Roy BURRELL MM

BURRELL, Roy

Service Number: 131
Enlisted: 8 August 1914
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 31st Infantry Battalion
Born: Warwick Queensland, 25 November 1894
Home Town: Crows Nest, Toowoomba, Queensland
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Farmer
Died: Illness - pneumonia, Military Hospital, Endell Street, London, England, United Kingdom, 30 April 1918, aged 23 years
Cemetery: Beverley (St. Nicholas) Churchyard
Beverley (St. Nicholas) Churchyard (Grave No. 697), Yorkshire, St Nicholas Churchyard, Beverley, Yorkshire, England, United Kingdom
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Crows Nest (Qld) War Memorial, Millthorpe Methodists Honour Roll
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World War 1 Service

8 Aug 1914: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 131, 2nd Light Horse Regiment
24 Sep 1914: Involvement Private, 131, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '1' embarkation_place: Brisbane embarkation_ship: HMAT Star of England embarkation_ship_number: A15 public_note: ''
24 Sep 1914: Embarked Private, 131, 2nd Light Horse Regiment, HMAT Star of England, Brisbane
27 Oct 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 31st Infantry Battalion
28 Sep 1917: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 131, 31st Infantry Battalion, Polygon Wood, GSW multiple, right arm, both legs severe. Awarded MM for action
30 Apr 1918: Involvement Private, 131, 31st Infantry Battalion, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 131 awm_unit: 31st Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1918-04-30
2 May 1918: Honoured Military Medal, Polygon Wood, At Polygon Wood on 26/28th September, 1917, by skilful handling of his section, this Lewis Gunner captured an enemy machine gun. After his gun had been put out of action he cleaned the captured gun and kept it in action for 24 hours until another Lewis Gun was available. Although wounded he remained on duty for several hours and by his courage and devotion to duty kept his section in good spirits.

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Biography contributed by Evan Evans

The summary below was completed by Cathy Sedgwick – Facebook “WW1 Australian War Graves in England/UK

Died on this date - 30th April.......Private Roy Burrell was born at Swan Creek, near Warwick, Queensland in 1894. He enlisted in the Australian Imperial Force (A.I.F.) on 20th August, 1914 as a 19 year old Farmer from Anduramba, Crow’s Nest, Queensland.

Private Burrell joined Mediterranean Expeditionary Force at Gallipoli on 9th May, 1915 with 2nd Light Horse Regiment. He was admitted to Hospital on 3rd September, 1915 & transferred to Hospital at Malta on 10th September, 1915 with Dysentry. Private Burrell was transferred to England & admitted to Royal Victoria Hospital, Netley, England on 4th December, 1915. He was discharged in March, 1916.
Private Burrell was transferred to 25th Battalion on 6th September, 1916 & returned to France on 2nd October, 1916. He was transferred to 31st Battalion & joined them at the Front on 15th October, 1916.

Private Burrell was sent to Hospital on 26th March, 1917 with Tonsillitis & also developed Mumps. He rejoined his Unit in 22nd April, 1917.

Private Burrell was wounded in action on 28th September, 1917 in the Battle of Polygon Wood. He had multiple GSW & was transferred to England where he was admitted to 1st Southern General Hospital, Birmingham, England on 7th October, 1917 with GSW multiple to right forearm & both legs –severe. He was discharged from Hospital & posted to No. 3 Command Depot at Hurdcott, Wiltshire, England on 28th November, 1917.

Private Burrell was recommended for a Military Medal for his actions at Polygon Wood between 26 & 28th September, 1917. He was awarded the Military Medal - London Gazette 17 December, 1917.
Private Burrelll was sent sick to Hospital at Hurdcott on 2nd March, 1918 with an ulcer of leg & discharged on 1st April, 1918.

Private Roy Burrell was admitted to Military Hospital, Endell Street, London, England on 23rd April, 1918 with Pneumonia & was reported as seriously ill. He died at 7 am on 30th April, 1918 from Pneumonia & was buried in St. Nicholas Churchyard, Beverley, East Riding of Yorkshire, England. His coffin had been conveyed from the residence of his Uncle to the Churchyard & he received a Military Funeral howevere the relatives in Beverley did not allow representatives of the A.I.F. to be present at the funeral.

Private Roy Burrell has a Private Headstone & other family members are included on the Headstone.

(The above is a summary of my research. The full research can be found by following the link below)
https://ww1austburialsuk.weebly.com/beverley.html

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