Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Robert was the son of William Bayes BURNETT & Elizabeth Christiana GALLOWAY and was born on the 11th of November 1893 in Truro, SA.

His parents were married on the 8th of November 1881 at the residence of Williams’s grandparents in Truro, SA.

His father was the son of John BURNETT & Bathsheba BAYES and was born on the 19th of July 1860 in Pewsey Vale, SA.
His mother was the daughter of George GALLOWAY & Elizabeth KEMP and was born on the 3rd of January 1860 in Angaston, SA.

Robert was the seventh child born into the family of 11 children.

Robert was educated at Truro and after he finished school he gained employment as a painter.

He spent his boyhood in Truro and them moved to Waikerie where he was a prominent footballer
On the 28th of April 1915 his eldest brother Arthur enlisted into the 27th Battalion and was allotted the service number 1622.

At the age of 22, Robert decided to enlist into the AIF along with his brother Roy.

On the 4th of January 1916 they made their way to Adelaide where Roy obviously stood in front of Robert in the line as Roy was allocated the service number 5057 and Robert 5058. They were both posted to C Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Mitcham Camp and then on the 16th of February they were posted to the 10th Battalion, 16th Reinforcements, D Company.

They embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT Shropshire on the 25th of March 1916 and after a short stay in Fremantle they continued their journey on the 31st of March, disembarking in Port Suez on the 24th of April 1916 and marched into the 3rd Training Battalion.
They transferred to England with the Training Battalion and then proceeded to France.
In a short period of time they met up with Arthur and in a matter of weeks they had both been transferred into Arthur’s Battalion, the 27th.

Back home in Truro, on the Friday the 17th of July 1916 a large number of people gathered in the local reserve to witness the planting of trees in honour of soldiers. The trees were planted by relatives and other friends of the lads, some of whom had come 16 miles to attend. A plate, bearing the name of each soldier was placed near the trees. The school children also took part and Rev. J. Chapman and Miss Merten delivered brief addresses.
Trees were planted for Arthur, Robert & Roy, along with another 31 soldiers.

Robert & Roy embarked from England on the 15th of May 1919 on board HT Ypiringa and disembarked in Adelaide on the 2nd of July.

Robert & Roy returned home to Truro on Friday the 11th of June and were met at the railway station by welcoming town’s persons waving flags. A welcome home social was held that evening in the local institute and they were presented with a gold medal.
A peace thank you service was also conducted in the Institute the Sunday after.

Robert was discharged from the AIF on the 16th of August 1919.

During his time overseas their brother John enlisted into the 9th Light Horse, 29th Reinforcements on the 14th of March 1917 (3411).

He returned with his brother Roy a few months ago and after his furlough, the greater part of which was spent in Truro with his parents, he returned to work at Waikerie and joined the local RSL.

Robert spent Christmas with his parents, returning to Waikerie on New Years Day from Mannum, where he had spent a few days with his sister Bathsheba Jaensch.

On the Saturday evening, 10th of January 1920 Robert and his brother Arthur went for a swim in the Murray River, immediately below the township of Waikerie. After safely getting across a channel in the river they began to return and Arthur warned Robert to keep up river as the current was strong.
Unfortunately Robert became seized with cramp and called to his brother “I’m going”. Arthur made a great attempt to save him, but he too, got into difficulties and had to be assisted out of the water.

Robert disappeared below the surface and was not seen again.
His body wasn’t recovered until Monday morning and then that night Robert was conveyed to Truro where all the flags were lowered to half-mast.

His funeral took place on Tuesday afternoon, 13th of January, and a very large number of friends followed to the Truro Cemetery.
His coffin was borne to the graveside by four returned comrades in uniform; Gunner Parsonage MM, Pte. D. McIntyre, Sergeant Lin Miller and Lieutenant J. Bartsch.

Roberts’s coffin was covered with the Union Jack and Lieutenant Bartsch conducted the military funeral, as he had also served with Robert in the 27th Battalion.
He paid a splendid tribute to the memory of one whom, be said, was one of the best soldiers, a noble man, and ever ready to do his duty anywhere.
He was of a most amiable, unassuming disposition, an affectionate son and brother and loved and esteemed by all with whom he came in contact.

He was buried in Plot 1471.

