Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Frank Robert Burden:

 Before the War:

On Monday the 2nd of July 1877, in Kadina South Australia, Frank Robert Burden was born[1], to his mother, Elenore Constance Holtham and his father Robert Burden[2]. For his primary and secondary education, Frank attended Prince Alfred College in Kent Town, Adelaide. And for his tertiary education, Frank studied Engineering at the School of Mines, in North Terrace, in the Adelaide CBD, where he graduated and became a Motor Engineer.[1] As a fully-grown man Frank was 184 centimetres tall, he had a fresh complexion and blue eyes.[1]

At the age of 26, Frank married his wife Emily Rosa Burden (nee Martin), the daughter of winemaker, Henry Maydwell Martin, on the 26th of December 1903. [3]

Soon after their marriage, Frank and his wife Emily moved to a property near Meningie where they lived for some years.[3] The couple then moved to the suburb of Fullarton in Adelaide[3]. In 1906 they had their first child, a son who they named Charles Holtham Burden. Emily then gave birth to a second child on the 24th of May in 1908, a daughter, whom they named Nora Burden. Another few years passed, and in 1910 they had a third child and another daughter who they named Rosa Constance Burden. And in 1913 Frank and Emily’s fourth child was born, a third daughter, who they named Hester Maydwell Burden.[2] After some years in Fullarton the family moved to a new address in Adelaide, 79 William Street Norwood. [3] A suburb where Frank got a job as a Motor Engineer at the Foreman Work Shop, owned by Fred Hack.[1]

At the age of 39 years and 2 months, on the 2nd of October in 1916, Frank enlisted for war and was then transferred to the make-shift war training camp in Royal Park, Melbourne. A routine medical examination found Frank’s 3-inch abdominal scar. It determined that he weighed 87 kilos and that his chest measured 99 and 109 centimetres when expanded.[1]

During the War:

After two months of training, the AIF sent Frank and his unit, the 3rd Australian Auxiliary Mechanical Transport Company, to the front. And on the 22nd of December, 1916 they embarked from Melbourne to England. Frank and his unit spent the rest of the Festive season and some of the new year on the HMAT A34 Persic. Frank arrived in England and disembarked at Devonport in Plymouth on the 3rd of March 1917 where he was then transferred into the Australian contingent.[1]

After a month in the No. 3 Camp Parkhouse in Dorset, Frank fell ill on the 6th of April 1917 and spent four days in Dehli Hospital in Salisbury Plain. Two months after returning from Dehli Hospital and resuming work for his unit in the Camp Parkhouse, Frank was transferred to the 5th Australian Ammunition Sub-Park and embarked from Southampton to France on the 20th of June 1917.[1]

Frank disembarked at France and arrived in the French City of Rouen in Normandy on the 1st of July 1917. He was posted for duty and began working with his unit to distribute ammunition across myriads of cities and communes in Belgium and throughout northern France, during the span of seven months. They arrived first in Rouen, then Abele, Busseboom, Poperinghe, Bailleul, Samer, and finally Frank and his unit arrived in the small Belgian village of Locre on the 14th February in 1918. This small village was also the place where, on the 12th of March 1918, Frank was transferred to the 4th Australian Motor Transport Company.[1]

Merris, France is where he arrived after transfer. It was the 13th of March and Frank’s unit had already begun routine work. [1]

Two months then had passed, and Frank and his unit had already left Merris been, in Baiziuex and Beaucourt, and arrived in Glisy, France, where Frank was promoted to Captain.[1]

The ten months that followed entailed gruelling and dangerous work on tense territories of France, with many mates losing their lives in crossfire and bombing. His unit was mobile throughout most of France and travelled through communes and cities including Glisy, Allonville, Bussy, Coisy, Cagny, Fouilloy, Villers-Bretonneux, Longueau, Herbecourt, Catelet, Saisseval, Epehy, Busigny, Prisches, and Sains du Nord. When the unit arrived in Dinant, in Belgium, on the 13th of December 1918, they spent their time there being disbanded. On the 3rd of March in 1919 Frank embarked to London, to the Repatriation and Demobilization centre.[1]

On the 1st of October 1919 Frank was granted leave and disembarked from London to Australia on the S.S. Wahehe.[1]

After the War:

At the age of 41 ½, when the Wahehe docked at Melbourne on the 13th of December in 1919,[1] Frank disembarked the ship and went back to his family who may have moved to Melbourne. He then found work at Tarrants and Autocars who were vehicle builders in Melbourne, where he was temporarily the chief engineer.[3]After his employment in Melbourne, Frank and his family may have moved back to Adelaide.

Frank lived quite peacefully on 124 Beulah Road in Norwood[1], until he founded the first South Australian Fiat Agency with L. M. Anderson and Sidney Crawford in 1922, where he acted as works manager.[4] Frank had then come to own the South Australian John Deere company. He then opened a John Deere store on 52 George Street, Norwood in 1937. [4]

Frank died peacefully in his home on the 2nd of September in 1960.[3]

Anzac Spirit:

Captain Frank Robert Burden showed his Anzac Spirit through his sheer loyalty and grit, as even after the war had ended, he stayed and still served with the AIF and worked through hostile conditions, completed tiring and tedious work with his units and above all went through it. Frank had also put his body on the line for the cause, receiving varicose veins and synovitis knee from his service.[1] He has undoubtedly earned the medals he has received.

