Private

Wadlow Neiafu Campbell Burns

Conflict: 
WW2
Additional Information: 

Son of Robert Nelson Burns and of Ada May Burns (nee Marchant), of Brown's Bay, Auckland, New Zealand.

References:
  • CWGC
NZ WAR GRAVES

Biographical Notes:

"At half past five on the afternoon of 5 December the SS Chakdina left Tobruk harbour carrying 380 wounded, of whom 97 were New Zealanders. The Chakdina was not a hospital ship, but her use had been arranged by the British ADMS in Tobruk. In addition to the wounded she had on board some officers and men who were going to Baggush to resume duties with HQ 2 NZ Division. Among them were Maj M. Williams, OC 4 Field Hygiene Section, WO I R. W. Cawthorn, and two men of ADMS's staff. Just after nine o'clock an enemy plane released a torpedo, which exploded in one of the after holds of the Chakdina. She sank within three and a half minutes. There was very little chance of escape, except for those who were unwounded or only lightly wounded, and who were in a favourable position at the time. Only 18 of the New Zealand wounded were picked up by the destroyer HMS Farndale, which also rescued all except one of the Divisional Headquarters medical staff. The survivors reached Alexandria on 7 December, and the casualties were admitted to the detachment of 3 NZ General Hospital there. The sinking of the Chakdina was the only major misfortune in the evacuation of New Zealand wounded during the war."

[MEDICAL UNITS OF 2 NZEF IN MIDDLE EAST AND ITALY, NZETC]

Public Contributions:

There are no public contributions written for this casualty

Personal Tributes:

Casualty

Service Number: 
8748
Name:
Wadlow Neiafu Campbell Burns
Rank: 
Private
Date of Birth:
Not known
Next of Kin: 
Mrs A.M. Burns (mother), Ostend, Waiheke Island, Auckland, New Zealand
Date of Enlistment:
Not known
Enlistment Address: 
14 College Hill, Ponsonby, Auckland, New Zealand
Occupation on Enlistment:
Carpenter's labourer
Unit:
New Zealand Infantry, 27 (Machine Gun) Battalion

Casualty Details

Cause of Death:
Lost in HMS Chakdina
Date of Death:
05 December 1941
Day of Death:
Friday
Age at Death: 
27
Conflict: 
WW2

Embarkation Details

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

Cemetery

Cemetery: 
Cemetery Reference: 
Column 105.
Cemetery Location: 
Egypt
Wadlow Neiafu Campbell Burns
Images
More information
  • Files must be less than 100 MB.
  • Allowed file types: png gif jpg jpeg.
Files
More information
  • Files must be less than 100 MB.
  • Allowed file types: txt pdf doc.