Hector BURNS

BURNS, Hector

Service Number: 3980
Enlisted: 30 September 1915
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 2nd Infantry Battalion
Born: Palmers Island, New South Wales, Australia, 1889
Home Town: Palmers Island, New South Wales
Schooling: Palmers Island Public School, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation: Labourer
Died: Died of wounds, Rouen, France, 14 April 1917
Cemetery: St Sever Cemetery Extension, Rouen
O. VIII. F. 12.
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour
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World War 1 Service

30 Sep 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 3980, 2nd Infantry Battalion
30 Dec 1915: Involvement Private, 3980, 2nd Infantry Battalion, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Medic embarkation_ship_number: A7 public_note: ''
30 Dec 1915: Embarked Private, 3980, 2nd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Medic, Sydney
9 Apr 1917: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 3980, 2nd Infantry Battalion, The Outpost Villages - German Withdrawal to Hindenburg Line, Hector was struck by either rifle or machine gun fire and received a compound fracture of the right thigh during the capture of Hermies on the Somme in France. He was evacuated by the 3rd Field Ambulance to a Casualty Clearing Station on 10 April 1917, and then to No. 12 General Hospital at Rouen where he died of his wounds in hospital on 14 April 1917.

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Biography contributed by Greg Towner

Hector indicated on enlistment that his occupation was a labourer but he may have also been employed as a fisherman.   A newspaper report found on trove.nla.gov.au indicated Hector was fined 10 shillings and 6 six shillings in costs for being on a licensed premise at Palmers Island during illegal hours.   When he enlisted Hector's older brother William was with No. 18 Infantry Battalion at Gallipoli, but was evacuated from there with influenza on 8 December 1915 and subsequently returned to Australia leaving Suez seven days before Hector arrived in Egypt on 16 February 1916.

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