Burnett, Aldwin John

No.2627A – Private Aldwin John Burnett – 32^nd Battalion AIF

Aldwin John Burnett was born in Fremantle WA in 1896 to Harry and Harriet Burnett. He was one of four siblings with Beatrice (born 1899), Harold (1902) and Gertrude (1904). The family lived in Stock Road South Fremantle or what is now Hamilton Hill. Aldwin attended Hamilton Hill state school and also became a member of the 86A Cadets. Aldwin worked as a Dairyman but he carried on duty with the citizen forces. On the 5^th June 1916 Aldwin offered his services to the AIF at the Fremantle Recruitment Office. As he was only 19 at the time the consent of both parents was needed; and with this in hand Aldwin was accepted into the AIF. The medical examination found Aldwin to be 5 feet 4 ¼ inches in height; weight of 130 lbs; chest measurement of 33-35 inches; fresh complexion; blue eyes and fair hair. His religious denomination was Presbyterian.

Initially assigned to No.74 Depot, on the 29^th June, Aldwin was transferred to the Signal School, where he stayed until the 22^nd July. He was then allotted to the 6^th Reinforcements to the 51^st Battalion. This group trained in Western Australia for several months only embarking from Fremantle aboard the H.M.A.T. “Suffolk” on the 10^th October 1916. The group sailed to England, arriving at Plymouth on the 2^nd December 1916. The 6^th Reinforcements were sent to the 13^th Training Battalion at Codford Camp on the Salisbury Plains, and Aldwin would spend the next three months training here. On the 13^th March 1917 Aldwin left England and was shipped across to France, arriving at Etaples. The men were sent to the 4^th Australian Division Base Depot and remained here till the 5^th April 1917. Instead of being sent to the 51^st Battalion, Aldwin and others from his reinforcement group were instead allotted to the 32^nd Battalion of the 5^th Division. Joining the 32^nd Battalion on the 6^th April 1917 Aldwin served with them at Bullecourt in May 1917 and Third Ypres in September/October 1917. During this period he ran into trouble twice; on the 10^th July 1917 he was found in a village that was out of bounds and as a punishment was given 7 days of Field Punishment No.2. On the 3^rd August 1917 Aldwin was found to be drunk and was given another 7 days of Field Punishment No.2.

Aldwin served through 1917 and into 1918 without being wounded. After the German offensive of March 1918 that broke through the Third and Fifth British Armies, the 32^nd Battalion as part of the 5^th Division were sent down to the Somme where they helped to hold back the Germans. The Germans were repulsed at Villers-Bretoneux and Dernancourt in April 1918 and from that time on the Australians constantly nibbled away at the German lines, the most notable attack being the capture of Hamel on July 4^th 1918.

Plans were afoot for a large scale assault on the German lines using the Australian, Canadian and British Corps. This was due to take place in early August 1918 however there was still a German position that could overlook the Australian rear area and the preparations for the large advance would be seen. The 32^nd Battalion was therefore tasked with the capture of the position known as Brick Beacon near the French village of Sailly Laurette. On July 30^th the 32^nd successfully captured the position though the Germans responded with a fierce bombardment during which time Aldwin was killed.

As a Lewis Gunner, Aldwin was in advance of the trench line, stationed in a shell hole, covering the men of his unit who were digging a trench behind him when a shell came and killed him. Private Holt of the 32^nd Battalion stated that;

“I buried him on the right of the Bray Corbie Road about 200 yards on the right, just behind our line, and put a cross on with name, number, rank and unit…property was taken out of his pockets, handed to officers and sent on to the Orderly room.”

Thanks to Private Holt giving Aldwin a named grave, his resting place was located after the war when the war graves units came through. Aldwin, along with Sgt Attiwill (another Fremantle soldier) who was buried nearby was exhumed and reburied at Beacon Cemetery at Sailly Laurette. Aldwin lies in plot no. IV.D.7.