Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

On the 14th October 1920 George BURNS MM and Dorothy BURNS, still living at Lake Bonney, had a son, John, at the Renmark Hospital. In later years John was joined by twin girls, Patricia and Peggy and another son, George Jnr.

In 1927 the BURNS family moved to live at Waikerie, where John did his schooling. John moved to Woodside, South Australia and shortly after enlisted from there.

John and George BURNS Junior both enlisted in the Army in World War 2 and entered the 2/27th (their fathers Battalion).

John BURNS not only followed his father into the 27th Battalion but also followed his father and was awarded the Military Medal.

The citation read:_

SX 4556 Cpl. John Henry Burns, A.I.F., by his conduct in the Owen Stanley Ranges and at Gona has earned the admiration of and set an example for all members of the Unit. He has displayed the highest qualities of courage, unselfishness, cheerful obedience, arid devotion to duty, which have done much to improve the morale of his comrades.

In September 1942, Burns was one of a party who had been cut off by the enemy and compelled to proceed from Efogi to Itiki along a dangerous track through the Owen Stanley Ranges carrying on stretchers several wounded personnel.

During the first 10 days of this hazardous journey Cpl. Burns worked untiringly in assisting to carry the stretchers across almost impassable ravines, and by his cheerfulness encouraged many of his weakening comrades to carry the wounded to safety.

Cpl Burns impressed all by his devoted efforts to comfort the men, adjusting the dressings on their wounds regularly, and providing them with, food and water, when other bearers had given in with exhaustion and " lack of food.

Eventually when a place was reached safe from enemy patrolling it was decided to leave the stretcher cases in a native garden, while the balance of the party went to arrange succour for the wounded, Cpl. Burns volunteered to remain with one stretcher bearer and care for the wounded.

During ten days of waiting Cpl. Burns did much to, relieve the suffering of the wounded, did his utmost to shelter them from heat and flies by day, and wet arid cold by night, and, in spite of his own weakness, he made desperate attempts to forage food from native gardens. Two of the wounded men died, and using his bayonet and steel, helmet, he scraped for each of them a grave.

The party was threatened by the proximity of enemy patrols, and yet Cpl. Burns always presented a cheerful appearance arid buoyed up their spirits by giving talks on the Bible and other topics. By his actions he relieved: the pain of those who had been mortally wounded and saved the lives of many others. ...

At Gona, Cpl. Burns' showed exceptional courage by carrying his portable wireless set into action and. maintaining communications under heavy fire until he was wounded.”

John BURNS was wounded in the hand and later re-joined his unit. Both the BURNS boys survived the war.

George Snrs mother was very proud, boasting in the newspaper of her son, grandson and Son in law having been awarded Military Medals!     

John BURNS later retired at Encounter Bay. On the 27th of November 2003, John BURNS passed away aged 83 years of age.  He is interred at the Centennial Park Cemetery, Pasadena South Australia.