John Dalton Burke (1892 - 1942)

Born 28 Oct 1892 in Woolloongabba, Queensland, Australia

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 49 in At Sea

Biography

John Burke was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

John Burke died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

John Dalton Burke was born in Woolloongabbba, Queensland in 1892, the son of John Burke, a police sergeant and his wife Minnie, nee Smyth.

He enlisted in the AIF as a Private on 02 Jun 1915. He gave his occupation as bookkeeper. He was 6 ft tall, with fair complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. He embarked from Australia on 21 Oct 1915, serving with 6th Bn until transferred to 9th Bn at Habieta in Egypt on 28 Feb 1916. In France he was wounded but remained on duty on 25 Jul 1916, but became sick (haemorrhoids) and was transferred to hospital on 15 Nov 1916. During his convalescence he contracted VD. He rejoined his unit in France on 18 Jun 1917. He was wounded in action in Belguim on 04 Oct 1917 (severe gunshot wound to the thigh) and was sent to hospital in Colchester. He returned to duty in an administrative role in Jan 1918. He rejoined 9th Bn in France in May 1918. He returned to Australia per "Bulla" via Suez on 12 May 1919 and was discharged on 26 Aug 1919. His service no was 2595A.

He was a clerk with the Commonwealth Public Works Department in Brisbane before he transferred to Rabaul, New Guinea in 1927 to work in the Public Works Department there.

He married Mary Eileen Freney at St Stephens Cathedral, Brisbane on 18 Mar 1929. There were no children.

He was captured at Kokopo, SE of Rabaul when the Japanese invaded in Jan 1942. He was interned and was on board the Montevideo Maru, en route from Rabaul to Hainan Island when she was torpedoed and sank off the north coast of the Philippines on 01 Jul 1942. None of the POWs or internees survived.

Sources

• Birth - Queensland BDM Birth index - John Dalton Burke; Event date: 28/10/1892; Event type: Birth registration; Registration details: 1892/B/51499; Mother: Minnie Smyth; Father/parent: John Burke

• AIF Service record - National Archives of Australia - Burke John Dalton : SERN 2595A : POB Brisbane QLD : POE Brisbane QLD : NOK M Burke Minnie - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=3168991

• Marriage - Queensland BDM Marriage index - John Dalton Burke; Event date: 18/03/1929; Event type: Marriage registration; Registration details: 1929/B/5572; Spouse: Mary Eileen Freney

• Death - National Archives of Australia - Civilian war dead: Territory of Papua New Guinea. - https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=432031&S=10

• Death Form - National Archives of Australia - Defence - General - Information of deaths for persons lost on the MONTEVIDEO MARU - https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=102239&S=30

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-records/find-war-dead/casualty-details/3173235/john-dalton-burke/

• In the News Mar 1929 - Return from Rabaul to marry (with photo) - http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article198317009

• In the News Mar 1929 - Wedding report with photo - http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-page1658138