Private Bernard Woodburn Cloudsdale
16042 8th Kings Own Royal Lancaster Regiment
Missing in Action 24th July 1916, aged 22
Lived at 34 Hull Street
Commemorated on the Thiepval Memorial, France
Burnley Express 5th August 1916

His brother Fred Cloudsdale Prisoner of War 27th March 1918

Hit By Shell ( Burnley News - 2nd August 1916 )

Burnley Soldier’s Death in Action

Private Bernard W. Cloudsdale, of the King’s Own Royal Lancaster Regiment, whose mother resides at 34, Hull Street, Burnley, is reported to be killed in action. The sad news is conveyed in a letter from Sergt. E. H. Dearden, a Burnley man, who wrote to Mrs. Cloudsdale on July 26th, from the Front, as follows:-

“Dear Madam, - Forgive me for addressing this letter to you, but I feel I could not do otherwise. I really don’t know how to put these few lines together for your benefit, as I have rather a sad message for you. Perhaps you will have heard about our battalion, the 8th K.O.R.L., having just recently taken a prominent part in the great advance against the Germans, and I am deeply sorry to inform you that your son, Bernard, was killed whilst nobly doing his duty. We were in a trench when he got hit by a fragment of shell. He passed away without any pain. I am sorry to be the bearer of such bad news. Your son was a steady young man, and was thought a lot of by the battalion. The boys of D Company wish me to convey their deepest sympathy to you in your sad loss and trust that your trouble will be made easier to bear by the thought he died doing his duty.”

The late Private Cloudsdale, who was 22 years of age, enlisted in November, 1914. He was a weaver at Messrs. Brownings, Turf Street Mill, and formerly attended classes at Burnley Technical School. He was interested in Christian Science, and attended the Christian Science Church in Burnley.