military College" Second Edition 1982
  • H16511 Dr. Richard Preston "R.M.C. and Kingston: The effect of imperial and military influences on a Canadian community" 1968
  • H1877 R. Guy C. Smith (editor) "As You Were! Ex-Cadets Remember". In 2 Volumes. Volume I: 1876–1918. Volume II: 1919–1984. Royal Military College. [Kingston]. The R.M.C. Club of Canada. 1984
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Military offices
Preceded by GOC 2nd Canadian Infantry Division
1916–1919 		Post disbanded