Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Henry was the second son, born in Hackney on the 3rd April 1904 to Charles John and Alma Eliza Burge. His siblings included Charles, Phil, Beatrice Alma, Alice, Lillian May (Maysie) and Albert William (Bert).
Their father was particularly active in the Timber Worker’s Union, tirelessly working for safer conditions for the young labourers in the industry, which was physically demanding and involved significant lifting and manoeuvring quantities of slings of timber. Steel rope cables were used to lift large tons of wood, but to accelerate the rate and quantity of lifting equipment, safety devices were not always engaged thus enabling higher lifting and greater clearances. Charles attended several inquests where workers had been either badly injured or perhaps killed. He also worked tirelessly to ensure workers were paid according to their award, at a time where fair wages were not always paid, because of plentiful workers vying for jobs. He was responsible for securing the 44-hour week for timber workers.
In those days, Unions created strong family ties, with annual picnics organised. As a nineteen-year-old Henry, affectionately known as ‘Harry’ travelled with the family to Mount Barker for the Timber Workers’ Picnic in December ‘23. Two special trains had been organised for this 5th Annual Picnic. The local Mount Barker Brass Band played throughout the day and foot races were also held, with Harry winning the Open Handicap. This bettered his 3rd placing in the 1921 race. Charles, ‘zealous and courteous secretary’, began this tradition with about 1,000 attending in 1913.
Harry was 21 when his 23-year-old sister, Lillian died in April ’25 in the Adelaide Hospital after a lengthy five-month illness. This was a challenging blow to the family. Almost a year later, Harry married Aileen (Trene) Inez Williams from Angaston on the 13th of March 1926 in the Maughan Methodist Church in Adelaide. He chose Fred Lewis as his best man. The young couple initially lived at Royston Park, then Magill where they raised four children, Maisie, John, Joan and Geoff.
Harry was 34, when the family learned of the sudden, tragic death of their 60-year-old father, Charles. He was on union business, heading for a conference in Melbourne when he and another union secretary broke their journey at Ballarat. Feeling unwell, Charles died suddenly of an acute heart attack on the 24th October ’38. He had been a member of the union for almost 50 years and secretary for 28 of those years. He was buried with his daughter, Lillian in the Payneham Cemetery.
Aged 36 Harry, a labourer enlisted in Adelaide to serve in WWII on the 29th June ’40 as SX6887. He was allocated to the newly formed 2/48th Battalion and began intensive training at Woodside before having brief leave with his family, then embarking on the Stratheden on the 7th November, arriving in the Middle East on the 17th December. He was soon graded as a Group II Carpenter.
General Mongomery, the highly respected leader, stressed to all his units that there was to be absolutely NO Withdrawals when news was gleaned that Rommel was about to attack El Alamein. Henry was to become one of the highly respected and feted Rats of Tobruk. This term was originally designed to destroy morale amongst the troops, who had dug into the sandy soil and were living ‘like rats’ amongst the flies and insanitary, primitive conditions. In typical Australian fashion, the term was quickly adopted to become a badge of pride for the men.
Enemy fighters began to be seen over the Allied lines, with several ‘dog-fights’ eventuating. John Glenn in Tobruk to Tarakan recounted how on the 1st September, two enemy aircraft made a sneak raid over the battalion and straddled headquarters with anti-personnel bombs. Private A Watts was killed, and Private H.C. Burge was wounded. Fifteen unexploded bombs were later located and destroyed.’ Harry was severely wounded in action with a gunshot wound to his chest and was immediately evacuated for treatment.
Back home the newspapers carried the report of those who were killed or wounded in action. Listed were: SX6887 Pte. Henry C. Burge, 2/48th Magill; SX7085 Cpl. James S. Knapp, Cav., Gladstone; SX3260 WO2 George Lander, 2/48th Medindie; and SX12786 Pte. Eric C. E. Stevens, 2/43rd Lameroo.
Henry’s injuries meant that he was classified as unfit for active service ‘with field formations’. He served briefly with the Depot Battalion before heading home to Australia via Sydney. Leave back home followed before he was then finally discharged on the 6th September 1943.
Henry lived to be 73 and died on the 8th January ’78 at the Repatriation Hospital, Daw Park. He was buried in the Derrick Gardens at Centennial Park Cemetery, Path 36, Grave 634B. Aileen lived to be 85 and died on the 14th August 1989. She now also rests with Henry.
Researched and written by Kaye Lee, daughter of Bryan Holmes SX8133, 2/48th Battalion.