BURNS, Alfred John
| Service Numbers: | N210818, 424711 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 16 October 1941 |
| Last Rank: | Flight Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | No. 77 Squadron (RAF) |
| Born: | Mascot, New South Wales, 18 June 1922 |
| Home Town: | Lidcombe, Auburn, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Clerk |
| Died: | Flying Battle, Netherlands, 17 June 1944, aged 21 years |
| Cemetery: |
Dodewaard General Cemetery Joint Grave 316 , Dodewaard General Cemetery, Dodewaard, Gelderland, Netherlands |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, International Bomber Command Centre Memorial |
World War 2 Service
| 16 Oct 1941: | Enlisted Australian Military Forces (Army WW2), Private, N210818 | |
|---|---|---|
| 7 Oct 1942: | Enlisted Royal Australian Air Force, Aircraftman 2 (WW2), 424711, No. 2 Initial Training School Bradfield Park | |
| 11 Aug 1943: | Embarked Royal Australian Air Force, Leading Aircraftman, 424711, Aircrew Training Units, From Sydney for UK | |
| 17 Jun 1944: | Involvement Royal Australian Air Force, Flight Sergeant, 424711, No. 77 Squadron (RAF), Air War NW Europe 1939-45 |
Help us honour Alfred John Burns's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.
Add my storyBiography contributed by Faithe Jones
Son of Arthur James Burns and Emily Adelaide Burns, of Lidcombe, New South Wales, Australia.
Plane was Halifax HZ 715 of 77 Squadron on air operations over Sterkrade, Germany
Medals 1939-45 Star, France Germay Star, Defence Medal
Also served in Army from 16 October1941 to 6 October 1942. Army service number N210818. Enlisted for the Army at Merrylands, NSW
The son of Arthur and Emily Burns he was born June 1922 at Mascot, NSW and worked as a clerk before enlistmentand was firstly in the Australian Army Pay Corps, November 1941 until September 1942,when he elected to join the RAAF. Alfred enlisted in Sydney on 7 October 1942 qualified as an air gunner on 22 July 1943 and was almost immediately sent to England leaving Sydney on 11 August reaching England 9 October. (RAAF records notdigitized) He went straight to 11 PDRC at Brighton, via 41 Base before joining 77 Squadron on 25 April 1944 after having been promoted to Flight Sergeant while at 21 OTU on 22 January 1944 Flight Sergeant Burns was killed 17 June 1944 and is buried in a joint grave inthe Parish Cemetery Dodewaard, Netherlands, Grave 316. The Commonwealth War Graves at Dodewaard Cemetery contains two Australian airmen and two unidentified British soldiers. He shares a grave with Flight Sergeant Patrick Edward Thomas Tiernan who was also on the ill-fated Halifax MZ 715 which was returning from a raid over Sterkrade in Germany.
CREW:RAAF Pilot Officer A I Crain-Pilot RAFSergeant V Gledhill-Flight Engineer RAF Flying Officer T R Davies-Navigator RAAF Warrant Officer A A Braid-Air Bomber RAF Warrant Officer A J Owen-Wireless Air Gunner RAAF Flight Sergeant PE T Tiernan-Mid Upper Gunner RAAF Flight Sergeant A J Burns -Rear Gunner Flight Sergeant Burns is remembered with honour at the Australian War Memorial and the Roll of Honour, Lidcombe, NSW
https://docplayer.net/57197404-77-squadron-raf-raaf-airmen-killed-whilst-on-active-service-with-77-squadron-raf-world-war-ii.html
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