LEST WE FORGET
Aircraftman Class 1 Francis James BURKE
Service No: 118157
Born: Broken Hill NSW, 2 October 1916
Enlisted in the RAAF: 5 September 1942 (at Melbourne VIC)
Unit: No. 1 Fighter Wing
Died: Injuries, RAAF Station Richmond NSW, 24 November 1942, Aged 26 Years
Buried: Sydney War Cemetery, Rookwood NSW
CWGC Additional Information: Son of James Thomas Burke and Ethel Mary Burke, of Adelaide, South Australia
Roll of Honour: Adelaide SA
Remembered: Panel 112, Commemorative Area, Australian War Memorial, Canberra ACT
On 23 November 1942, Aircraftman Class 1 Burke (Mess Steward) was found shot outside a billet at Richmond. An investigation found that a rifle with a length of string attached to the trigger was on the floor of the billet. He was admitted to hospital but died at 0040 hours on 24 November 1942.
References:
Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour On-Line Records (RAAF Casualty Information compiled by Alan Storr (409804))
Commonwealth War Graves Commission On-Line Records
Department of Veterans’ Affairs On-Line WWII Nominal Roll
National Archives of Australia On-Line Record A705, 103/93/800