Michael Paul Burke
Rank:
Private
Serial No:
Serial No. 85675
Suburb:
Ingleburn
Michael Paul Burke - Information
Michael Paul Burke was born in Ingleburn on the 27th of August 1893. As the war raged on, Michael was living on Hammer's Rd in Parramatta with his family. Here, he worked as a baker, having completed a 4 year apprenticeship in Leichhardt. At the age of 24, Michael decided to enlist in the AIF, volunteering in Sydney on the 14th of January 1918. He commenced his recruitment training at the Royal Showground Camp, before being stationed to the M & D Depot in Liverpool. However, he found it difficult to adapt to army life. At Liverpool in late February, he went absent without leave for a week. He then contracted gonorrhoea and was sent to Milson Island for treatment. While there, he again broke camp and was later declared a deserter. Consequently, he was arrested in Sydney by Military Police in September. He was also charged with being drunk (having on his person two bottles of rum), and disobedience of orders. He was subsequently escorted to Darlinghurst Detention Barracks and sentenced to 14 days detention. Surprisingly at Darlinghurst, he went AWL again for five days. Shortly after this, the war ended. On the 31st of December he was discharged when his enlistment period was terminated.