Ernest Frederick Burch

Private

Conflict:

WW2

Additional Information:

Son of Basil and Katherine Burch, of Gisborne.

References:

CWGC

Henderson (1958)

NZ WAR GRAVES

Biographical Notes:

"PTE E. F. BURCH WOUNDED AT RIMINI A veteran of the Italian campaign and a former member of the 22nd New Zealand Infantry Battalion, Private Ernest Frederick Burch, passed away at the Cook Hospital this morning after several months of suffering which followed his wounding in the battle of Rimini. North Italy. Private Burch was the son of Mr. and Mrs. B. Burch, Tamarau, and went abroad with the 10th New Zealand Expeditionary Force in 1943. He received multiple wounds from the explosion of a mortar bomb at Rimini, and was returned to New Zealand in a fairly serious condition. Since his return in August last he has been an in-patient of the Cook Hospital, and latterly his condition had shown a progressive decline. The deceased was a station manager before entering the army, and managed the Mangaotane property for the East Coast Commission. He was a single man, and had two sisters. Mrs. T. F. Pepper. Tongariro, and Miss D. Burch, Wellington. The burial will take place at the Tauheru cemetery to-morrow, following a service at Cochrane’s chapel at 3 p.m. Former comrades of the deceased are to assemble at the Army Hall at 2.30 p.m. to arrange for pallbearers and transportation to the cemetery. [Gisborne Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 21870, 14 November 1945, Page 6]

“That night a patrol from 7 Platoon to Via Ventrata did not contact the enemy—so far so good—and early on the 17th [October, 1944] the company moved forward and took up positions along the road. Orders came to attack the enemy paratroopers, who were in a position round casas about 400 yards ahead. Six and 7 Platoons got their objective, but 8 Platoon was pinned down by spandau fire. The tanks, which were called up, drew awkward fire from heavy guns and blasted unsuccessfully at the spandaus. Under cover of the tanks firing, a withdrawal was made to a deep ditch, wide at the top but narrow at the bottom. Here they were pinned down by mortar fire, then hit by a mortar bomb which wounded Laurie Duffy, Ernie Burch (in fifteen places), and three others.” [Henderson (1958)]

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Casualty

Service Number:

233066

Name:

Ernest Frederick Burch

Rank:

Private

Date of Birth:

28 May 1910

Place of Birth:

New Zealand

Next of Kin:

Mrs K Burch (mother), c/o B Fitzgerald P.B., Pouawa, Gisborne

Date of Enlistment:

Not known

Locality on Enlistment:

Whatatutu

Place of Enlistment:

Gisborne, New Zealand

Marital Status:

Single

Occupation on Enlistment:

Station Manager

Unit:

New Zealand Infantry

Casualty Details

Cause of Death:

Died of Wounds

Date of Death:

13 November 1945

Day of Death:

Tuesday

Age at Death:

Conflict:

WW2

Embarkation Details

Text in italics supplied by Cenotaph Online, Auckland War Memorial Museum

Cemetery

Cemetery:

Gisborne (Taruheru) Cemetery

Cemetery Reference:

Cemetery Location:

New Zealand