Harold Burke MC

Studio portrait of Captain Harold Burke MC, 5th Battalion. The son of George John and Annie Gertrude Burke of Melbourne, Harold enlisted in the AIF at the age of 21 in August 1914. Two months later he embarked for active service overseas with the 5th Battalion, and after a period of training in Egypt, for the Gallipoli Campaign. He landed with his battalion on the 25th April 1915 as part of the second wave. While at Gallipoli, Burke was promoted through the ranks; firstly to Corporal in June, Sergeant in August, then 2nd Lieutenant in September. After the withdrawal from Gallipoli and return to Egypt, Burke sailed for France and the Western Front in March 1916 with 5th Battalion. It was at this time that he was promoted to Lieutenant, and in August was promoted to Captain. In September 1917, Burke was awarded the Military Cross for displaying "sound judgement and good leadership" during operations at Ypres on 20th September 1917. Captain Burke was killed in action on 24 August 1918 at St Martins Wood near Proyart in France, a few weeks prior to the 5th Battalion's disengagement from operations, and is buried at at Cerisy-Gailly Military Cemetery in France. His brother, Lieutenant Maurice Burke was captured in March 1917 and was held in several POW camps in Germany before being released at the end of the war. Lt Burke was to hear of his brother's death while in captivity at Freiburg, at which Captain Pius Stengel, the camp commander, allowed him the privacy of his office upon receiving word of his brother's death. Another brother, Major Edmund Louis Burke MC, and a sister, Sister Lalah Mary Burke AANS, also served. See also REL39073.001, P05974.001 and P07989.003.