Walter (Wallaby) BURGESS

BURGESS, Walter

Service Number: 25
Enlisted: 23 November 1915, 4 years Irish Rifles Regiment
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 54th Infantry Battalion
Born: Carrington, New South Wales, Australia, 4 June 1882
Home Town: Newcastle, Hunter Region, New South Wales
Schooling: Not yet discovered
Occupation: Coal trimmer
Died: Wickham, New South Wales, Australia, 10 July 1926, aged 44 years, cause of death not yet discovered
Cemetery: Sandgate General Cemetery, Newcastle, NSW
CATHOLIC 1-25. 60.
Memorials:
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World War 1 Service

23 Nov 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 25, 35th Infantry Battalion, 4 years Irish Rifles Regiment
1 May 1916: Involvement Private, 25, 35th Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Benalla embarkation_ship_number: A24 public_note: ''
1 May 1916: Embarked Private, 25, 35th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Benalla, Sydney
25 Oct 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 54th Infantry Battalion
13 Jul 1917: Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 25, 54th Infantry Battalion, MU - gangrene of feet

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Biography contributed by Evan Evans

From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery

Served and suffered during The Great War, resting at Sandgate Cemetery.

95 years ago today, on the Monday afternoon of the 12th July 1926, Private Walter John Burgess, (also known as Wallaby), 54th Battalion (Reg No-25), coal trimmer from 6 Jubilee Lane, Hunter Street West, Newcastle, New South Wales and 7 Dangar Street, Wickham, N.S.W., father of two (Walter John P and Lorna Florence), was laid to rest at Sandgate Cemetery, age 44. CATHOLIC 1-25. 60.

Born at Carrington, New South Wales on the 4th June 1882 to John and Margaret Jane Burgess; husband of Sophia Maria Burgess nee Taylor (married 1913, Wickham, N.S.W., died?), Walter enlisted November 1915 with the 35th Battalion at Newcastle, N.S.W.
Admitted to hospital 4.11.1916 (trench feet), 8.11.1916 (gangrene of toes), 14.11.1916 (bronchitis), Walter returned home April 1917, being discharged medically unfit (gangrene toes) on the 13th July 1917.

Mr. Burgess’s name has been inscribed on the Carrington Citizens' Memorial Gates, Carrington Football Club Roll of Honor and the Carrington Municipal District Roll of Honor.

There is no indication inscribed on Walter’s headstone of his service with the 1st A.I.F., so I have placed poppies and a 1914-1918 WAR label in remembrance of his sacrifice for God, King and Country.

Younger brothers Alfred (34th Battalion, Reg No-381) and Percy Waterford B (3rd Battalion, Reg No-4435) and Hercules Clemens (3rd Battalion, Reg No-2332) also resting at the cemetery.

Older brother George William (1st Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train, Reg No-1) also resting at the cemetery.

Lest We Forget.

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