BURKE, Benjamin
| Service Number: | 1079 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | 7 January 1916 |
| Last Rank: | Lance Corporal |
| Last Unit: | 34th Infantry Battalion |
| Born: | Minmi, New South Wales, Australia, 14 August 1893 |
| Home Town: | Minmi, Newcastle, New South Wales |
| Schooling: | Minmi Public School, New South Wales, Australia |
| Occupation: | Miner |
| Died: | Killed in Action, Paschendaele Ridge, Belgium, 12 October 1917, aged 24 years |
| Cemetery: |
Dochy Farm New British Cemetery Plot VIII, Row B, Grave No. 6 Same Cemetery as older brother Pte John Allan (aka Edward Burke 4352, 17th Bn, KIA 9/10/1917, Dochy Farm New British Cemetery, Belgium. Plot VII Row B Grave 8.) |
| Memorials: | Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, Haymarket NSW Government Railway and Tramway Honour Board, Minmi Roll of Honour |
World War 1 Service
| 7 Jan 1916: | Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 1079, 34th Infantry Battalion | |
|---|---|---|
| 2 May 1916: | Involvement Private, 1079, 34th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '17' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Hororata embarkation_ship_number: A20 public_note: '' | |
| 2 May 1916: | Embarked Private, 1079, 34th Infantry Battalion, HMAT Hororata, Sydney | |
| 4 Oct 1917: | Honoured Mention in Dispatches, 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 169, 4 October 1917. | |
| 12 Oct 1917: | Involvement Lance Corporal, 1079, 34th Infantry Battalion, Third Ypres, --- :awm_ww1_roll_of_honour_import: awm_service_number: 1079 awm_unit: 34th Australian Infantry Battalion awm_rank: Lance Corporal awm_died_date: 1917-10-12 |
Great Sydney Central Station Honour Board
No railway employment record card can be located for Benjamin BURKE (Service Number 1079). Apart from the name on the Sydney Station Roll of Honour and the 1921 Annual report listing, the only record of his association with the Railways is a single entry in the 1917 Government Gazette that he was employed and at 31 December, ‘Serving with the AIF’. He had been born about September 1893 at Minmi. Despite his railway connection, he described himself on his attestation papers when he enlisted in January 1916, as a miner.
He left Australia through Sydney on 2 May 1916 on HMAT ‘Honorata’, reaching Plymouth on 23 June. He proceeded overseas to France to join the 34th Battalion in November and was promoted to Lance Corporal. He had a number of periods of hospitalisation with illness and was wounded in action. He was also Mentioned in Sir Douglas Haig’s despatches. (Commonwealth of Australia Gazette 4 October 1917, page 2654, position 80.)
On 12 October 1917 he was killed in action in Belgium, after having been previously reported missing. Benjamin Burke’s brother Edward Burke (also known as John Allan), (Service Number 4352) was also reported missing, then killed in action, three days earlier. Despite going missing on action, Ben Burke’s gravesite was located later, and his remains were removed to a more consolidated cemetery.
Both brothers are buried in Dochy Farm New British Cemetery, Passchendaele, Flanders, Belgium.
(NAA B2455-3168834)
Submitted 12 May 2023 by John Oakes
Biography contributed by Evan Evans
From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery
Let us remember a Fallen soldier of The Great War memorialised at Minmi Cemetery, N.S.W.
On the 12th October 1917, Lance Corporal Benjamin Burke M.I.D., referred to as Ben, 34th Battalion (Reg No-1079), miner from Church Street, Minmi, New South Wales, was Killed in Action during the 1st Battle of Passchendaele, Belgium, age 24 years 2 months. Cause of death unknown.
Born at Minmi, New South Wales on the 14th August 1893 to John (died tragically 5.11.1903, Wallsend Hospital, N.S.W., age 49, witnessed by Edward, aged 14, and brother Benjamin, age 10, buried at Left Hand Side, Section 23, Plot 074), and Anne or Annie Ethel Burke nee Brennan (died 16.1.1949, Newcastle, N.S.W., age 97, mother of 7, sleeping at Left Hand Side, Section 23, Plot 074), from Church Street, Minmi, New South Wales and10 Mary Street, Merewether, N.S.W. and 30 Caldwell Street, Merewether, N.S.W.
Ben enlisted on the 7th January 1916, age 22 years 4 months, at Newcastle, N.S.W.
Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A20 Hororata on the 2nd May 1916.
Disembarked Plymouth, England 23.6.1916.
Proceeded O/Seas to France from Southampton, England 21.11.1916.
Appointed Lance Corporal 19.1.1917.
Admitted to hospital 19.5.1917 (septic thumb).
Wounded in action - 7.6.1917 (gas poisoning, Battle of Messines).
Reported Missing in Action 12.10.1917.
Court of Enquiry 21.2.1918, now reported Killed in Action 12.10.1917.
Awarded, and promulgated, 'London Gazette', second Supplement, No. 30107, 1st June 1917; 'Commonwealth Gazette' No. 169, 4th October 1917.
Ben is resting at Dochy Farm New British Cemetery, Belgium. Plot VIII Row B Grave 6.
https://www.cwgc.org/.../casualty.../160867/benjamin-burke/.
Place of Association - Minmi, New South Wales, Australia.
Mr. Burke’s name has been inscribed on the Minmi Roll of Honour and the Star of Minmi Lodge, No. 1606, G.U.O.O.F.
Older brother Edward Burke (born 6.10.1889, Minmi, New South Wales, single labourer from East Street, Rockhampton, Queensland?, enlisted 3.1.1916 as John Allan, SERN 4352, age 26 years 2 months, Royal Agricultural Society Showground, Sydney, N.S.W., Unit embarked from Sydney, New South Wales on board HMAT A71 Nestor on the 9th April 1916, Court of Enquiry 27.4.1918 reported Killed in Action 9.10.1917, age 28, Passchendaele, Ypres, Belgium, resting at Dochy Farm New British Cemetery, Belgium. Plot VII Row B Grave , memorialised same location - Left Hand Side, Section 23, Plot 074.
I have placed poppies at the memorialised Burke gravesite in remembrance of the service and supreme sacrifice of brothers Edward and Ben for God, King & Country. Left Hand Side, Section 23, Plot 074.
Memorial inscription should read Belgium.
Many thanks to Jeanette Park and Ros Cheetham for the notification.
Contact with descendants would be greatly appreciated.
Lest We Forget.
Click images to start slideshow.