Military

At the age of 22, Robert decided to enlist into the AIF along with his brother Roy.

On the 4th of January 1916 they made their way to Adelaide where Roy obviously stood in front of Robert in the line as Roy was allocated the service number 5057 and Robert 5058.
They were both posted to C Company, 2nd Depot Battalion in Mitcham Camp and then on the 16th of February they were posted to the 10th Battalion, 16th Reinforcements, D Company.

They embarked from Adelaide on board HMAT Shropshire on the 25th of March 1916 and after a short stay in Fremantle they continued their journey on the 31st of March, disembarking in Port Suez on the 24th of April 1916 and marched into the 3rd Training Battalion.

When the AIF units moved to France, the 3rd Training Battalion, including Robert & Roy embarked for Perham Downs on the 8th of August 1916 as part of the 1st Training Group which supplied reinforcements for the 1st Division.

Both Robert & Roy then proceeded to France on the 5th of September 1916 and on the 19th they were taken on strength with the 10th Battalion at Chateau Belge and later that day they moved to the Railway Dugouts, Ypres.

Five days later they moved into the front line trenches at Hill 60 which was in the same vicinity of their brother Arthur and the 27th Battalion.
On the 1st of October the 10th Battalion was relieved from Hill 60 and entrained to Branhoek for training.

Five days later Arthur and the 27th Battalion moved out of their camp and entrained for Ypres and relieved the 19th Australian Battalion, covering the trench system of Hill 60 and Mount Sorrell.

Somehow, during these few weeks the 3 broths managed to cross paths and Arthur convinced Robert & Roy to transfer to the 27th Battalion.

Robert and Roy were transferred on the 10th of October 1916 to the 27th Battalion who were located at Zillebeke covering the trench system of Hill 60 and Mount Sorrell.
Then the 3 brothers and their Battalion moved back into billets in the barracks of Ypres where they stayed until the 16th of October.
They then entrained to a point near the Ypres - Poperinghe Road and marched to St. Lawrence Camp, where they occupied wooden huts for the next 3 days and then moved to Steenvoorde.

The following day they arrived at Buysscheure and the next day they moved to Mouile for 2 days before entraining for Yaucourt-Bussus.
On October 27th they started off at dawn, cold and wet, and passing through Ailly they reached a point on the Amiens Road and boarded motor lorries, which conveyed them to Dernancourt, where we were billeted.

They were now in the Somme sector and the wretched weather conditions made the Somme one huge quagmire.
Leaving Dernancourt on November 2nd they marched to Montauban Camp, which was situated on the Northern side of the Montauban-Mametz road, in a veritable mud-hole.
The following morning they moved forward to Switch Trench, near High Wood and remained there until evening, when they again moved forward and relieved the 53rd Battalion in the front line.

The next day they received orders that an attack would be carried out on November 5th by the Brigade with the objective being Bayonet Trench, The Maze and Gird Trench, the object of which was to shorten their line, enhance the value of their forward observation of the main Albert Bapaume road, and incidentally deprive the enemy of his front line observation posts.
The trenches were in a deplorable condition, the sides falling in from time to time and the earth became churned up practicality knee deep.
The ground to be crossed was ploughed up by shell fire, the extra large shell-holes being half-filled with water. The enemy’s line was very strongly held, with their machine gun posts being splendidly sited.

Unfortunately complications arose in connection with the approach movements of the 25th Battalion, which had not reached the assembly positions by daylight, with the result that the central attacking Battalion was composed of men from the 26th, 27th, and 28th Battalions.
Arthur’s Company, upon reporting to the C.O, of the 25th Battalion, shortly before 8 a.m., received orders to attack and clean up the Maze.

Tired but determined to test the fighting qualities of the enemy they made their advance under the very lightest of artillery barrages, meeting immediately with a withering fire from the enemy strong points. As the advance took place during daylight the enemy gunners and snipers were able to use their weapons with deadly effect, the close range adding to their advantage.
Large gaps were cut in the lines of advancing troops, who, however, would not be denied and gallantly rushing forward and some small parties were able to reach Bayonet Trench and The Maze.

It was during this attack that Arthur suffered a Gun Shot Wound to his right shoulder and was admitted to the Field Ambulance before being invalided back to England for treatment. 

