Alexander Stewart Burton VC was killed in action on this day in 1915
Alexander Burton was born on 20 January 1893 in Euroa, Victoria in Australia.
On enlisting on 18 August 1914, aged 21, then an ironmonger, he joined the 7th Battalion Australian Imperial Force.
He had served for 4 years in the cadets.
On 19 October 1914 he embarked at Melbourne on active service.
Alexander was wounded 25 May 1915, rejoining the battalion on 18 May.
Having volunteered and taken part in the forcing of saphead D21 in the face of the enemy, he was appointed Lance Corporal on 10 July 1915.
He was killed 9 August 1915 while repulsing a series of attacks on a trench they had just taken on Lone Pine, Gallipoli.
Following a counter-attack on the centre of a newly captured trench held by Corporal Burton and Corporal Dunstan and a few men, despite the attack the men repulsed the Turks and rebuilt the barricade. Another two times the enemy blew the barricade, and twice more Corporals Burton and Dunstan repulsed them and rebuilt it.
On 15 October 1915 Alexander Burton was awarded Victoria Cross and on 28 January 1916 mentioned in dispatches by Sir Ian Hamilton.
Cpl. Burton has no known grave. His name is commemorated on the Lone Pine Memorial at Gallipoli.
An oak tree, and a bridge at Euroa, Victoria, are dedicated to his memory.
384 Cpl Alexander Burton, 7th Bn, Australian Infantry