John Charles (Shonner-Jack) BURGESS

BURGESS, John Charles

Service Numbers: 4348, 4348A
Enlisted: 3 November 1915, Served in the Cadets.
Last Rank: Private
Last Unit: 2nd Infantry Battalion
Born: Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia, 12 October 1893
Home Town: Stockton, Newcastle, New South Wales
Schooling: St. Mary's-Marist Bros' School, Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia
Occupation: Labourer
Died: Killed in Action, Polygon Wood, Belgium, 21 September 1917, aged 23 years
Cemetery: No known grave - "Known Unto God"
The Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial (Panel 7),
Memorials: Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Menin Gate Memorial (Commonwealth Memorial to the Missing of the Ypres Salient), Stockton Soldiers Memorial
Show Relationships

World War 1 Service

3 Nov 1915: Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 4348, 4th Infantry Battalion, Served in the Cadets.
20 Dec 1915: Involvement Private, 4348, 4th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '8' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Aeneas embarkation_ship_number: A60 public_note: ''
20 Dec 1915: Embarked Private, 4348, 4th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Aeneas, Sydney
14 Feb 1916: Transferred AIF WW1, Private, 2nd Infantry Battalion
23 Jul 1916: Wounded AIF WW1, Private, 4348, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Battle for Pozières , GSW left arm
21 Sep 1917: Involvement Private, 4348A, 2nd Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 4348A awm_unit: 2 Battalion awm_rank: Private awm_died_date: 1917-09-21

Help us honour John Charles Burgess's service by contributing information, stories, and images so that they can be preserved for future generations.

Biography contributed by Evan Evans

From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
 
Let us remember a Fallen soldier of The Great War memorialised at Sandgate Cemetery.

On the 21st September 1917, Private John Charles Burgess, also known as Shonner and Jack, 2nd Battalion (stretcher bearer, Reg No- 4348A), labourer from William Street, Stockton, New South Wales, was Killed in Action by enemy artillery shell near Polygon Wood, Battle of the Menin Road, age 22.

Born at Newcastle, New South Wales on the 30th September 1895 to John Joseph (died 13.10.1929, Newcastle, N.S.W., age?, name not inscribed at gravesite) and Kathleen Burgess nee Laurence (Kate, died 24.8.1914, Newcastle, N.S.W., age 37), Shonner enlisted on the 3rd November 1915 with the 4th Battalion, Reg No- 4348, at Liverpool, N.S.W.

Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A60 Aeneas on the 20th December 1915.
Wounded in action - 23.7.1916 (GSW left arm, mild, Battle of Pozieres).

Admitted to hospital 15.2.1917 (abscess).

Shonner’s name has been inscribed on the Ypres (Menin Gate) Memorial (Panel 7), Belgium.
Place of Association - Newcastle, New South Wales, Australia.

Mr. Burgess’s name has also been inscribed on the St. Mary's-Marist Bros' School (Newcastle) Honour Roll, Stockton Soldiers' Memorial, Stockton Goose Club Roll of Honour Board and The Capt. Clarence Smith Jeffries (V.C.) and Pte. William Matthew Currey (V.C.) Memorial Wall.

Older brother William Henry Burgess (Bluey, born about 1893?, Newcastle, N.S.W., labourer from William Street, Stockton, New South Wales, enlisted 19.8.1915, 3rd Battalion, Reg No-4438, KIA 9.8.1918 during the Battle of Amiens, age 25, resting at Villers-Bretonneux Military Cemetery, France. Plot XX Row D Grave 2, 

Younger brother Joseph Vincent (Vince, born 26.7.1897, Cooks Hill, N.S.W., labourer from William Street, Stockton, New South Wales, enlisted 5.7.1916, 1st Australian Pioneer Battalion, Reg No-3078, RTA 30.10.1919, died?, not officially commemorated) also served 1st A.I.F.

I have placed poppies at the memorialised Burgess gravesite in remembrance of the service and supreme sacrifice of their 2 sons Shonner & Bluey for God, King & Country. CATHOLIC 1-07. 69.

Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.

For more detail, see “Forever Remembered “
http://www.commemoratingwarheroes.com/cemetery-main-search/

Lest We Forget.

Read more...