References:
[1] Australian War Memorial
[2] Genealogy SA
[3] Wikipedia
[4] Trove

Bibliography:

Web pages:

AWM4 Subclass 25/56 - 5th Australian Ammunition Sub-Park 1918, Australian War Memorial, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1338694>.

AWM4 Subclass 14/10 - Headquarters 4th Australian Divisional Engineers 1919, Australian War Memorial, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/C1338948>.

RSL Virtual War Memorial 2018, RSL Virtual War Memorial, <https://rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/>.

Frank Robert Burden 2018, RSL Virtual War Memorial, <https://rslvirtualwarmemorial.org.au/explore/people/334307>.

RSL Virtual War Memorial Researching a Person 2018, RSL Virtual War Memorial, <https://s3-ap-southeast-2.amazonaws.com/rslvwm/comfy/cms/files/files/000/001/004/original/ResearchProfile_WWI.pdf>.

RecordSearch 2018, National Archives of Australia,                                        <https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/DetailsReports/ItemDetail.aspx?Barcode=3166941&isAv=N>.

NAA: B2455, BURDEN F R 2018, National Archives of Australia, <https://recordsearch.naa.gov.au/SearchNRetrieve/Interface/ViewImage.aspx?B=3166941>.

First World War Embarkation Rolls 2018, Australian War Memorial, <https://www.awm.gov.au/advanced-search/people?roll=First%20World%20War%20Embarkation%20Roll&people_preferred_name=Frank%20Robert%20Burden>.

HMNB Devonport 2018, Wikipedia, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/HMNB_Devonport>.

Memorial Glossary beginning with A 2018, Australian War Memorial, <https://www.awm.gov.au/learn/glossary/a>.

SS Wahehe 2018, Wikipedia, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SS_Wahehe>.

Training Camps: Command Depots 2018, Don't Forget the Diggers, <http://www.dontforgetthediggers.com.au/training-camps.asp>.

Abbreviations used in the First World War medal index cards 2018, National Archives UK, <http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documents/records/abbreviations-in-world-war-one-medal-index-cards-unit.pdf>.

ROYAL PARK 2018, Victorian Heritage Council, <http://vhd.heritagecouncil.vic.gov.au/places/1954/download-report>.

H.M. Martin and Son, Wikipedia, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/H._M._Martin_and_Son>.

09 Dec 1937- Advertising- Trove, Trove, < https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92478289>.

20 May 1922- “FIAT” AGENCY- Trove, Trove, <https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/63651573>.

Sidney Crawford, Wikipedia, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sidney_Crawford>.

Nora Burden, Wikipedia, <https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nora_Burden>.

BURDEN- Frank Robert, Genealogy SA, https://www.genealogysa.org.au/index.php?option=com_hikashop&view=product&layout=show&Itemid=161&uid=178335&coid=1&cid=2&request_data=%7B%26quot%3Boption%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3Bcom_search%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3BItemid%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B32%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bsurname%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3BBurden%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bcheck%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B1%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bgname%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3BFrank%20Robert%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Byear%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B1877%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Brange%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B2%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bcusearch%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3BSearch%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Ba4bd3f58e9df756191d0f96ccbc0b1ee%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3Bf66d0fe3b7ab80f83a97b1eb42a354f7%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utma%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836.695279835.1520916265.1520936172.1521289567.3%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmc%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmz%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836.1521289567.3.2.utmcsr%3Dgoogle%7Cutmccn%3D(organic)%7Cutmcmd%3Dorganic%7Cutmctr%3D(not%20provided)%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmt%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B1%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmb%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836.1.10.1521289567%26quot%3B%7D

BURDEN- Rosa Constance, Genealogy SA, https://www.genealogysa.org.au/index.php?option=com_hikashop&view=product&layout=show&Itemid=161&uid=503323&coid=1&cid=2&request_data=%7B%26quot%3Boption%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3Bcom_search%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3BItemid%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B32%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bsurname%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3BBurden%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bcheck%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B1%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bgname%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3BRosa%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Byear%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B1910%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Brange%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B5%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bcusearch%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3BSearch%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmz%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836.1521289567.3.2.utmcsr%3Dgoogle%7Cutmccn%3D(organic)%7Cutmcmd%3Dorganic%7Cutmctr%3D(not%20provided)%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Ba4bd3f58e9df756191d0f96ccbc0b1ee%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3Bd9a90ccc6fd1db14526f233a811d4883%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmc%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utma%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836.695279835.1520916265.1521440762.1521499738.5%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmt%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B1%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmb%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836.4.10.1521499738%26quot%3B%7D

