Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

After the war, Gerald Burke married, Grandma, Agnes Holly Tarrant. They had two sons, my father, Charles Gerald (now deceased) and Marty, the latter being named after Gerald’s brother, Martin John Burke, who died on the Western front in 1918. Martin was in the 15th Battalion. Both sons were very close to each other, but sadly, Marty, who had joined the Royal Australian Air Force was killed in a terrible plane crash, in an aerobatic exhibition, in Sale, Victoria. Charles married Janette Mary Moxham and they had three children, Kim Elizabeth, David Pope and Michelle Patricia. Marty married Louise, and they had two children, Cathy and Jenny.
None of his grandchildren have any recollection of Gerald, but from what we have been told, when Charles and Marty were children, he ensured they all had wonderful holidays, going to the zoo, the beach and travelling frequently between Springsure, Emerald, Brisbane and Sydney. He also ensured both his sons were very well educated. Wonderful photographs show the extent of the travel and holiday fun. Unfortunately he appears to have suffered ‘shell shock’, from what Grandma and Charles said and he spent a long time in Greenslopes Repatriation Hospital in Brisbane. He died there in 1964. His brother Martin John had no children as far as we are aware. We are very proud to have had a grandfather who served his country, joining his unit, 1st Light Horse Field Ambulance at Anzac on 15 August 2015, and going onto serve in France, on the Western front between 2016 and 2019.