Jack Albert Frederick Burton (1915 - 1942)

Born 24 Sep 1915 in Richmond, Victoria, Australia

Ancestors

Died 1 Jul 1942 at age 26 in At Sea

Biography

Jack Burton was a Prisoner of War during World War II.

Jack Burton died as a prisoner of war on the Montevideo Maru during the Second World War.

Jack Albert Frederick Burton was born at Richmond, VIC in 1915, the son of Frederick Harold Burton and Alice Neal.

He enlisted in the Australian Army for overseas service at Caulfield, VIC on 22 Jul 1940 as a Private (VX46522). At the time he was single, a bricklayer and was living with his father at Shoreham, VIC. He had brown hair and brown eyes.

He was still serving in the Militia in 46th Bn at the time he enlisted for overseas service.

He was posted to 2/22nd Bn at Puckapunyal, VIC on 26 Jul 1940.

He married Amelia Campbell Sinclair in Victoria in 1941.

He entrained from Victoria for Sydney on 11 Mar 1941, embarking there on HMT "Katoomba" on 12 Mar 1941 for Rabaul, New Britain in the Territory of New Guinea and disembarking there on 28 Mar 1941. His Battalion was to form the core of "Lark Force" for the defence of the Territory.

After the Japanese invasion of 23 Jan 1942 he was captured at Gasmata and became a Prisoner of War initially held at Rabaul. Japanese records have him as a driver.

He died on board the "Montevideo Maru" when it was torpedoed and sunk off the coast of the Philippines on 01 Jul 1942, en route from Rabaul to Hainan where he was destined for forced labour.

Sources

• Birth - Victoria BDM Birth index - Registration number: 33603 / 1915; Family name: BURTON; Given name(s): Jack Albt Fredk; Place of event: RICHMOND, VIC, Australia; Personal detail Mother's name: Alice; Mother's family name at birth: NEAL; Father's Name: Fredk Harold

• WW2 Australian Army Service File - National Archives of Australia - BURTON JACK ALBERT FREDERICK : Service Number - VX46522 : Date of birth - 24 Sep 1915 : Place of birth - RICHMOND VIC : Place of enlistment - CAULFIELD VIC : Next of Kin - BURTON A - http://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/scripts/AutoSearch.asp?O=I&Number=6137084

• Marriage - Victoria BDM Marriage index - Registration number: 4341 / 1941; Family name: BURTON; Given name(s): Jack Albert Fredk; Personal detail Spouse's family name: SINCLAIR; Spouse's given name(s): Amelia Campbell

• Deaths On Active Service - Family Notices (1945, October 9). The Age (Melbourne, Vic. : 1854 - 1954), p. 6. Retrieved June 12, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article205641599 ... and ... Advertising (1945, October 13). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 18. Retrieved June 12, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12146917 ... and ... Family Notices (1945, October 18). The Argus (Melbourne, Vic. : 1848 - 1957), p. 2. Retrieved June 12, 2020, from http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article12147785

• Roll of Honour - Australian War Memorial - https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R1692328

• Commonwealth War Graves Commission - https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2615450/burton,-jack-albert-frederick/

• Virtual War Memorial Australia: https://vwma.org.au/explore/people/621989

• The Australian Ex-Prisoners of War Memorial https://www.powmemorialballarat.com.au/prisoners-of-war/burton-jack-albert-frederick/