Hercules Clemens (Clem) BURGESS

Hercules Clemens (Clem) BURGESS Update Details

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BURGESS, Hercules Clemens

Service Number:	2332
Enlisted:	31 May 1915, Liverpool, New South Wales
Last Rank:	Private
Last Unit:	3rd Infantry Battalion
Born:	Carrington, New South Wales , Australia, 21 December 1887
Home Town:	Newcastle, Hunter Region, New South Wales
Schooling:	Not yet discovered
Occupation:	Horse driver/Crane driver
Died:	Respiratory issues (mustard gas WWI), Maryville, New South Wales, Australia, 26 October 1946, aged 58 years
Cemetery:	Sandgate General Cemetery, Newcastle, NSW CATHOLIC 2-40. 38.
Memorials:	Carrington Connolly Park War Memorial Gates, Carrington Football Club HR

World War 1 Service

31 May 1915:	Enlisted AIF WW1, Private, 2332, Liverpool, New South Wales
14 Jul 1915:	Involvement AIF WW1, Private, 2332, 3rd Infantry Battalion, Enlistment/Embarkation WW1, --- :embarkation_roll: roll_number: '7' embarkation_place: Sydney embarkation_ship: HMAT Orsova embarkation_ship_number: A67 public_note: ''
14 Jul 1915:	Embarked AIF WW1, Private, 2332, 3rd Infantry Battalion, HMAT Orsova, Sydney
10 Aug 1919:	Discharged AIF WW1, Private, 2332, 3rd Infantry Battalion, Returned to Australia aboard HMAT Boonah. Disembarked 11/6/19

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

Biography contributed by Jason McCabe

Hercules, or known to family and friends as Clem, was from a water side working family who all lived in the Newcastle suburb of Carrington.

Hercules enlisted in the AIF along with his four brothers - George, Walter (Wally), Alfred (Alfie), and Percy.

Leaving behind his wife, Elizabeth and 7 year old son Jack, Hercules embarked to Egypt for initial training before seeing action in France and Belgium at the Somme and Ypres.

He returned to Australia aboard HMAT Boonah with his younger brother Percy. Wally, Alfie, and George had returned earlier aboard different ships....

Hercules was discharged from the AIF on August 10, 1919 and he resumed working as a crane driver on Newcastle's docks....After having two more children, Jim and Clyde, they all moved to the neighbouring suburb of Maryville....Elizabeth died in 1937 aged on 48...Having suffered respiratory problems after the war as a result of the mustard gas, Hercules collapsed and died suddenly in his vegetable garden on October 26, 1946 aged just 59 years old. His two youngest sons, Jim and Clyde, served gallantly in WW2. Jim in the army, and Clyde as a pilot in the RAAF.

The five Burgess brothers are listed on the honour role at the gates to the cricket oval in Carrington, NSW. Hercules is buried in Sandgate cemetary near Newcastle in Catholic 2, section 4, lot 38

Biography contributed by Evan Evans

From Gary Mitchell, Sandgate Cemetery

1 of 5 brothers to serve during The Great War, all resting at Sandgate Cemetery, not forgotten.

76 years ago today, on the Wednesday afternoon of the 28th October 1946, Driver Hercules Clement (Clemens, Clements) Burgess, also known as Clem, 3rd Battalion (Reg No-2332), horse driver from Little Denison Street, Carrington, New South Wales and 11 O'Hara Street, Maryville, N.S.W., father of three (Jack, Jim, Clyde), was laid to rest at Sandgate Cemetery, age 59. CATHOLIC 2-40. 38.

Born at Carrington, New South Wales on the 21st December 1886 to John and Margaret Jane Burgess; husband of Elizabeth Burgess nee Swinton (married 1908, Stockton, N.S.W., died 18.3.1937. CATHOLIC 2-51. 10., marked curbing, no headstone) and Elsie Muriel Burgess nee McGuiness (married 1941, Hamilton, N.S.W., died 21.10.1951, wrongly inscribed 1952, sleeping here), Clem enlisted May 1915 at Liverpool, N.S.W.

Service record indicates no sickness or wounding's.
Clem returned home June 1919, being discharged on the 10th August 1919.

Mr. Burgess’s name has been inscribed on the Carrington Citizens' Memorial Gates, Carrington Municipal District Roll of Honor (photo, 6 BURGESS names inscribed, A BURGESS inscribed twice, H BURGESS indicated KIA?) and the Carrington Football Club Roll of Honor (4 BURGESS names inscribed). Name not inscribed on the Newcastle Gas & Coke Company Limited Roll of Honor.

Older brothers George William (1st Royal Australian Naval Bridging Train, Reg No-1, born Carrington, N.S.W. 1875, died 13.12.1940, age 65 - CATHOLIC 1-19. 21.) and Walter John (Wallaby, 35th & 54th Battalions, Reg No-25, born Carrington, N.S.W. 1882, died 10.7.1926, age 44 - CATHOLIC 1-25. 60.) also resting at the cemetery.

Younger brothers Alfred (34th Battalion, Reg No-381, born Carrington, N.S.W. 1899, died 20.11.1944, age 45 - CATHOLIC 2-55. 104.) and Percy Waterford B (3rd Battalion, Reg No-4435, born Carrington, N.S.W. 1896, died 25.8.1944, age 48 - CATHOLIC 2-37. 55.) also resting at the cemetery.

Many thanks to Great Grandson Jason McCabe for the photos and family history (October 2020).

Hercules, or known to family and friends as Clem, was from a waterside working family who all lived in the Newcastle suburb of Carrington, N.S.W.

Hercules enlisted in the AIF along with his four brothers - George, Walter (Wally), Alfred (Alfie), and Percy.

Leaving behind his wife, Elizabeth and 7 year old son Jack, Hercules embarked to Egypt for initial training before seeing action in France and Belgium at the Somme and Ypres.

He returned to Australia aboard HMAT Boonah with his younger brother Percy. Wally, Alfie, and George had returned earlier aboard different ships.

Hercules was discharged from the AIF on August 10, 1919 and he resumed working as a crane driver on Newcastle's docks. After having two more children, Jim and Clyde, they all moved to the neighbouring suburb of Maryville, N.S.W. Elizabeth died in 1937, aged 48.

Having suffered respiratory problems after the war as a result of mustard gas, Hercules collapsed and died suddenly in his vegetable garden on October 26, 1946 aged just 59 years old. His two youngest sons, Jim and Clyde, served gallantly in WW2. Jim in the army, and Clyde as a pilot in the RAAF.

The five Burgess brothers' names have been inscribed on the Carrington Citizens' Memorial Gates.

The family of John and Margaret Burgess have quite a history besides the First Would War regarding Newcastle’s waterfront and Carrington. Two of the elder sons were killed. John Patrick (age 23) in October 1 1902 at the Dyke when a coal skip ran over his thigh, and Vincent in 1905. A newspaper report states he was killed in a mining accident in Kurri Kurri. My grandfather was name after them both - John Vincent Burgess (Jack) 1908-1976.

An interesting fact is George William married John’s widow, Rebecca.

Let me share a story my grandfather told me. Clem’s wife, Elizabeth (nee Swinton) was quite feisty. The day he arrived home at Newcastle train station the returning veterans were met by the Mayors of Carrington and Newcastle and they marched down Hunter Street. Elizabeth ran out, grabbed Clem by the arm, and yelled “You have had him for 4 years, he is coming home now with me”.

I have placed poppies and 1914-1918 WAR labels at the gravesites in remembrance of their service and sacrifice for God, King & Country.

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

Lest We Forget.

Virtual
War Memorial
Australia