Rushden's Casualty List

Mr James Bunning, of 28 Robinson-road, Rushden, has received a card from his son, Pte Sidney Bunning, Royal Fusiliers, to say that he is a prisoner of war in German hands. The postmark is Lemburg. Before enlisting Pte Bunning, who is 19 years of age, worked for Messrs. Selwood. The date of the card is March 28th. The day before the start of the German offensive, Pte Bunning had written home to his parents, and since then they had heard nothing until receipt of the card announcing his present whereabouts. Another son of Mr James Bunning (Pte C H Bunning) is presumed killed in the Battle of Loos, 1915.

Rushden Soldier's Fate - Pte Sidney John Bunning Died as a Prisoner of War - Two Brothers as War Victims

After prolonged suspense Mr and Mrs James Bunning, of 28 Robinson-road, Rushden, have received official news - from the Infantry Record Office - that their son G/69683, Pte Sidney John Bunning, 17th Battalion, Royal Fusiliers, died on March 29th, 1918, as a prisoner of war, from wounds received in action. His death is reported officially to have taken place in the War Hospital (7 Group III) at Valenciennes. He was taken prisoner by the Germans on March 24th, 1918, and on a field card sent by him to his parents under date March 28th, 1918, he gave the information that he was ill and wounded. No further news of any sort could be obtained by his parents, though many letters were sent to the various authorities, and Mr C L Bradfield and Mr O Claridge, secretaries of the Rushden Prisoner of War Committee, reluctantly came to the conclusion that there was no use in forwarding further parcels to him, as he could not be traced. Naturally his anxious parents, hoping against hope, continued their inquires, but nothing was heard until the arrival of the official intimation of his death.

The late Pte S J Bunning served three years in the Rushden Volunteer Training Corps; then, attaining his 18th birthday in December 1916, he joined the Colours at the end of March, 1917, prior to which time he worked for Messrs. G Selwood and Co., boot manufacturers, Rushden. He went out to France in January, 1918, to meet his death three months later. Accompanying the official notice of Pte Burning's death was an expression of the sympathy of the King and Queen. This is the second son which Mr and Mrs J Bunning have lost in the war, their son, Pte Charles Bunning, 7th Battalion, Northants Regiment, having been missing since September 27th, 1915. Nothing further having been heard of him, the Army Council subsequently officially assumed his death.