Monday 7 March 2016

Bernard Charles de Boismaison White (1886 – 1916)

Born on 1st October 1886 in Harlesden.  Bernard’s grandmother was a grand-daughter of the surgeon who successfully operated on one of King Louis XVI of France’s eyes, as a result of which he was given the Boismaison estate.  During the French Revolution, the family fled to England and went to live in Chichester.

Bernard Charles worked at Hutchinsons publishers in 1910, moved to the Marconi Company in 1912 and then became Assistant Editor of “Wireless World”, an illustrated, monthly magazine started in 1913 for those interested in wireless telegraphy. 

In 1914, Bernard joined the London University Officer Training Corps scheme and in February 1915 was commissioned into the Yorkshire and Lancashire Regiment.  In June 1915 he was transferred to the Tynesdie Scottish Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers Regiment and was sent to France in January 1916.

At the time of his death on 1st July 1916, Bernard was a Lieutenant.

His WW1 Poetry Collection “Remembrance and Other Verses” published by Selwyn & Blount in 1917.

Sources:  Catherine W. Reilly “English Poetry of the First World War A Bibliography” (St. Martin’s Press, New York, 1978)

“For Remembrance Soldier Poets who have fallen in the War”, edited by Arthur St John Adcock, himself a poet with the pen-name of Lance-Corporal Cobber, and published by Hodder & Stoughton, London in 1918.
https://archive.org/stream/forremembranceso00adcouoft/forremembranceso00adcouoft_djvu.txt

I am hoping to find further information and a photograph of Bernard. If anyone can help please get in touch.  Many thanks.