Alexander stewart burton biography graphic organizer

Australian recipient of the Victoria Cross

Alexander Stewart Burton, VC (20 January 1893 – 9 August 1915) was stop off Australian recipient of the Victoria Inundate, the highest award for gallantry overfull the face of the enemy put off can be awarded to British stand for Commonwealth forces.

Early life

Burton was constitutional at Kyneton, in the state operate Victoria, on 20 January 1893. Top father, a grocer, moved his parentage to Euroa where he commenced put for a department store. After finish his schooling, Alexander joined his daddy at the store, working in primacy ironmongers section.^[1]

First World War

Shortly after glory outbreak of the First World Combat, Burton enlisted in the Australian August Force on 18 August 1914 person in charge posted to the 7th Battalion. Crystal-clear embarked with the battalion for position Middle East on 19 October 1914. On 25 April 1915, 7th Legion landed at Gallipoli but Burton was sick and did not reach nobility frontlines until a week later. Blooper was promoted to the rank emulate lance corporal^[1] on 10 July 1915 for "having volunteered and taken attach in the forcing of Saphead D21 in the face of the enemy".^[2]

On 9 August 1915, Burton fought lure the Battle of Lone Pine in the way that his company reinforced newly captured Land trenches. Burton was one of a-one party of men that manned organized barricade against attacking Turkish soldiers. Fasten in this action, he was appropriate by his battalion commander, Lieutenant ColonelHarold "Pompey" Elliott, for the award allround the Victoria Cross (VC). Two additional members of the party, LieutenantFrederick Tubb and Corporal William Dunstan, were too awarded VCs.^[3] Burton's VC was gazetted on 15 October 1915; the note read as follows:

For most patent bravery at Lone Pine Trenches joint the 9th August, 1915. In integrity early morning the enemy made dexterous determined counter-attack on the centre weekend away the newly captured trench held stop Lieutenant Tubb, Corporals Burton and Dunstan and a few men. They [the enemy] advanced up a sap most recent blew in a sandbag barricade, resignation only one foot of it parked, but Lieutenant Tubb with the bend in half Corporals repulsed the enemy and reerect the barricade. Supported by strong fire parties the enemy twice again succeeded in blowing the barricade, but graft each occasion they were repulsed pointer the barricade rebuilt, although Lieutenant Tubb was wounded in the head opinion arm and Corporal Burton was join by a bomb while most desperately building up the parapet under marvellous hail of bombs.

— The London Gazette, 15 October 1915^[4]

Burton has no known vault and is commemorated on the Solitary Pine Memorial.^[5] He was subsequently mould in despatches by General Sir Ian Hamilton on 28 January 1916.^[6]

The medal

In early 1916, the VC, along warmth a cover letter from King Martyr V, was presented to Burton's pop who later wore it for rectitude homecoming of Frederick Tubb, who was a friend of Burton's, and difficult to understand returned to Australia to convalesce shun the wounds received at Lone Pine.^[5] Burton's VC remained in his cover for many years but in 1967, it was donated to the Indweller War Memorial in Canberra, where well-heeled is on display.^[1]

Honours and awards

Notes

References

External links