When darkness set in many of the boys, some of whom were slightly wounded, made their way back to their lines and despite the consistency of enemy machine gun fire, the work of rescuing their wounded was carried on until dawn.
The next morning their casualties were found to be extremely heavy, only three company officers remaining.
During the morning advanced parties of the 17th Battalion arrived and at 10.30 p.m they were relieved and moved back to Montauban Camp.

A medical inspection of the Battalion revealed that 90 per cent of the men were suffering from cramp and trench feet, with the worst cases being evacuated to hospital.
They remained at Montauban for the next 7 days carrying out fatigue work near Longueval before being issued with gum-boots and woolen clothing and marching to Longueval, resting in the vicinity of Carlton Camp.

On the 15th of November they relieved the 26th Battalion in the front line and 2 days later a much improved trench system was decided upon and they dug a shorter trench connection with the 28th Battalion on their left and the 24th Battalion on their right.

A thaw set in during the evening of November 18th and the trenches gave way in places, many of the boys losing their gum-boots in endeavors to extricate themselves from the heavy mud.
No further advance was attempted and that night they were relieved by the 17th Battalion and then marched of over 7 miles to Fricourt Camp, through showers of rain and slush with the main roads connecting Longueval, Montauban, and Fricourt being ankle deep in mud.

It was here at Fricourt camp 2 days later that Robert suffered form severe trench feet and was admitted into the 5th Australian Field Ambulance before being transferred to the 38th Casualty Clearing Station at Heilly.
Two days later he was transferred to the 1st Australian General Hospital in Rouen and then 5 days later he embarked from Le Havre for England on board HS Asturias and was admitted into the Beaufort War Hospital.

After 2 weeks here Robert was transferred to 3rd Australian Auxiliary Hospital on the 11th of December and after spending Christmas here he was discharged on the 28th of December and granted 2 weeks furlough.
On the 12th of January 1917 he reported to No.1 Command Depot in Perham Downs and then 6 days later he was transferred to No.4 Command Depot in Wareham.
Robert spent a further 4 weeks here before being transferred to No.3 Command Depot in Hurdcott on the 17th of March.

On the 2nd of April Robert was posted to the newly raised 6th Division, 17th Brigade, 70th Battalion in Wareham.
When the AIF reached France, plans were originally made to raise the 6th Division and it was raised in April 1917 and men began to be posted in, including Robert.
The plan was abandoned after the casualties sustained at Bullecourt, then Messines, in May-June 1917, when it was realised reinforcements would barely be adequate to sustain five Divisions let alone a sixth, without Conscription.
The defeat of the Conscription Bill by Referendum back in Australia sealed the fate of the 6th Division.
The 6th Division structure comprised the 16th and 17th Brigades and they were comprised thus:
16th Brigade - 61st, 62nd,63rd and 65th Battalions
17th Brigade - 66th, 67th, 69th and 70th Battalions
The 6th Division and its subordinate Brigades and units never saw combat and were disbanded in September.
Its personnel were quickly posted to either training units in the UK or off to the Front which was at that stage in Belgium.

On the 19th of September Robert was transferred back to the 27th Battalion and then proceeded to France, once more, on the 14th of October.
One week later he joined them in Systematic training at Steenvoorde and then on the 21st the 7th Brigade Church Parade, held on the 27th Battalion parade ground, was attended by General Sir William Birdwood, who afterwards presented medals to various members of the Brigade.
General Paton and acting Brigadier General Collet then inspected them the following day.

They left Steenvoorde early on October 26th and journeyed in buses, to Cafe Beige and camped under trench shelters in the Swan Area.
The next day they left at noon and marched by way of Warrington Track, Birr Cross Roads and Helles Track, to Albert Redoubt and relieved the 59th Battalion as right Support Battalion.
The 27th Battalion Headquarters, together with D Company, was in the vicinity of Albert Redoubt and A, B and C Companies were disposed near Albania Wood, north of Polygon Wood.

The duck board and corduroy tracks leading to and from the Westhoek and Bellevarde ridges were consistently shelled by the enemy with shrapnel and gas shells and everything reeked of mustard and other deadly gasses.

