Matthew Dallas Burns

Matthew was born in Tallangatta, Victoria in 1899. He was one of twelve children to John Bertie and Eliza Sarah Matilda (née Seeley) Burns. Unfortunately, three of those children died before they reached one year old.

Two of Matthew’s brothers, William and John, both enlisted in the 1st AIF, serving overseas. A younger brother, Ernest, enlisted in the RAN and served in WW2 reaching the rank of Petty Officer.

Rather than his home town of Tallangatta, Matthew chose to enlist in Melbourne. The reason is obvious when you look at his enlistment papers. Although born in 1899, and therefore only 17 years of age, he wrote on his attestation paper that he was 20 years and 5 months. He also enlisted as Matthew Dallas Burns rather than use his birth name. So it was on the 3rd of July 1916, Private Matthew Dallas Burns, Regimental Number 5659, of the 8th Reinforcements for the 8th Battalion, embarked on HMAT A Ayrshire at Melbourne, Victoria. Nearly two months later he stepped off the ship at Plymouth in the south of England. A train journey through the early spring countryside took Matthew and his unit to the 2nd Training Battalion, at Perham Downs in Wiltshire. They would remain here for four short weeks being trained in the skills they would need to survive and fight on the Western Front. Three weeks in october would be spent at the 1st Australian Divisional Base Depot at Etaples in France.

Matthew was finally taken on strength with the 46th Battalion on the 19th of October when he, and 87 other ranks under the command of Lieutenant E.H. Spear arrived at the battalion. Three days later the entire battalion moved to Renningheslt, 10 kilometeres south-west of Ypres, where they relived the Royal Fusiliers. Eight days later Matthew was admitted to the 12th Field Ambulance with influenza. On the 17th of November he was posted to the 4th Australian Divisional Base Depot at Etaples. Soldiers would often be sent here after leave or being discharged from hospital in order to gain their strength and undertake more training. This enabled that they would be fit and healthy when returing to their unit at the front. 

It is clear that the routine of training was too much for Matthew and so, on the 10th of December, he took himself off base for some unofficial leave. Upon reporting back the following day he was charged with being absent without leave from parade. He was forfeited five days pay, quite a considerable sum. 

Two days before Christmas Day, 1916, Matthew rejoined his battalion at Flesselles, just north of Amiens in France. Christmas Day was spent as a battalion sports day.

The 46th Battalion was part of the 12th Brigade of the 4th Australian Division. On the 10th of April, 1917, The 12th Brigade, along with the 4th Brigade of the same Division, was tasked with attacking the Hindenburg Line immediately east of the village of Bullecourt. Just prior to zero hour (0430 hours) orders were received to cancel the attack. The 46th then withdrew to the south towards the village of Vraucourt. 

The attack was to be carried out the following morning. It moved up overnight and re-occupied the jumping off trench ready to move at 0430 hours on the 11th of April. They were to be supported on the 12th Brigade front by four tanks. Unfortunately none of the tanks succeeded in reaching the wire of the first objective. Although the 46th Battalion had already entered the wire they were unable to proceed to their second objective. At 1130 hours the attack was abandoned and the battalion withdrew. The 46th suffered 43 killed, 100 missing, 38 wounded and missing and 201 wounded. Matthew was originally listed among the missing but this was soon changed to killed in action. 

Mathew has no known grave. He is remembered on the Australian War Memorial Roll of Honour, the Villers-Bretonneux Memorial (Australian National Memorial), and the Boer War and WW1 Roll of Honour at Tallangatta, Victoria. For his service he was awarded the British War Medal and the Victory Medal.

In late November of 1922, five years after Matthew’s death, John Burns received a letter from the Deceased Section of the Army Records Department asking about which name he wished to have on his son’s memorial plaque. He answered.

Sir,

In answer to your letter I beg to state in regards to the Plaque that the name of Matthew Dallas Burns will be correct as that was the name he enlisted under so it is just as well to leave it so His right name was Ivor Arthur Dallas but for some reason he put the other name. And we are willing to accept the other as it is.

Yours faithfully

John Burns.