BURTON, Hector
| Service Number: | 3958 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Driver |
| Last Unit: | 7th Field Artillery Brigade |
| Born: | Bathurst , New South Wales, Australia, 26 October 1893 |
| Home Town: | Randwick, Randwick, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Sydney Grammar School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Medical Student Sydney University |
| Died: | Illness, United Kingdom, 11 February 1919, aged 25 years |
| Cemetery: |
Brookwood Military Cemetery, Pirbright, Surrey, England, United Kingdom Section IV, Row E, Grave 6 Epitaph reads "Dearly Loved Son of Joseph & Agnes Burton, Randwick NSW" |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Sydney Grammar School WW1 Honour Board |
World War 1 Service
| 10 Apr 1915: | Involvement Driver, 3958, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '3' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Argyllshire embarkation_ship_number: A8 public_note: '' | |
|---|---|---|
| 10 Apr 1915: | Embarked Driver, 3958, 1st Field Artillery Brigade, HMAT Argyllshire, Sydney | |
| 11 Feb 1919: | Involvement 3958, 7th Field Artillery Brigade, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 3958 awm_unit: 7th Australian Field Artillery Brigade awm_rank: Acting Bombardier awm_died_date: 1919-02-11 |
Help us honour Hector Burton's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Cathy Sedgwick
The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick (OAM) – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK/Scotland/Ireland”
Died on this date – 11th February … Hector Burton was born at Bathurst, New South Wales on 26th October, 1893 to parents Joseph & (Brigid) Agnes Burton (nee Hogan).
He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 15th January, 1915 as a 21 year old, single, Student (Medical) from Cowper Street, Randwick, New South Wales.
Driver Hector Burton, Service number 3958, embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on HMAT Argyllshire (A8) on 10th April, 1915 with the 1st Field Artillery Brigade – 4th Reinforcements.
On 26th May, 1915 Driver Burton joined M.E.F. (Mediterranean Expeditionary Force) at Gallipoli. He was admitted to Hospital Ship Salta at Gallipoli Peninsula on 4th October, 1915 with Catarrh. Driver Burton was transferred & admitted to No. 2 General Hospital at Ghezireh on 10th October, 1915. He was discharged to light duties at Zeitoun, Cairo from 25th October, 1915.
He was taken on strength of 14th F.A.B. at Ferry Post on 29th April, 1916 from 1st D.A.C. & was posted to 53rd Battery.
Driver Burton was transferred to M.M. Police on 25th May, 1916 & was posted to Anzac Police as Driver.
On 2nd August, 1916 Driver Burton embarked from Alexandria on H.T. Franconia for Overseas (Note: the Casualty Form Active Service recorded he embarked for B.E.F. (British Expeditionary Force) but he embarked for England)
He was written up for an Offence while posted at Parkhouse, Wiltshire – overstaying Leave from midnight on 5th November, 1916 until 6 pm on 8th November, 1916. He was ordered to forfeit a total of 9 days’ pay.
Reinforcements were only given basic training in Australia. Training was completed in training units in England. Some of these were located in the Salisbury Plain & surrounding areas in the county of Wiltshire.
Driver Hector Burton proceeded overseas via Southampton to France on 29th December, 1916.
He was remustered as Gunner, at his own request, from 13th April, 1917.
On 1st August, 1917 Gunner Burton was mustered as Driver while posted with 7th Field Artillery Brigade.
Driver Burton was appointed Acting Bombardier from 8th October, 1917 (as listed on Casualty Form – Active Service however the Statement of Service form recorded date as 1st October, 1917).
On 11th November, 1917 Acting Bombardier Burton reported sick & was admitted to 25th Field Ambulance then 53rd Casualty Clearing Station with Gonorrhoea. He was transferred to 7th Convalescent Depot at Boulogne on 12th November, 1917. Acting Bombardier Burton was transferred to Ambulance Train 23 on 12th November, 1917 & admitted to 39th General Hospital at Havre on 15th November, 1917 – cause N.Y.D. (Not yet determined). He was discharged to Base Details on 19th January, 1918. (Total number of V.D.G. days = 70).
He was marched in to A.G.B.D. (Australian General Base Depot) at Havre, France on 19th January, 1918 from Hospital. Acting Bombardier Burton was marched out from A.G.B.D. on 25th January, 1918 & rejoined his Unit in the Field on 28th January, 1918.
A letter was written to OC 26th Battery which reads: “I desire to revert from Rank of A/Br to Gunner as from 31.1.18 (signed) H. Burton.” The letter was forwarded & recommended to Adjutant 7th F.A.B. on 17th March, 1918. The Adjutant, 7th Australian Field Artillery Brigade approved.
Acting Bombardier Hector Burton revert to the rank of Gunner as from 31st January, 1918 at his own request.
On 3rd June, 1918 Gunner Burton was appointed Acting Bombardier.
He was granted Leave to England on 9th July, 1918 & returned from Leave on 27th July, 1918.
Acting Bombardier Hector Burton was still with his Unit on 16th December, 1918. (Note: this was usually recorded on a Soldier’s Casualty Form – Active Service when no movements, illness or wounding had been recorded for a period of time)
On 8th January, 1919 Acting Bombardier Burton was marched out from the Field to Base for return to Australia. He was transferred from A.I.B.D. (Australian Infantry Base Depot) on 15th January, 1919 to England as part of 1915 Personnel. He was marched in to No. 1 Command Depot in England on 16th January, 1919 from France.
He was reported A.W.L. (Absent without Leave) on 6th February, 1919. (Note: this was only listed on the Statement of Service form – not on Casualty Form Active service)
Acting Bombardier Hector Burton died at 10 am on 11th February, 1919 at Treadwell House, Epsom, Surrey, England from Influenza & Pneumonia. Richard Wootton was the occupier of Treadwell House, Epsom & was listed on the Death Certificate as the Informant.
He was buried in Brookwood Military Cemetery, Surrey, England where around 360 other WW1 Australian War Graves are located.
(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/a---b1.html
Click images to start slideshow.