Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Where was he born?
Is he a Nirranda boy?
His World War Two Service and other Military info suggest he was born in Warrnambool.
However a lady from Ancestry claims he was born in Nirranda and registered in Warrnambool.
She writes :
Edward Burnett was born in Nirranda. His parents, Alexander Arthur Burnett and Minerita Winifred Meade having moved from Koroit to Nirranda in 1909.
There is a District Sensis report in 1909 which backs her claim.

Nirranda Boy.
I'm claiming him, Teddy's a Nirranda Boy.
Teddy & his brother Angus are Alma Walsh’s cousins . Alma esd from Nirranda and she had a picture of him on your Mantle Piece now in safe hands of her family.

Info
Following the Japanese invasion of January 1942, he was taken prisoner of war (POW) and held at Rabaul.
On 25 January 1942, he was posted as missing.
As there was no further trace of him he was subsequently presumed dead and is commemorated on the 4th February 1942 at the Rabaul Memorial, Papua New Guinea.
Luckily on the 22 June 1942 there were an estimated 845 POWs and 209 civilians who survived and embarked from Rabaul aboard the Japanese transport ship MV Montevideo Maru.
The POWs were members of 2/22 Battalion, No. 1 Independent Company, and other units of Lark Force. Civilians included officials of the New Guinea Administration and missionaries.
The ship sailed unescorted for Hainan Island. On 1 July 1942 all the prisoners died when the Montevideo Maru was torpedoed by a US Navy submarine, USS Sturgeon, off the coast of Luzon Island in the Philippines

R.I.P Soldier

80 years ago, we remember the sacrifice of VX16483 Private (Pte) Edward Joseph Burnett, 2/22 Battalion.

Teddy & his brother Angus are Alma Walsh’s cousins . Both were executed by the Japanese at Tol Plantation during WW2.
The remainder of Lark Force 2/22 that were captured drowned on a Japanese ship when it was torpedoed on route to Japan by a US sub.
Lest we forget
Info
Edward Joseph Burnett
1920–1942
BIRTH 6 JAN 1920 • Nirranda, Victoria, Australia
DEATH 4 FEBRUARY 1942 • Burial Kokopo, Kokopo District, East New Britain, Papua New Guinea
Son of Alexander and Birhpet Burnett, husband of Vera Burnett, of Fitzroy, Victoria.
A spinner from Collingwood, Victoria prior to enlistment, Pte Burnett enlisted at Fitzroy on 17 May 1940.
Originally with the 2/14 Battalion, he later transferred to 2/22 Battalion and disembarked at Rabaul.
On 25 January 1942, he was posted as missing.
As there was no further trace of him he was subsequently presumed dead and is commemorated on the 4th February 1942 at the Rabaul Memorial, Papua New Guinea.
Lest We Forget