Private Kenneth Brooks Burley
- Rank
- Private
- Appointment
- Sapper
- Service number
- WX8780
- Unit
- 2/6 Field Park Company Royal Australian Engineers
- Cause of death
- Died as Prisoner of War
- Place of death
- Sandakan, Borneo
- Date of death
- 18 May 1945
- Age
- 40
- Plaque number
- L146B
- Co-located plaques
- L146 - PTE Peter Wheatley
- L146A - PTE Peter Wheatley
- Dedicated by
- Family on 17 August 2013
- More information
Biography presented during plaque dedication:
Sapper Kenneth Brooks Burley is one of four sons of Robert and Elizabeth Burley and was born at Narrogin in January 1905.
His schooling is not known but he had some technical training as he worked as fitter and turner.
In April 1941, he married Moy Cutmore at Bridgetown during his final leave and they had one son, Kenneth.
Ken was a keen footballer and was photographed in 1925 with the South Sydney Australian rules team.
He enlisted at Claremont in October 1940 and was posted to 2/6 Field Park Company which was part of 8 Division.
The division was sent to Malaya to fight the oncoming enemy forces.
After the fall of Singapore, he became a prisoner of war and was sent to Sandakan as part of ‘B’ force to construct an airfield.
They were subject to severe and brutal treatment from the enemy and many died of malnutrition, maltreatment and disease.
Sapper Kenneth Brooks Burley, service number WX8780 of 2/6 Field Park Company, died as a prisoner of war at Sandakan on 18 May 1945. He was forty years of age.
His plaque is placed alongside those of known relatives Private Peter George Wheatley of 51 Battalion and Private Peter James Wheatley of 2/43 Battalion.