Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Harold John Burden aka John Harold Burden,
was born in 25/11/1895, Grove Park, Kent, England.

In his early years, his family migrated to Australia.

Father J Burden and Mother Eliza Burden, living at 31 West Street, Torrensville, SA, with Harold's father working as a Stable Master. and later moved to Hardy's Lodge, Hardy's Road, Torrensville, SA.

Harold was very keen to make his contribution to the war effort.

Described on enlisting as 19 years old; single; 5' 6 1/2" tall; fair complexion; hazel eyes; fair hair; Church of England.

14/1/1915       Enlisted in Oaklands, South Australia

25/2/1915       Commanding Officer appointed Harold to 5th reinforcements,
                      10th Infantry Battalion, Morphettville Camp

20/4/1915       Embarked from Outer Harbour, Port Adelaide, on board HMAT Hororata A20
                      with the 5th reinforcements, 10th Infantry Battalion, for Suez, Egypt.

8/7/1915         taken on strength from reinforcements into 10th Infantry Battalion, Gallipoli

The 10th Battalion was heavily involved in establishing and defending the front line of the ANZAC position, and served there until the evacuation in December.

18/9/1915       sick to Hospital, Gallipoli Peninsula, Anzac
                      admitted to No.3 Field Ambulance with quinsey - transferred to Mudros
                      admitted to No.1 Australian Casualty Clearing Station,
18/9/1915       transferred to hospital ship HS Maheno

23/9/1915       admitted to St David's Hospital, Malta

17/10/1915     embarked for Egypt from Malta on board HT Karoola

26/10/1915     tonsilitiis - admitted to Convalescent Depot, Mudros West
2/12/1915       rejoined battalion in Mudros

29/12/1915     disembarked off of HMAT A48 Seang Bee, ex Alexandria

26/2/1916       transferred to 50th Infantry Battalion, Serapeum
27/2/1916       taken on strength into 50th Infantry Battalion, Tel-el-Kebir, Egypt

The 50th Battalion was raised in Egypt on 26 February 1916 as part of the "doubling" of the AIF. Approximately half of its recruits were veterans from the 10th Battalion, and the other half, fresh reinforcements from Australia. Reflecting the composition of the 10th, the 50th was predominantly composed of men from South Australia.
The battalion became part of the 13th Brigade of the 4th Australian Division and was dubbed "Hurcombe's Hungry Half Hundred", after its first CO, Lieutenant Colonel Frederick Hurcombe.

5/6/1916         proceeded to join the British Expeditionary Forces, ex Alexandria on board Arcadian
12/6/1916       disembarked into Marseilles, France

21/7/1916       admitted to No.18 General Hospital, Exestosis
24/7/1916       discharge to Base

After arriving in France on 11/6/1916, the 50th fought in its first major battle at Mouquet Farm between 12 and 15/8/1916 and suffered heavily. 

It took part in another assault launched there on 3/9/1916.
The battalion saw out the rest of the year alternating between front-line duty, and training and labouring behind the line. This routine continued through the bleak winter of 1916-'17.

21/10/1916     Peritonsilitis abscess - admitted to Chatham Hospital
26/10/1916     invalided to England on board HS St David, ex Boulogne, France

22/11-7/12/1916  Furlo (leave) in England

31/12/1916     proceeding overseas to France on board SS Invicta, ex Folkestone, England
1/1/1917         marched in to Etaples, France from England

Early in 1917, the battalion participated in the advance that followed the German retreat to the
                     Hindenburg Line, and attacked at Noreuil on 2/4/1917.

2/4/1917        declared  "Missing In Action" - France

2/4/1917        Captured and taken PRISONER OF WAR at Noreuil, France

2/6/1917        AIF were notified by the Germans - that Harold had been 'captured and became a Prisoner Of War',  initially in Dulmen, Germany

6/7/1917        then a POW at Limburg Camp 

5/1/1919        he was recovered from the POW Camp

31/1/1919       repatriated from Germany, with severe tonsilitis and arrived into France
31/1/1919       transferred to England, ex Rouen, France
3/2/1919         admitted to Military Hospital

20/1/1919       evacuated to a convalescent - Stationary Hospital, Paris
29/1/1919       discharged to Base, France

5/2/1919         discharged for leave in London, England
5/3/1919         report to Head Quarters

10/3/1919       admitted to George Hospital, at Weymouth
                      The depot was the joint Australian and New Zealand depot until the NZ depot opened
                      at Hornchurch in Essex in April 1916. Weymouth then became the Australian Imperial
                      Forces (AIF) Command Depot No.2 which accommodated those men not expected to
                      be fit for duty within six months, therefore, most of the Diggers repatriated as a result
                      of wounds or sickness passed through Weymouth (during 1915-1919 over 120,000
                      Australian and New Zealand troops passed through Weymouth).
                      In Spring & Summer, Weymouth Esplanade would be full of Anzac soldiers in
                      wheelchairs, being wheeled along by their more able mates.

5/4/1919         returned to Australia on board Armagh, ex Devonport, England
16/5/1919       disembarked into Australia

15/7/1919       Harold was discharged from the AIF

Medals:
1914/15 Star (582);  British War medal (2873) and Victory medal (2546)

31/8/1989      Harold passed away  (93 years old)
cremated in:  Centennial Park Cemetery, Goodwood Road, Pasadena, SA

Submitted by Heather Waters 28/5/2015, updated by Julianne T Ryan.  1/6/2015.  Lest we forget.