NUMBER:
Private 2030

BATTALION / UNIT / SHIP:
24th Battalion

PLACE OF BIRTH:
South Melbourne, Victoria

NEXT OF KIN:
John Ireland Burns, then Mrs. Margaret Burns of Waratah Bay

PLACE OF ENLISTMENT:
Broadmeadows, Victoria 17/8/1914

PHYSICAL DETAILS ON ENLISTMENT:
Age 21, 5'11", 13 stone, blue eyes and dark hair

RELIGION:
Church of England

OCCUPATION:
Storeman – wood cutter

PLACE & DATE OF DEATH:
He was killed in action on 3/5/1917 at Bullecourt

LOCATION OF GRAVE/MEMORIAL:
He is remembered on the memorial at Villers Bretonneux

RELATIONSHIP TO WOORAYL SHIRE:
He was from Waratah Bay, Victoria

MILITARY/OTHER HISTORY:
◈ He had been in the militia for 12 months
◈ 17/8/1914 He enlisted
◈ 22/12/1914 He embarked Melbourne on HMAT Themistocles
◈ 19/4/1915 He was in hospital on Lemnos
◈ 25/4/1915 He went to Gallipoli
◈ 4/5/1915 He returned to Suez
◈ 25/5/1915 He disembarked for Australia and went to Seymour
◈ 26/8/1915 He embarked Melbourne on HMAT Anchises
◈ 12/10/1915 He went to Gallipoli
◈ 27/12/1915 He went from Mudros to Alexandria
◈ 13/3/1916 He was sick in hospital
◈ 9/5/1916 He embarked Alexandria
◈ 18/5/1916 He disembarked Marseilles
◈ 17/8/1916 He had injured feet
◈ 20/8/1916 He was admitted to hospital in Etaples
◈ 2/9/1916 He was made a Lance Corporal in Belgium
◈ 2/12/1916 He was suffering from trench feet and was in hospital
◈ 14/12/1916 He returned to his unit
◈ 12/4/1917 He was promoted to Corporal
◈ 3/5/1917 He was missing in action and reported killed
◈ The newspaper notice of his death read:
Burns Cpl John Rogers 2030 24th BN 3rd May 1917 Age 22 son of John Ireland Burns and Margaret Burns of 'Waverley' Carrum.
◈ The Red Cross found a witness:
Private A Cash, number 158, 24th Battalion, on 18th July stated: "This man was killed at 10 am in the morning on the 3rd of May 1917 during the attack on Bullecourt. He saw him lying dead alongside the barbed wire in No Man's Land. Private Cash was wounded and taken to a dressing station."
◈ Corporal J M Collery, A Coy, wrote and told his parents he was well liked and had every prospect of receiving a commission.
◈ 17/8/1920 Margaret Burns asked for a death certificate for the insurance company
◈ His parents received his scroll, plaque and medals