Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

From How We Served
 
The final resting place for; - V145210 Captain Cecil Joseph Burke Dignan of Roscommon, Ireland and Middle Brighton, Victoria, had already previously served as a Commissioned Officer with the South Irish Horse of the 1st British Expeditionary Force in the trenches of Northern France and Flanders during World War One.

Following the end of hostilities, he was to return to Ireland where he would join the Royal Irish Constabulary in 1920, and with which he would remain with until 1922. Later the same year Cecil joined the Palestinian Police Force, with which he served with for 4 years, before deciding to immigrate to Australia.

Having arrived in Australia, Cecil joined the Victorian Police Force, and by the start of World War Two, Cecil was serving as a Stipendiary Steward when he enlisted with the Australian Military Forces on the 31st of December 1941.

Following his enlistment Cecil was allocated to the 3rd Military District Provost Corps, with the Commissioned rank of Lieutenant. Whilst detached for duty with Head Quarters 6th Albury Lines of Communication Sub Area in mid-April of 1942, he was promoted to the rank of Captain.

Cecil was evacuated to the 115th Australian General Hospital (Heidelberg) due to sickness at the start of June and was placed on the dangerously ill list. Whilst still under medical treatment Cecil succumbed to sickness on the 18th of July 1942, passing at the premature age of 43.

Following his death whilst in the service of the Australian Military Forces, Captain Cecil Dignan, an Irish veteran of the trenches of the ‘Great War’, and who had enlisted to serve in the defence of his adopted country due to a Second World War, was formally laid to rest within Springvale War Cemetery, Victoria.