John Burgess
Died 1985
- Service number
- WWII 4211008 AWMM
- WWII NZ4211008 AWMM
- Also known as
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- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Last rank
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- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
About
- Title
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- Forenames
- John AWMM
- Surname
- Burgess AWMM
- Ingoa
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- Also known as
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- Service number
- WWII 4211008 AWMM
- WWII NZ4211008 AWMM
- Gender
- Male AWMM
- Iwi / Hapū / Waka / Rohe
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- Religion
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Images
Documents
About birth
- Birth
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- Date of birth
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- Place of birth
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- Birth notes
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- Address before enlistment
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- Post war occupation
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- Next of kin
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- Relationship status
- Unknown AWMM Single AWMM
Wars and conflicts
- War
- World War II, 1939-1945 AWMM
- Campaign
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- Armed force / branch
- Air Force AWMM
- Service number
- WWII 4211008 AWMM
- WWII NZ4211008 AWMM
- Military service
- Royal Air Force, No. 75 (NZ) Squadron AWMM
- Promotions/ Postings/ Transfers
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Military decorations
- Medals and Awards
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Training and Enlistment
- Military training
- Branch Trade Proficiency
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- Enlistment
- Inter War 1933 AWMM Carpenter/Civilian AWMM
- Age on enlistment
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- Occupation before enlistment
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Embarkations
- Embarkation details
- WW2 Vessel was Monticello AWMM Royal New Zealand Air Force AWMM
Prisoner of war
- Capture details
- POW - Stalag Luft VII, Bankau, Poland AWMM
Homberg raid AWMM - WW2 POW - Germany AWMM
- WW2 POW - Europe RNZAF AWMM
Jul 1944 AWMM
- POW - Stalag Luft VII, Bankau, Poland AWMM
- Days interned
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- Liberation date
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- POW liberation details
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- Liberation Repatriation
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- POW serial number
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Medical history
- Medical notes
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Last known rank
- Last rank
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Biographical information
- Enlisted in Army in 1933, transferred to RNZAF September 1942
He had to study his maths prior to being accepted. He was originally a member of Flying Officer R C Leslie’s crew and had flown on a number of the same operations that Horace Callow’s (NZ427185) crew had previously flown.
Captured after the Homberg raid, his sixth operation. Flight Sergeant Burgess was the air bomber on a Lancaster which was part of a raid on Homberg when it was brought down over the Netherlands. Five of the crew were killed, one evaded capture and Burgess was taken prisoner. (Martyn (1998-2008)
He was a POW interned at Bankau until advancing Russian forces forced the Germans to evacuate the camp on 19 January 1945 and march John and the other prisoners for 21 days west towards Luckenwalde where they arrived in 8 February 1945. His diary describes the march with each stop and a food ration of “3.5 loaves of bread, 24.5 Rye biscuits, an small packet of honey, some tinned meat, 30 half cups of soup and 10 spuds”.
After the war John returned to Wellington married a returned nurse (Japan, Egypt, Italy), they had 3 children and he continued as a builder.
Manuscript "In memory of Flying Officer Horace Callow and the crew of RAF 75 (NZ) Squadron Lancaster Bomber ME752 AA-Z lost in Action 21 July 1944.." A Brief account of military service and photograph is found in the Manuscript Unpublished by Noel Fisher 2007 on file in The Armoury resource Centre AWMM
About death
- Death
- 1985 AWMM
- Date of death
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- Age at death
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- Place of death
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- Cause of death
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- Death notes
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- Cemetery
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- Grave reference
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- Obituary
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Memorial
- Memorial name
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Sources
- External links
- List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - Air Force Officers and OR's [Other Ranks], Prisoners of War in Europe and Far East, Archives New Zealand, R17845754, ADQA 17263 AIR118/107/76/6
https://collections.archives.govt.nz/web/arena/search/#/entity/aims-archive/R17845754
Further Reference - References
- Chorley, W. (1997). Royal Air Force Bomber Command losses of the Second World War (Vol. 5). Leicester, England: Midland Counties Publications.
- Martyn, E. (1998-2008). For Your Tomorrow (Vols. 1-3). Christchurch, N.Z.: Volplane Press.
- This record is a work in progress and was partially compiled from the “Database of New Zealand Airmen who took part in Advanced Air Training in Canada during WW2”. Researched by Ivan and Lorna Lindsey of Tauranga. N.Z. 2003 – 2012. Reproduced with permission.
- War Office. (1945). Germany and German occupied territories : imperial prisoners of war alphabetical list : section 8 : Air Forces. London, U.K.: Government Printer.
p.79 - List of RNZAF [Royal New Zealand Air Force] Personnel - Air Force Officers and OR's [Other Ranks], Prisoners of War in Europe and Far East, Archives New Zealand, R17845754, ADQA 17263 AIR118/107/76/6
- Mason, W.W. (1954) Prisoners of war. Wellington, N.Z.: Department of Internal Affairs, War History Branch.
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