By November they had moved to huts near Belgian Chateau and the majority of the Battalion was engaged in assisting the Canadian Light Tramway Company, near Ypres, before being bussed back to the Steenvoorde Area.
By the 16th they had moved to the Berthen Area and the following day they marched the Neuve-Eglise area.

On the 15th of December they left Neuve-Eglise and marched to Red Lodge, situated at the foot of Hill 63 and then moved into the front line.
They were then relieved on Christmas Eve and marched to Romarin camp where they spent Christmas 1917 and New Years Day 1918 before marching back into the front line in the Ploegsteert area for another 10 day rotation.

They then spent February in the Henneveux Sub-Area near Bellebrune where they carried out training before moving to the Kortepyp area in March.
Then entraining at Connaught Siding on the 20th they moved once more into the front line for 12 days before returning to Kortepyp camp and then bussed to Fletre.
A few days later they moved to Allonville, Corbie and then into the front line near Baizieux.
After a week here they moved to St. Laurence Farm for rotational rest and were then back in the front line by the 16th of April.
They were relieved on the 30th and marched to Bavelincourt before moving to the Amiens Area by motor lorries and camped at St. Acheul.

Rivery was their next destination and they billeted in the Hospice St, Victor, a spacious hospital which had been evacuated by the civilians.
Leaving here on the 11th of May they marched to the La-Houssoye switch system of trenches and were then involved in the attack on Ville-Sur-Ancre on the 20th.

By the end of June they were in the front line at Blangy-Tronville and they were then involved to the attack At Monument Wood and Hamel in July.
On July 29th they were conveyed by motor lorries to the vicinity of the Tank Park, north-west of Amiens, where they practiced the latest methods of Tank and Infantry co-operation in ready for the attack on Villers-Bretonneux.
They were then involved in the capture of Biaches and the attack on Mont St. Quentin and the Peronne and St. Denis in September.

On September 9th a “Henley on the Somme” was held and a large crowd thoroughly enjoyed the lengthy programme of swimming and diving events that were open to all units of the 7th Brigade.
September 16th was observed as a holiday by all units of the division, on account of the divisional sports which were held on the high ground south of Eclusier.

Then two days later Robert and Roy were delighted when Arthur returned to the Battalion after his recovery in England.

Nine days later they marched via Herbecourt, Biaches and St. Denis to Courcelles camp before moving onto Tincourt.
Then on the 1st of October they marched via Hamel, Marquaix and Roisel to the Templeux le Guerard area and participated in the attack on Bellicourt and Montbrehain.

Robert then gained 2 weeks leave to England and on rejoining his Battalion on the 7th of November; they were in camp at Berteaucourt.

On the morning of Robert’s 25th Birthday, November 11th 1918, they carried out a route march to Vignacourt, Bethencourt and St. Owen and enroute through St. Ledger, the ringing of the church bells and tremendous enthusiasm displayed by the civilians conveyed to them the news that the Armistice had been signed, and that the Great World War had practically ended.

With the Battalion Band playing “The Marseillaise”, they then marched into Berteaucourt, heartily cheered by the civilians.

During the next few days the excitement following the signing of the Armistice gradually passed away and they became eager to know as much as was possible of their future movements.
On the 23rd of November, very cold and frosty morning, they left Berteaucourt for Hangest-sur-Somme where they entrained to Busigny before marching to Mazinghein and then onto the Fayt-Cartignies area.
From here they marched via Catillon to Le Grand Fayt and on the 1st of December, His Majesty King George IV, accompanied by the Prince of Wales and General Rawlinson, visited the Australian Corps area.

December 17th saw them start their 3 days march to Mont-sur-Marchienne and it was here that the “3 Burnett Boys” spent their last Christmas away from their family and friends.
Then, at 1 p.m., on the 15th of January 1919 Arthur was part of the first draft to leave for Australia.
Two days later Robert was granted 2 weeks leave to Paris and then returned to the Battalion.

Robert & Roy finally marched out of the Battalion on the 12th of March and embarked for England on the 25th and marched into camp at Sutton Veny.

Robert & Roy embarked from England on the 15th of May 1919 on board HT Ypiringa and disembarked in Adelaide on the 2nd of July.

Robert was discharged from the AIF on the 16th of August 1919 and awarded the British War & Victory Medals.