Stringfellow, Burnett

994 Fitter Burnett Stringfellow - 5th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company AIF

Burnett Stringfellow was born in Parramatta NSW to James and Isabella Stringfellow. He was one of several siblings with, James (1881), Ernest (1886) and Stanley (1889).

Burnett had his early years in NSW and he also served in the St George's English Rifles in NSW for three years and three months before being discharged at his own request.

In the early 1900's Burnett and his brother Ernest travelled to Western Australia and took up residence in Thompson Road North Fremantle. Burnett was a blacksmith and the brothers secured employment with the WA Government Railways.

In 1906 Burnett married Jane Richards in North Fremantle in 1906. They would have four daughters from the marriage, Edith (1908), Sadie (1910), Miriam (1911) and Nancy (1914). Unfortunately Sadie died in 1910 shortly after her birth.

The family continued to reside in Thompson Road North Fremantle.

In 1916 Burnett tried to enlist into the AIF but was rejected due to having defective teeth. He went away and fixed this and enlisted again on the 21st December 1916. He and his brother Ernest enlisted the same day and were accepted as fit for service.

Burnett's physical attributes were recorded by the medical examiner as;

Height - 6 feet tall;

Weight - 145lbs;

Chest Measurement - 35-39 inches;

Complexion - Fresh;

Eyes - Grey;

Hair - Brown.

Burnett's enlistment coincided with the introduction of a Railway Corps into the Australian Imperial Force. Due to Burnett's and his brother's railway experience, both were assigned to the Australian Railway Corps Reinforcements.

On the 29th Janaury 1917 Burnett and Ernest boarded the transport ship HMAT Miltiades in Fremantle Harbour and set sail for England, arriving at Devonport Harbour on the 27th March 1917.

After several weeks of training in England, Burnett was sent across to France in May 1917 where he was attached to the 59th Railway Operating Company. He served with the 59th Company and then the 5th Broad Gauge Railway Operating Company in France and Belgium through 1917 and 18. They were kept very busy bringing supplies and troops up to the front lines and while not in the trenches, the railway men were often under long range artillery fire and bombing from the German planes as the Germans knew the importance of the Railway lines and terminus's.

Fortunately Burnett was never wounded in the war and aside from a few minor ailments got through unscathed.

On the 21st June 1919 Burnett boarded the transport ship Kongin Louise and left for Australia, disembarking in Fremantle on the 3rd August 1919.

Burnett was discharged from the AIF on the 10th September 1919.

Burnett returned home to North Fremantle and lived there for the rest of his life. He became greatly involved in metalwork for art and his timber house was saved as part of the Timber Houses scheme in the 1980's.

In 1930 his wife Jane died and he remarried in 1937 to Nora Hipper, They would have a daughter Jeanette born in 1938.

Burnett Stringfellow died in 1963.