Private 2030

24th Battalion

South Melbourne, Victoria

John Ireland Burns then Mrs. Margaret Burns of Waratah Bay

Broadmeadows, Victoria 17/8/1914

Age 21, 5'11", 13 stone, blue eyes and dark hair.

Church of England

Storeman -wood cutter

He was killed in action on 3/5/1917 at Bullecourt

He is remembered on the memorial at Villers Bretonneux

He was from Waratah Bay, Victoria


He had been in the militia for 12 months
17/8/14 He enlisted
22/12/14 He embarked Melbourne on HMAT Themistocles
19/4/15 He is in hospital on Lemnos
25/4/15 He goes to Gallipoli
4/5/15 He returned to Suez
25/5/15 He disembarked for Australia and went to Seymour
26/8/15 He embarked Melbourne on HMAT Anchises
12/10/15 He went to Gallipoli
27/12/15 He went from Mudros to Alexandria
13/3/16 He was sick in hospital
9/5/16 He embarked Alexandria
18/5/16 He disembarked Marseilles
17/8/16 He had injured feet.
20/8/16 He was admitted to hospital in Etaples
2/9/16 He is made a Lance Corporal in Belgium
2/12/16 He was suffering from trench feet and was in hospital
14/12/16 He returned to his unit
12/4/17 He is promoted to Corporal
3/5/17 He is missing in action and reported killed
The newspaper notice of his death read:

Burns Cpl John Rogers 2030 24th BN 3rd May 1917 Age 22 son of John Ireland Burns and Margaret Burns of 'Waverley' Carrum.

The Red Cross found a witness

Private A Cash, number 158 24th Battalion on 18th July stated: " This man was killed at 10 am in the morning on the 3rd of May 1917 during the attack on Bullecourt. He saw him lying dead alongside the barded wire in No man's land. Private Cash was wounded and taken to a dressing station.

A Corporal J M Collery A Coy wrote and told his parents he was well liked and had every prospect of receiving a commission.

17/8/20 Margaret Burns asked for a death certificate for the insurance company
His parents received his scroll, plaque and medals