Our Family History - Person Sheet
Our Family History - Person Sheet
NameStanley Cameron Burke 
Birth Date9 Jul 1918
Birth PlaceAustralia, VIC, Warracknabeal
Death Date29 Jan 1944
Death PlaceThailand, Tha Makham Camp
MemoPOW. Died on Burma Railway, Cause of death: Dysentry, Malaria, Tropical Ulcers. First buried at Tha Makham Cemetery, Grave No G-36
Burial PlaceThailand, Kanchanaburi
MemoKanchanaburi Cemetery grave no 1.E.05
OccupationBank clerk, Sapper, 2/10 Field Company, Royal Australian Engineers
FatherRobert Joseph Burke (1889-1957)
MotherMargaret Liela Cameron (1893-1984)
Notes for Stanley Cameron Burke
Corporal Stanley C. Burke, the eldest son of Councillor and Mrs. R.J. Burke of Ararat, passed away on January 19, 1944, while a prisoner of war in Siam. In 1944, Corporal Burke embarked on a journey to Malaya and was assigned to the 2/10th Royal Australian Engineers, bearing the service number VX29141. Sapper Stanley Cameron Burke, a member of the 2/10 Field Company, RAE, found himself in captivity after Singapore fell in February 1942. Tragically, Sapper Burke succumbed to illness in Thailand on January 29, 1944.
P.O.W Record of Sapper Stanley Burke
As researched by Rod Beatie, Creator of ‘The Thailand Burma Railway Centre’ Kanchanaburi, Thailand.
Stanley Burke was captured at the fall of Singapore being wounded in the arm. In May 1942 the “A Force” was formed consisting of 3,300 Australian P.O.Ws including the 2/10 Field Company R.A.E, and were later joined by 500 British soldiers. They were sent by ship to Victoria Point in Burma via rusty old ships. The ships were crammed and the soldiers were held in atrocious conditions for 10 days with little food or water. They worked on the airfield at Tavoy, Burma, until October 1942 and then were moved by boat before marching to Thanbyuzayat to commence building the railway from the Burma end. The railway was finished in October 1943 joining up with the Thailand section near ‘The Three Pagodas’ on the Burma-Thailand Border. It is believed that Stan worked to ‘The Three Pagodas’ and was then transported out by train, probably very sick by this stage. There is no record of him being hospitalised at the 55 kilo hospital which was run by Dr Albert Coates. Unfortunately the hospital at ‘The Three Pagodas’ pass had no records. The survivors were sent to Kanchanaburi in Thailand by rail in Nov-Dec. Stan was interned in Makham Hospital P.O.W Camp where he stayed until he died in the camp hospital on the 29/01/1944 of dysentery malaria and tropical ulcers, aged 25. He was buried in Makham Cemetery, grave number G. 36, before being transferred to the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, grave number 1.E 05.
P.O.W Record of Sapper Stanley Burke
As researched by Rod Beatie, Creator of ‘The Thailand Burma Railway Centre’ Kanchanaburi, Thailand.
Stanley Burke was captured at the fall of Singapore being wounded in the arm. In May 1942 the “A Force” was formed consisting of 3,300 Australian P.O.Ws including the 2/10 Field Company R.A.E, and were later joined by 500 British soldiers. They were sent by ship to Victoria Point in Burma via rusty old ships. The ships were crammed and the soldiers were held in atrocious conditions for 10 days with little food or water. They worked on the airfield at Tavoy, Burma, until October 1942 and then were moved by boat before marching to Thanbyuzayat to commence building the railway from the Burma end. The railway was finished in October 1943 joining up with the Thailand section near ‘The Three Pagodas’ on the Burma-Thailand Border. It is believed that Stan worked to ‘The Three Pagodas’ and was then transported out by train, probably very sick by this stage. There is no record of him being hospitalised at the 55 kilo hospital which was run by Dr Albert Coates. Unfortunately the hospital at ‘The Three Pagodas’ pass had no records. The survivors were sent to Kanchanaburi in Thailand by rail in Nov-Dec. Stan was interned in Makham Hospital P.O.W Camp where he stayed until he died in the camp hospital on the 29/01/1944 of dysentery malaria and tropical ulcers, aged 25. He was buried in Makham Cemetery, grave number G. 36, before being transferred to the Kanchanaburi War Cemetery, grave number 1.E 05.
Military notes for Stanley Cameron Burke
World War 2 Service
On June 27, 1940, VX29141, an Involvement Sapper, enlisted in the Australian Military Forces (WW2) and was assigned to the 2nd/10th Field Company / Squadron RAE in Malaya and Singapore.
On the same day, VX29141 was enlisted in the Caulfield, Victoria.
On June 27, 1940, VX29141, an Involvement Sapper, enlisted in the Australian Military Forces (WW2) and was assigned to the 2nd/10th Field Company / Squadron RAE in Malaya and Singapore.
On the same day, VX29141 was enlisted in the Caulfield, Victoria.