BURDEN- Nora, Genealogy SA, https://www.genealogysa.org.au/index.php?option=com_hikashop&view=product&layout=show&Itemid=161&uid=486091&coid=1&cid=2&request_data=%7B%26quot%3Boption%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3Bcom_search%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3BItemid%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B32%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bsurname%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3BBurden%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bcheck%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B1%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bgname%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3BNora%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Byear%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B1908%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Brange%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B5%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bcusearch%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3BSearch%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmz%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836.1521289567.3.2.utmcsr%3Dgoogle%7Cutmccn%3D(organic)%7Cutmcmd%3Dorganic%7Cutmctr%3D(not%20provided)%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Ba4bd3f58e9df756191d0f96ccbc0b1ee%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3Bd9a90ccc6fd1db14526f233a811d4883%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmc%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utma%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836.695279835.1520916265.1521440762.1521499738.5%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmt%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B1%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmb%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836.7.10.1521499738%26quot%3B%7D

MARTIN- Emily Rosa, Genealogy SA, https://www.genealogysa.org.au/index.php?option=com_hikashop&view=product&layout=show&Itemid=161&uid=148307&coid=1&cid=2&request_data=%7B%26quot%3Boption%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3Bcom_search%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3BItemid%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B32%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bsurname%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3BMartin%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bcheck%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B1%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bgname%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3BEmily%20Rosa%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Byear%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B1875%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Brange%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B0%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bcusearch%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3BSearch%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmz%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836.1521289567.3.2.utmcsr%3Dgoogle%7Cutmccn%3D(organic)%7Cutmcmd%3Dorganic%7Cutmctr%3D(not%20provided)%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Ba4bd3f58e9df756191d0f96ccbc0b1ee%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3Bd9a90ccc6fd1db14526f233a811d4883%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmc%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utma%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836.695279835.1520916265.1521440762.1521499738.5%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmt%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B1%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmb%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836.13.10.1521499738%26quot%3B%7D

BURDEN- Charles Holtham, Genealogy SA, https://www.genealogysa.org.au/index.php?option=com_hikashop&view=product&layout=show&Itemid=161&uid=470062&coid=1&cid=2&request_data=%7B%26quot%3Boption%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3Bcom_search%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3BItemid%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B32%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bsurname%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3BBurden%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bcheck%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B1%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bgname%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3BCharles%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Byear%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B1908%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Brange%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B7%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bcusearch%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3BSearch%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmz%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836.1521289567.3.2.utmcsr%3Dgoogle%7Cutmccn%3D(organic)%7Cutmcmd%3Dorganic%7Cutmctr%3D(not%20provided)%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Ba4bd3f58e9df756191d0f96ccbc0b1ee%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3Bd9a90ccc6fd1db14526f233a811d4883%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmc%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utma%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836.695279835.1520916265.1521440762.1521499738.5%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmt%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B1%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmb%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836.20.10.1521499738%26quot%3B%7D

BURDEN- Hester Maydwell, Genealogy SA, https://www.genealogysa.org.au/index.php?option=com_hikashop&view=product&layout=show&Itemid=161&uid=542662&coid=1&cid=2&request_data=%7B%26quot%3Boption%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3Bcom_search%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3BItemid%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B32%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bsurname%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3BBurden%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bcheck%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B1%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bgname%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3BHester%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Byear%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B1910%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Brange%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B7%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Bcusearch%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3BSearch%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmz%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836.1521289567.3.2.utmcsr%3Dgoogle%7Cutmccn%3D(organic)%7Cutmcmd%3Dorganic%7Cutmctr%3D(not%20provided)%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3Ba4bd3f58e9df756191d0f96ccbc0b1ee%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3Bd9a90ccc6fd1db14526f233a811d4883%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmc%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utma%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836.695279835.1520916265.1521440762.1521499738.5%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmt%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B1%26quot%3B%2C%26quot%3B__utmb%26quot%3B%3A%26quot%3B175478836.33.10.1521499738%26quot%3B%7D

Images:

FIRST WORLD WAR NOMINAL ROLL: Frank Robert Burden 2018, Australian War Memorial, < https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/R2169218>.

1917, English, Photograph edition: "Delhi" Military Hospital Tedworth Salisbury Plain [England] [picture]. 2018, Trove, <https://trove.nla.gov.au/work/167591878?q&versionId=182658424>.

Untitled Map 2018, Google Maps, <https://www.google.com/maps/d/u/0/viewer?mid=16wqoRILvw3SNP8Vm4p9SZnwUzu9iZtEj&hl=en&ll=49.478310118714234%2C3.618510447966173&z=6>.

A serendipitous journey through the archive 2018, Australian War Memorial, <https://www.awm.gov.au/articles/blog/serendipitous-journey-through-archive>.

Departure of HMAT Persic (A34) with members of the 37th Battalion bound for England. 2018, Australian War Memorial, <https://www.awm.gov.au/collection/P00997.013/>.

Flotilla Australia, Flotilla Australia, < https://www.flotilla-australia.com/burnsphilp2.htm>

09 Dec 1937- Advertising- Trove, Trove, < https://trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/92478289>.