BURTON, John
| Service Number: | 358 |
|---|---|
| Enlisted: | Not yet discovered |
| Last Rank: | Sergeant |
| Last Unit: | 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen |
| Born: | Rosewood, Queensland, Australia, 3 January 1874 |
| Home Town: | Albion, Brisbane, Queensland |
| Schooling: | Not yet discovered |
| Occupation: | Clerk (Railways Department) |
| Died: | Brisbane, Queensland, Australia, 10 June 1960, aged 86 years, cause of death not yet discovered |
| Cemetery: |
Balmoral Cemetery, Qld Plot: 8 - 544 |
| Memorials: |
Boer War Service
| 1 Oct 1899: | Involvement Private, 358, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen | |
|---|---|---|
| 6 Mar 1901: | Embarked Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Private, 358, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 488 notes 5th QIB embarked at Pinkenba 6 Mar 1901 aboard Templemore arriving Port Elizabeth 1 Apr 1901. | |
| 1 Jun 1901: | Promoted Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Sergeant, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 501, notes promoted to Pay Sergeant 1 Jun 1901. | |
| 5 May 1902: | Discharged Australian and Colonial Military Forces - Boer War Contingents, Sergeant, 358, 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen, AWM Boer War Unit Details, Murray p. 491 notes 5th QIB embarked at Cape Town 27 Mar 1902 aboard St Andrew returning to Australia arriving Brisbane 30 Apr 1902, disbanded 5 May 1902. |
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Add my storyBiography contributed by Claude McKelvey
When John Burton enlisted in 1901 in the 5th QIB and his details were published in The Queenslander, 16 Mar 1901, he noted his N.O.K. as his father B. Burton, Queen St, Albion.
On 1 Mar 1901 an article was published in The Brisbane Courier covering "Presentations and Farewells" for those embarking for the Boer war. the article included coverage of a reception and presentation by the Commissioner for Railways Office for employee soldier Jack Burton who was to depart with the 5th QIB. His father Benjamin (Ben) Burton was employed by the Railways Department as a Chief Inspector and his sons, John (Jack) and Ben also took employment at the Railways Department. When his father Benjamin passed in 1917 he was still living at the family home "Wakefield", Queens Rd, Clayfield.
In 1954, while living in Sydney, John wrote to Army Command seeking service medals that he believed he was entitled to but had not recieved. This letter is contained in his Boer War Dossier held by National Archives, along with a sumary of his service details. That summary indicates he was born at Rosewood on 26 Oct 1973 which differs from the date of birth registration held by BDM Qld.
John Burton was born on 3 Jan 1874 at it is assumed, Rosewood, Qld, a son to Ben Burton (Benjamin Hutchinson Burton) and Margaret Burton (nee McHugh). He married Flora Marie Brightwell on 17 May 1913 at St John's Cathedral, Brisbane.
The wedding notice published in The Brisbane Courier, 28 May 1913, indicated that John had continued his carrer in the railways and had been working in China with the Audit Department, Government Railways, Tientsin, China (an area involved in the Boxer Rebellion in 1900). It appears he had met his wife while working there, where she had been living with her first husband when he died in 1911.
(source- Boer War Nominal Roll, Murray p. 501; National Archives Australia- B 5172 Nominal Roll of 5th Queensland Imperial Bushmen Contingent Queensland Defence Force for service in South Africa, p. 6; National Archives Australia- Boer War Dossier; various newspaper articles).
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